Seattle • Utah Hockey Club dropped a game in a desperate-for-points moment of the season.
It was a no-show for most of Friday night’s 4-2 loss against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena. The consensus from players and head coach André Tourigny alike was the team simply did not have it.
“Our execution was not there,” Tourigny said. “I do not think we had our usual transition game, our usual offense, our usual inside presence. It’s one of those off nights where you put the tape right in the trash and move on.”
(Dean Rutz | The Seattle Times) Utah Hockey Club defenseman John Marino kills the Seattle attack and takes Seattle Kraken left wing Jaden Schwartz out of the play late in the first period in NHL Hockey Friday, March 14, 2025 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle.
Unfortunate timing, yes. But it does not have to deter Utah from the same mission of fighting for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The Club has the veteran voices – like Kevin Stenlund who had two points (one goal, one assist) against the Kraken — to settle the disappointment.
“You just have to take it game by game,” Stenlund said. “Just don’t get frustrated if it happens that we lose one. Just have to focus on the next one.”
There was likely plenty of frustration to pass around after the final buzzer. Utah turned the puck over often, struggled to contain Seattle’s rush and did not register its regular quantity or quality of offensive opportunities the other way.
The team is trying to adapt a playoff mentality, though, and that involves a short-term memory.
“If you lose 9-1, 22-0 or 1-0 in the playoffs, you need to be ready for the next game and that is us,” Tourigny said. “Probably the most important game of this season to this point is next game.”
Utah was outplayed for the better half of the opening frame and found itself behind just 51 seconds into the game. Eeli Tolvanen buried the loose puck left in front of Karel Vejmelka for the 1-0 advantage.
(Dean Rutz | The Seattle Times) Initially ruled a goal, Seattle Kraken left wing Jade Schwartz's shot was waved off in the third period when video review showed it didn't cross the line against the Utah Hockey Club Friday, March 14, 2025 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle.
Stenlund was called for high-sticking late in the first period but made up for it when leaving the penalty box two minutes later. The forward popped into the zone, picked up the puck along the boards and broke out the other way on an odd-man rush with Nick Schmaltz. Stenlund dished it cross crease to Schmaltz who one-timed the puck past Kraken netminder Philipp Grubauer to tie things 1-1 at 16:48.
The Club earned its first lead of the night in the second with Stenlund’s ninth goal of the season. John Marino broke up a Kraken breakout at center ice and sent the puck into the offensive zone where he slickly set up Stenlund for a knock-in tally in front. The play marked Stenlund’s second goal in five games and first multi-point performance of the season.
“I want to be a leader. Obviously play good defensively and then always want to create offense and score goals. Still working on that, get better,” Stenlund said. “Most importantly, it’s being consistent in the D-zone and trying to help the team that way.”
Stenlund has been somewhat of an unsung hero for Utah in all of those respects.
General manager Bill Armstrong brought in the 28-year-old due to his veteran experience during the offseason. After hoisting the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers in June, Stenlund inked a two-year, $4 million contract with Utah. He quickly became an important depth piece to the Club’s forward group while dominating at the face-off dot (with a team-best 58.8%) and on the penalty kill.
“It makes such a huge difference the way he plays defensively,” Tourigny said. “His play on the PK speaks for itself but more than that it’s big faceoffs, it’s the way he plays in our zone and key moments of the game where you either have to win the draw or need a guy who is playing really well down low — he does all of the above.”
Stenlund’s goal ultimately was not enough to earn Utah the win, though.
Brandon Montour knotted the contest 2-2 with a deflected shot while crashing the crease at 18:54 ahead of the third period, when Kaapo Kakko put the Kraken up. An empty-net goal from Tolvanen brought the game to its final 4-2 scoreline at 18:51.
“We feel like we let that one slip away,” Marino said. “Obviously every game here on out is a playoff game with the race being so tight. We feel like we had our chances and we kind of gave them the goals that they got.”
(Dean Rutz | The Seattle Times) Utah defenseman Michael Kesselring takes Seattle Kraken left wing Eeli Tolvanen out of the attack in the first period in NHL Hockey Friday, March 14, 2025 at Climate Pledge Arena, in Seattle.
The Club’s maturity will be tested now. It would be easy to dwell on what did or did not happen against the Kraken. How the team responds will show how much it has grown.
“We have guys who have won Stanley Cups,” Tourigny said. “They’ve been there. They know, ‘Okay, it’s not what we want.’ We’re frustrated but at midnight we’ll turn the page.”
Marino agreed.
“Having those guys around when things aren’t going your way and everything – just kind of stick with it and keep playing your game,” the defenseman said. “We always have them to rely on.”
