Vancouver • Logan Cooley did not hesitate.
The Utah Hockey Club forward, planted just below the right circle, sent the puck soaring into the back of the net for the game-winning goal in Sunday’s all-important 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena.
The third-period tally — and Clayton Keller’s ensuing empty-net goal — brought Utah significantly closer in a Western Conference playoff race which is as tight as it gets. Ahead of Sunday’s matchup, Utah trailed Vancouver by four points for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The Club is now two back (instead of six, had it lost) with 15 games remaining in the regular season.
“They [were] four points ahead of us – it doesn’t really get much bigger than that,” Alex Kerfoot said. “Playoff hopes are on the line here to an extent in a game like this. It brings us right back into the mix and we just have to keep building because we’re still trying to track down three teams.”
Cooley’s game-winning goal — and 18th of the year — broke a six-game point drought for the 20-year-old. The longest Cooley had previously gone without a point was a three-game stretch in January. The forward missed a chunk of games last month with a lower-body injury and has not reached his regular dominance since returning on Feb. 23.
Cooley had one shot on goal through 100 minutes of hockey up until 5:08 of Sunday’s final frame. That is when things changed.
“It’s obviously a special feeling when you get to score. Feels like it’s been like two years since I got one in the back of the net. It’s a big confidence boost and hopefully I can keep it rolling now,” Cooley said. “It truly does feel like the weight of the world is off my shoulders now. I can just play and get back to doing what makes me successful and not thinking too much.”
Head coach André Tourigny made a tweak to the lineup against Vancouver — with Cooley involved. Kerfoot was moved to the first line to center Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz while Logan Cooley was put on the second line’s left wing. It was Cooley’s first time on the wing this season, and he, evidently, adjusted well.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club center Logan Cooley (92) skates with the puck, as Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (40) defends, in NHL Hockey action between Utah Hockey Club and Vancouver Canucks at the Delta Center, on Wednesday, Dec 18, 2024.
“Overall, you’re not doing as much work as you do as a center, which is kind of nice,” Cooley said. “You’re just trying to be in position, try to adjust as quick as possible. I played a little bit growing up so it’s not brand new.”
Before Cooley secured the lead for Utah in the third, Quinn Hughes scored for the Canucks on the power play at 2:37 of the first period to make it 1-0 with a wrist shot from the point.
Utah found the equalizer off a tally from Kevin Stenlund — his third point in the last two games. Nick Bjugstad corralled the puck behind the net, wrapped around and spat it out to Stenlund who one-timed it from the right side. It was Stenlund’s 10th goal of the season and Bjugstad’s first point since Feb. 6.
“Our experience showed,” Tourigny said. “I thought that was one of our better games under pressure. The way we reacted — they tried to push us around in the first period and we called their bluff. We stayed composed and we played really well the rest of the game.”
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club forward Alex Kerfoot (15) as Utah Hockey Club hosts the Los Angeles Kings, NHL pre-season hockey in Salt Lake City on Monday, Sept. 23, 2024.
The Club’s biggest test was at 10:43 of the final stanza when Keller was dealt a double-minor for high-sticking. Utah was tasked with defending its one-goal lead for four minutes, and that it did, led by a master-class effort from Kerfoot. The Vancouver native had family in the crowd to watch him shut down the Canucks’ extended power play.
“I really didn’t think they got many good looks. We did a good job denying entries, winning faceoffs, getting clears. The few looks that they did have I think were from the outside,” Kerfoot said of the penalty kill. “Did a really good job — I think Veggie (goaltender Karel Vejmelka) was great. A four-minute kill at that point of the game is game-breaking.”
Utah’s penalty kill now ranks 13th in the NHL at 80.5% and unequivocally earned the team the two points it desperately needed in the standings. Vejmelka was another key player on the PK; he finished the night with 18 saves.
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club center Clayton Keller (9) brings the puck down the ice during the game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024.
Keller’s empty-netter with 31 seconds remaining on the clock iced the game for the Club and marked the captain’s 24th goal of the season — which ties Dylan Guenther for most on the team.
Utah now shifts its focus to the Edmonton Oilers, which it faces Tuesday at Rogers Place. The Club is still in the fight. What’s more, it believes it belongs there.
“We worked hard for all season long, 60-something games, to earn the right to be in the game where it can make a difference in the standings,” Tourigny said. “Just now we just get what we earned.”
