SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - MARCH 10: Karel Vejmelka #70 of the Utah Hockey Club looks on before a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Delta Center on March 10, 2025 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
(Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY—The Utah Hockey Club took a bite out of Calgary’s playoff chances while boosting its own in a 3-1 home win. The victory gives Utah a three-game sweep over the Flames this season.
Utah HC (34-29-12, 80 points) is hosting the Flames (35-27-12, 82 points) at Delta Center on Tuesday, April 1. Utah is 16-14-7 at home, and Calgary is 16-15-7 on the road.
With seven regular-season games left for the inaugural franchise, Calgary is five points behind the St. Louis Blues for the second Western Conference Wild Card. St. Louis has won nine straight games to take a stranglehold on the final playoff spot. Utah is 5-4-1 in its past ten games, while the Flames are 5-3-2.
Call that a Calgary Sweep 🧹 pic.twitter.com/IF8kAettRN
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) April 2, 2025
The race to be the franchise’s first single-season goals title continues between Captain Clayton Keller and Dylan Guenther. Guenther currently leads, lighting the lamp 26 times. His 26 goals and 25 assists are career-highs for the third year forward.
Keller has 24 goals and a career-high 55 assists for 79 points. Keller is 17th in the NHL in scoring.
Between the pipes, head coach André Tourigny has leaned heavily on Karel Vejmelka. Tonight’s game marks the eighteenth consecutive start for Vejmelka as the club makes a playoff push. The former fifth-round draft pick is 22-20-7 this season, and his 2.59 goals against is the 13th best mark in the league.
Clayton Keller on what it means to be the first ever #UtahHC captain:
“It means a lot. It’s super cool to think about it that way. It’s forever & I’m the first one.”
“It’s something that I definitely don’t take lightly. I’m just super, super thankful.” pic.twitter.com/he4fEp9yPu
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 1, 2025
Calgary features a balanced offense with six players topping the 30-point plateau. Nazem Kadri (30 goals, 28 assists) and Jonathan Huberdeau 27 goals, 31 assists) lead the team with 58 points. Ten Flames skaters have ten or more goals this season.
Back for the final home stand of the inaugural season.
Pretty surreal.#UtahHC pic.twitter.com/P3Tk6A4hQe
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 1, 2025
Coach Andre Tourigny addresses Vejmelka’s 18 consecutive starts:
“We're fighting for our life every night and you want us to not put our best lineup on the ice every night?”
“That's make no sense. We are in the playoff. We are in our Stanley Cup run. We are fighting to get the…
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 1, 2025
LISTEN LIVE: @utahhockeyclub is back at Delta Center to face the @NHLFlames on the @kslsports app, @KSLSportsZone and:https://t.co/hT0zfpAIH2 pic.twitter.com/eHKN1MZ2mH
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) April 2, 2025
Logan Cooley just carved up the entire Calgary defense.
Holy smokes. Individual brilliance at its finest with the puck on his stick. That kid is special.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 2, 2025
Alexander Kerfoot with a breakaway opportunity but Wolf rejected him with the glove.
Great opportunity, better save.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 2, 2025
Utah is winning a lot of the 50/50 battles early on, especially in Calgary's zone.
Second line just dominated the Flames with roughly more than a minute of O-zone possession.
Great effort.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 2, 2025
He made his way to the bench with a towel over his nose and mouth.
Glad to see he's ok. We'll see if he returns or not. https://t.co/dYkVZ0vVhe
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 2, 2025
Second line has been buzzing tonight.
They've been able to get to the net consistently and created a few really dangerous chances.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 2, 2025
Bjugstad is now on the top line with Keller and Cooley in Guenther's absence.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 2, 2025
KEVIN STENLUND SCORES AND UTAH LEADS 1-0!!!!
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 2, 2025
What a no-look pass from Kerfoot here and a gorgeous one-timer from Stenlund.
That's 3 assists for Kerfoot over the last 2 games. https://t.co/b5PtVHSuCw
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 2, 2025
Kevin Stenlund's 12th goal gives @utahhockeyclub early leadhttps://t.co/9eSYh6vyMX
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) April 2, 2025
Dylan Guenther has returned to the ice.#UtahHC
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 2, 2025
End of the 1st in SLC.
Utah 1
Calgary 0SOG
Utah 12
Calgary 12pic.twitter.com/YAXpwCk5Lx— KSL Sports (@kslsports) April 2, 2025
Kevin Stenlund just set a career-high (12) with his goal in the first period.
He's been an excellent addition to this team with his work in the faceoff circle and contributions offensively.#UtahHC
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 2, 2025
The puck did not cross the line. No goal.
I am genuinely surprised by that one. Had to be as close to a goal as possible without the entire puck crossing the line. https://t.co/L4XDQjszla
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 2, 2025
BARRETT HAYTON SCORES AND UTAH LEADS 2-0!!!!!
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 2, 2025
What a backhander from Haytes 🔥 pic.twitter.com/iZ2NvJbByf
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) April 2, 2025
Yamamoto just kissed the cross bar with a wrist shot from in close.
He's been absolutely battling all night long and helped the second line generate a lot of offensive zone turnovers.
That's a guy that wants to stay in the NHL.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 2, 2025
4 on 4 hockey for the next two minutes.
Sergachev to the box for slashing.
Calgary with too many men on the ice.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 2, 2025
Calgary scores on a blast from the blue line.
I don't think Veggie saw it in time once it deflected.
2-1
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 2, 2025
Nick Schmaltz to the box for tripping and Calgary will head to the power play.
2P: 1:53 | 2-1 Utah
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 2, 2025
Absolutely unreal saves by Karel Vejmelka.
Two kick saves in close, and I genuinely don't know how he kept that second one out.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 2, 2025
The playoff odds may be stacked against them, but Utah is playing with a desperation regardless.
Guenther came back quickly despite a nasty cut on his nose, Vejmelka has been superb, and Mikhail Sergachev just laid out to block a puck.
No quit in this team. Pretty incredible.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 2, 2025
Calgary back to full strength. https://t.co/rVDuSzHkhW
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 2, 2025
Durzi to the box for high sticking.
Calgary to the PP trailing by a goal with 8:31 left in the 3rd period.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 2, 2025
CLAYTON KELLER SCORES AN EMPTY NETTER AND UTAH LEADS 3-1 WITH 17.3 SECONDS LEFT!!!!!
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 2, 2025
CLAYTON KELLER SCORES AN EMPTY NETTER AND UTAH LEADS 3-1 WITH 17.3 SECONDS LEFT!!!!!
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 2, 2025
Vejmelka’s performance against Calgary is certainly up there with his 49 saves against Carolina earlier in the year.
32 saves on 33 shots after 18 straight starts?
Y’all, that’s crazy.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 2, 2025
Final in SLC
Utah 3
Calgary 1Impressive win.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 2, 2025
Utah Hockey Club games can be viewed on SEG+. Fans can also tune in on the KSL Sports app or 97.5 and 1280 The Zone. Click here for the full schedule.
Cole Bagley is the Utah Hockey Club insider for KSL Sports. Keep up with him on X here. Listen to Cole break down the team on KSL Sports Zone and KSL 5 TV.
Find KSLSports.com coverage of the Utah Hockey Club here.
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Brian Preece is a KSLSports.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on X, Instagram, and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
