SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MARCH 14: Logan Cooley #92 of the Utah Hockey Club looks on during the first period against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena on March 14, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
The Utah Hockey Club and Dallas Stars entered the first intermission tied at one goal apiece after a high-level first period.
However, Utah took a little extra momentum into the second period as they opened on the power play after Lian Bichsel was called for roughing against Clayton Keller.
Utah was poised to take a lead, but a turnover discombobulated the power play and allowed Colin Blackwell to find Brendan Smith for the short-handed goal, putting Dallas up 2-1.
Despite the error, Utah still had more than a minute left on the power play with the opportunity to tie the game again.
In the offensive end, Logan Cooley possessed the puck on the far side of ice and sucked the defense in as he inched toward the net, but instead of seeking a shot, he sent a pass back to Sean Durzi, who send a one-timer on net. The puck deflected of Jamie Benn’s stick and past his own goaltender to tie the game.
Utah is doing a great job generating traffic in front of the goaltender tonight.
They've been running a lot of single and even double screens which has resulted in both goals.
If he can't see it, it's going to much harder to stop it. https://t.co/UNtftjEvCZ
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 13, 2025
Utah, carrying momentum, pushed to take a lead on the road.
With 13 minutes left in the period, the puck was dumped back into the offensive zone, riding the wall from the far end, around the back of the net, and then onto the stick of Olli Maatta’s stick, whose momentum was pushing him back behind the net.
Before turning in the corner, he found Logan Cooley, who had gotten lost in the Dallas defense and was wide open in front of the net. Cooley turned his hips and sent a rocket into the far side of the net, giving Utah a 3-2 lead.
Great pass from Maatta but an even better shot from Cooley on the one-timer.
He put himself in prime position, called for the puck, and blasted it up high on the far post. https://t.co/26y25WNcQC
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 13, 2025
From the inaugural game on October 8 to the final matchup on April 10, a special bond between the Utah Hockey Club and their fanbase has quickly blossomed into something truly special.
“It was special for us. There were a lot of emotions. There were a lot of connections with the crowd,” Head coach Andre Tourigny said.
“We wanted to play for them and play in front of them. It’s tough to comprehend there’s no more this year. We’re addicted now.”
Despite being the newest city in the NHL with thousands of new hockey fans, the city and state quickly transformed into a legitimate fanbase who fell in love with an unfamiliar sport.
Thanks for always showing up, Utah fans! 🩵 pic.twitter.com/AdolY8pp41
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) April 11, 2025
Fast forward to their final home game of the season against Nashville, hundreds of clubbers were in the plaza before the doors had even opened, fully outfitted in their Utah jerseys, hats, shirts and of course, vegetable heads.
@utah_hockey got Vejmelka’s stick from warmups.
That is one happy vegetable. #UtahHC pic.twitter.com/lwyXk6CCh4
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 11, 2025
Whether a lifelong fan or completely new to the sport, the Utah Hockey Club has captured the hearts of many in year one as they’ve fully embraced the community.
“I never cared about hockey until now, and now I can’t imagine loving a sport more,” new fan Ashley Brewer said.
“It’s given me something to really look forward to…the friends I’ve made through it has been the best part of the whole experience.”
Dedicated to the fans, the final home game was a wholesome experience from start to finish.
Immediately following the puck drop, thunderous chants of “Let’s Go Utah!” rang throughout Delta Center with a feeling of gratitude.
Throughout the rest of the night, the players battled for the fans inside Delta Center who collectively responded with standing ovations, chants for Vejmelka and handwritten signs of appreciation.
“Hockey was always here. I think it’s really just shined a light on the community of hockey and how different it is from the sports we already have here,” Utah Hockey Club fan Kelley Godbold said.
“Utah is all about community and hockey is all about community…I think they just complement each other really well.”
In addition to being the perfect destination as a winter sports town, like Goldbold said, Utah is all about community which has created an intimate bond between the NHL and the beehive state.
So, while fans from Utah will always love their Jazz, Utes and Cougars, a unique bond has been born at ice level between the NHL’s newest franchise and their faithful clubbers.
