Utah Hockey Club goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) deflects the puck as Utah Hockey Club and Colorado Avalanche play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday Dec. 27, 2024. Colorado won 4-1 (Photo by Scott G Winterton, Deseret News).
(Photo by Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY – For the second time in its inaugural season, Utah Hockey Club sees a three-game winning streak end at the hand of the New Jersey Devils in a 3-1 loss.
Utah HC (27-25-9, 63 points) hosts the New Jersey Devils (33-22-6, 72 points) at Delta Center on Saturday, March 1. The Devils are third in the Metropolitan Division and sixth in the Eastern Conference with 70 points. Utah is two points behind Vancouver for a Western Conference Wild Card spot.
In mid-October, the Devils shut out Utah 3-0, ending a three-game winning streak to start the season.
Final. pic.twitter.com/CxS0f4SIZk
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) March 2, 2025
Jack Hughes (69 points) and Jesper Bratt (68 points) are ninth and 12th for NHL points leaders through 60 games. Hughes’ 27 goals lead the Devils, while Bratt has 51 assists to pace the team. Hughes enters the night riding a four-game points streak.
New Jersey has been a team of road warriors, starting the year 17-12-2 on the road. Utah is 12-12-6 on home ice.
Fully healthy for the first time this season, Utah Hockey Club looks like a team primed to go on an extended run. Three straight home wins against Western Conference teams, in which they have held opponents to a single goal, have the franchise within two points of a playoff spot in its inaugural season. Wins over Minnesota and Vancouver were especially meaningful as both teams are ahead of Utah in the standings.
The streak has also elevated Utah to a .500 record at home after a slow start to the season in front of their home fans.
Game 🏀 for Kells last night!#9️⃣ is tied for 9th most points in the @NHL overall 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/m0bwfRVfNE
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) February 28, 2025
Karel Vejmelka has been a steadying force in goal, improving to 16-15-4 while allowing 2.44 goals against with a 90.1 save percentage.
Captain Clayton Keller has two goals and seven assists during the winning streak, tallying a career-high five points in the club’s 6-1 taming of the Minnesota Wild. His outstanding performance earned Keller NHL Player of the Week honors.
Keller coming in hot 🔥
Coming off his first career 5-point night to lead the league in points & assists has Clayton Keller securing his spot as NHLPA Player of the Week! pic.twitter.com/4pmunNdLv3
— NHLPA (@NHLPA) February 28, 2025
The captain has four goals and 12 assists during a six-game point streak.
In his eighth season, Keller’s 69 points (22 goals, 47 assists) are the ninth most in the NHL this season. Keller is tied with Dylan Guenther for Utah’s goals lead. He has 12 more assists than Nick Schmaltz.
Mikhail Sergachev on the recent stretch:
“You can see it on the ice. [They] make the right decisions with the puck, without the puck…guys are trying to protect the lead, play the right way.”
“It says a lot about the guys growth…guys understand we have to make the playoffs.” pic.twitter.com/U0DYFNfeSL
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 1, 2025
LISTEN LIVE: @utahhockeyclub battles the @NJDevils on the @kslsports app, @KSLSportsZone and:https://t.co/cASvhnrFEu pic.twitter.com/QpsbzEHSE8
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 2, 2025
Marino and Cole are starting together tonight.
We'll see if this continues throughout the game. https://t.co/fPN5J943VX
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 2, 2025
Defensive pairings are back to normal.
Looks like they just wanted to give Marino the start against his former team.
He's back with Sergachev now.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 2, 2025
Devils score first.
Utah couldn't clear the zone, and New Jersey crowded the crease.
1-0 | 1P: 10:26
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 2, 2025
Logan Cooley to the box for holding.
Devils with their first PP of the night.
1P: 7:48 | 1-0 Devils
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 2, 2025
Utah back to full strength.
Vejmelka was superb on the PK.
Two massive saves to deny the Devils.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 2, 2025
O'Brien is incredible.
I'd say he won that fight and then absolutely HYPED the crowd on his way to the locker room as he essentially took a little victory lap.
Great time to fight. Brought the energy. Spicy Tuna is a legend.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 2, 2025
Liam O'Brien drage @utahhockeyclub back into the game against @NJDevils https://t.co/msM6ysUzX8
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 2, 2025
Vejmelka just saved a breakaway attempt.
What a stop.
Veggie chants are ringing throughout Delta Center.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 2, 2025
Ian Cole appears hurt.
He's favoring his left leg as he heads to the bench.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 2, 2025
Not the worst period of hockey for Utah but they did look a little disconnected while New Jersey moved the puck quickly and effectively.
Lots of hockey left. https://t.co/Zqn99bAVRQ
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 2, 2025
Cole is on the ice.
Appears to be ok. I mean, he is a hockey player. https://t.co/NEGe7Idnok
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 2, 2025
2 on 1 for Keller and Cooley.
Elite saucer pass from Keller to put it right on Cooley's stick but he lost control and wasn't able to get one on net.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 2, 2025
Guenther just put one off the pipe on a one-timer. Narrowly stayed out.
Puck luck has not been with Utah so far tonight.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 2, 2025
Nothing like a Sergy celly.
Hell of a pass from O'Brien.
We're all tied up at Delta Center. https://t.co/mPANZ63PZF
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 2, 2025
Ian Cole to the box for tripping.
Devils back to the power play.
2P: 4:48 | 1-1
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 2, 2025
Utah back to full strength.
PK has been great tonight. https://t.co/G1bIruQJ3C
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 2, 2025
Veggie has come up big quite a few times tonight.
Another big save on the last sequence where he stopped a deflection right in close. Not an easy save.
That's why Utah has rolled with him 4 straight games.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 2, 2025
End of the 2nd period in SLC.
Utah 1
New Jersey 1SOG
Utah 14
New Jersey 20pic.twitter.com/VHD7FR2VbZ— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 2, 2025
Devils score 15 seconds into the period.
2-1 New Jersey.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 2, 2025
Schmaltz is back. https://t.co/Wvsx7wkhQp
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 2, 2025
Remarkable kick save by Vejmelka on a wraparound attempt. Close, but he kept it out.
Utah needs to find a way to tie this game with 10 minutes left in the 3rd.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 2, 2025
Crouse with a really nice shift.
Couple punishing hits that disrupted the Devils and helped Utah orchestrate a dangerous rush.
He's been a lot more physical lately.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 2, 2025
Devils again.
Utah trails 3-1 with 7:16 left in the 3rd.
Tough.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 2, 2025
Save of the game from Nico Daws.
Just absolutely robbed Cooley on a one-timer right on the doorstep with his glove.
All Cooley could do was simply stare at the ceiling.
Been that kind of night for Utah.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 2, 2025
Vejmelka to the bench.
Extra attacker on and a delayed penalty after Cooley is tripped.
Utah trails 3-1 with 1:48 left.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 2, 2025
Hayton took a slapshot from Cooley and quickly went to the bench in some pain.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 2, 2025
It’s never ideal to lose hockey games at this point in the season, but it’s not the end of the world.
Utah did really well to go 3-1 on the home stand and keep themselves in the race.
They will not win every game left. But if they can win 3 of every 5 that’ll really help. https://t.co/ao99vnLMPp
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 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 and Instagram and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
