Utah Hockey Club players celebrate after Utah Hockey Club right wing Dylan Guenther (11), center, scored a goal during an NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025 (Tess Crowley, Deseret News).
(Tess Crowley, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY – With their backs against the wall, the Utah Hockey Club dug deep and relied on their young stars to claim a much-needed 2-1 regulation victory on home ice. Receiving critical goals from Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther, Utah kept their playoff hopes alive with the win and put pressure on the Vancouver Canucks in the standings.
Here are the key takeaways from Utah’s critical victory at Delta Center.
While you never want to see anybody sidelined due to injury, Logan Cooley is one of those players that causes you to hold your breath whenever it’s announced that he’ll miss significant time.
Why? Well, he’s simply a remarkably talented hockey player who is on track to become a superstar in the National Hockey League.
Logan Cooley is just a freaking phenomenal hockey player.
92 is going to be a superstar.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) February 24, 2025
What makes No. 92 so special is a combination of incredible skill, immense speed, a high IQ, fierce competitiveness and a complete 200-foot game.
Not only is Cooley constantly working to improve his game, but he also possesses skills and attributes that you cannot teach.
Despite missing nearly a month, Cooley didn’t skip a beat as he scored a critical goal off a well-placed tip in the second period.
Out for almost a month and then comes back and does this?
Heck of a tip in by a heck of a player. https://t.co/RYahKhjsoM
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) February 24, 2025
Cooley is just a different breed. He’s already a big-time player in big moments that has come through so many times for his team.
The craziest part? He’s only 20 years old and doesn’t appear to have even scratched the surface yet on his full potential.
After Logan Cooley tied the game in the second period, Dylan Guenther found the back of the net late in the third to give Utah a critical lead in a desperate moment.
11 and 92 getting it done for Utah tonight.
Get used to it. https://t.co/NYVUELwl8d
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) February 24, 2025
Despite being so young, both Cooley and Guenther clearly possess that killer instinct which has resulted in several critical wins for Utah throughout the season.
“They’re [Logan Cooley & Dylan Guenther] big-time players in big moments and you’re talking about two guys that are under the age of 22 that have produced in this year already individually over 40 points each,” Bill Armstrong said in an exclusive interview with KSL Sports.
“I believe they’re going to be two men that are pushing this club to help be a championship organization for a long time.”
Armstrong is not at all wrong.
These are two special young men with immense potential and ice in their veins who want to be placed in pivotal situations.
“Me and Gunner, the best players in the league…all those top guys like to be out there in big moments. For us, I feel like that’s what we like too. We want to help the team win…” Logan Cooley said.
I asked Cooley about this quote from Armstrong.
His response was perfect:
“I appreciate it…Me and Gunner, the best players in the league…all those top guys like to be out there in big moments. For us, I feel like that’s what we like too. We want to help the team win…” https://t.co/4Pg7fXcUlR pic.twitter.com/CaADTGhLjJ
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) February 24, 2025
This year, No. 11 and No. 92 have consistently proven that they are capable of carrying this team into the next phase of the rebuild on their way to stardom.
With a little more time, development and a few more pieces, Utah could become a contender with Cooley and Guenther leading the charge.
While there’s still 24 games left in Utah’s inaugural season, Sunday night’s victory over the Canucks was arguably the most important to this point in the season.
Trailing by six points in the standings before the puck dropped at Delta Center, Utah’s backs were against the wall as they faced a do or die situation.
Win in regulation and collect a four-point swing in your favor or lose and face a practically insurmountable eight-point difference.
“This is where you want to be as a player. This is why you work hard, to play in moments like this,” Guenther said.
“I think it’ll help us not just this year but as we continue to get a little bit older as a team.”
Dylan Guenther on the game tonight:
“This is where you want to be as a player. This is why you work hard, to play in moments like this.”
“I think it’ll help us not just this year but as we continue to get a little bit older as a team.” pic.twitter.com/5gtNTkAXNl
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) February 24, 2025
Look, it’s still a remarkably tall order for Utah to make the playoffs in their inaugural season.
With 24 games left, they still need to win roughly 18 to 20 in order to have a legit chance.
But tonight’s win was big.
Tonight showed grit, determination, urgency and a willingness to fight in a moment of desperation.
“When you’re a young team, … you grow so fast. Our team is growing, learning. Unfortunately, growth as a human being or as a team comes with mistakes. You make mistakes, you learn from your mistakes. Mistakes are a good teacher,” Andre Tourigny said.
“As a coach, you would like to skip that part, but it’s just the way it is. So I think you see growth in our team. You see our guys getting better, more comfortable in those tough situations. So that’s true.”
For now, those hopes are still alive, but it’ll take more of the same for Utah to really have a chance.
The Utah Hockey Club will host the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night at Delta Center. The game can be viewed on SEG+. Fans can also tune in on air on the KSL Sports APP or on 97.5 and 1280 The Zone. Click here for the full schedule.
