Utah Hockey Club just beat a team it wants to be someday

Utah Hockey Club general manager Bill Armstrong said he studied the Tampa Bay Lightning’s model of trading for all of their championship-winning defensemen.

Head coach André Tourigny said the Lightning’s excellence for years is a recipe his team needs to look at.

Forward Logan Cooley said he wants Utah to eventually have the same stature Tampa has in the NHL.

With back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021 and seven — nearing eight — consecutive playoff appearances, the Lightning dynasty is one those in the Utah room have looked to for inspiration throughout its rebuild. They even acquired one of Tampa’s top defensemen Mikhail Sergachev via trade this summer.

Saturday afternoon at Delta Center, though, the Club showed its own dominance and beat Tampa 6-4.

“Early on I think a lot we were just trying to hang in there. But now we know we can beat these top teams and teams with superstars,” Cooley said. “They’re an organization that does things the right way and for us, that’s what we want to get to. We want to be the Tampa Bay Lightning of the league and I think we’re working to that spot.”

It was not a perfect showing for Utah but it contained and produced against a Lightning team that would not let its opponent off easy. It took everyone, too. The Club had 10 different players on the scoresheet — including three-point performances from Cooley and Nick Schmaltz. Alex Kerfoot and John Marino also had two points apiece.

“They’re a dangerous team. They got guys who are going to make plays even if you’re in the right spots. They did that tonight,” Kerfoot said. “Right now we have four lines that are rolling pretty good. On any given night guys are stepping up and getting contributions from up and down the lineup. That’s big.”

The third line of Lawson Crouse, Jack McBain and Josh Doan collaborated for Utah’s first goal of the afternoon. Crouse pushed the puck into the offensive zone where McBain hunted for it behind the net before slipping it up to a net-front Doan. With no hesitation, Doan one-timed it past Lightning goalie Brandon Halverson for the 1-0 lead.

It was Doan’s fifth goal of the season, first since Feb. 9 and a well-earned reward for the 23-year-old who has been one of Utah’s best two-way forwards the past month.

McBain’s assist on the play marked a two-game point streak for the center. He had an 18-game drought spanning all of January and early February, so the tangible production now is an obvious positive when it comes to Utah’s offensive depth. McBain also fought Zemgus Girgensons in the second period and won the bout.

Of Utah’s 23 total hits against Tampa, the third line combined for 16 (and three points).

“They make a huge difference in their pace, their physicality, their forecheck,” Tourigny said. “I always think on a good team you have different ways to attack. When every line attacks the same way and has the same strength, it’s easier for the opponent to know exactly how to defend.”

Cooley doubled Utah’s advantage at 17:42 after trailing Michael Kesselring on a breakaway and knocking in the loose rebound to make it 2-0. The Lightning got on the board just before the first period expired with a power-play goal from Brayden Point.

After a Crouse goal was overturned due to a missed stoppage in play to open the second period, Tampa found the 2-2 equalizer from Anthony Cirelli. Utah had a response just 36 seconds later, though.

Marino — who was stationed at the right point — dished the puck diagonally across the zone to Kevin Stenlund in the left circle. Stenlund proceeded to rip one and Kerfoot was on the doorstep to redirect the shot in and put the Club up 3-2 at 5:58.

Utah had another quick comeback following Jake Guentzel’s tally at 17:23. Cooley potted his second of the game to make it 4-3 only 30 seconds later; he got in the shooting lane and tipped in Schmaltz’s wrister for his 21st goal of the year.

“For me, I try to be the best version of myself each and every day. I just try to get as good as I can be and become the player I want to be,” Cooley said. “Obviously it comes back to the team, trying to make it into the playoffs and eventually winning a Cup. I think that’s the biggest drive for me right now.”

Schmaltz extended Utah’s lead just over a minute into the final frame. Halverson made the initial stop on Clayton Keller’s shot from the right circle but Cooley poked around in the crease, the puck popped out and Schmaltz back-handed it in, lifting the Club 5-3.

While Point scored his second of the game at 2:54 to make it 5-4, Utah held Tampa off for the remainder of the third period, got an empty-netter from Kerfoot for the final 6-4 standing and secured two more points in the tightly-contested Western Conference playoff race.

“It’s a huge character win,” Tourigny said. “I think everybody was engaged, everybody was connected. We were really disciplined in the way we had to play against those guys. Great effort from the boys.”