Special Teams Power Utah to 5-3 Victory

DALLAS – In a special teams battle, Utah Hockey Club’s four power play goals fueled a 5-3 win over the Dallas Stars. Barrett Hayton, Sean Durzi, Josh Doan, and Nick Schmaltz all scored on the man-advantage, while Logan Cooley had Utah’s lone 5-on-5 goal. Wyatt Johnston (PPG), Brendan Smith (SHG) and Jason Robertson scored for Dallas. Karel Vejmelka, in his 23^rd consecutive start, stopped 21 of 24 shots in the win.

“Great game from all of our team,” head coach André Tourigny shared post game. “I think we had probably two shifts where we would have loved to take back at the end of the second, but other than that, I think we played really well. Power play came up big obviously, but as the way we played with and without the puck. Without the puck, really responsible, always on the right side.

“Great in our battles,” Tourigny continued. “I think we were solid. Normally Dallas is a team that created a lot of offense against us. Our reload was good, we limited the odd-man rush, except for two shifts at the end of the second, so we’re really proud of the boys.”

“I thought we were good,” Schmaltz reflected postgame. “Obviously our power play was really good tonight, took advantage of our opportunities there. I thought we played a pretty simple game and frustrated them offensively and fed our transition game and I thought we had played with a lot of speed and were connected all night.”

Utah’s penalty kill was busy early. In the first three minutes, 12 seconds into a Dallas power play, the Stars scored. Wyatt Johnston’s power play goal gave the home team a 1-0 lead. Minutes later, Utah was back on the penalty kill; however, the team kept Dallas off the scoresheet this time.

23 seconds into Utah’s first power play of the game, Barrett Hayton deflected Mikhail Sergachev’s shot past Dallas’ Casey DeSmith and tied the game 1-1. Sergachev and Dylan Guenther picked up assists on the goal. The power play tally was Hayton’s 20^th of the season and the first time the forward has recorded 20 goals in a single season. In addition, it was Hayton’s 16^th goal down low in front of the net. He discussed finding his offense in that area of the ice following the game.

“I got a ton to learn and a ton to develop more. It’s an area I found a bit of a niche in and it’s a work in progress for sure,” Hayton explained. “I take a lot of pride in competing down there. I’m definitely working on finding ways to get better.”

Special teams continued to play a significant part of this game in the second period. 32 seconds into the middle frame, while Utah was on the power play, Dallas’ Brendan Smith scored a shorthanded goal to give the Stars a 2-1 lead. However, less than a minute later, Sean Durzi’s power play goal tied the game once again, this time 2-2.

Seven minutes into the second period Utah caught a break as the Stars Captain Jamie Benn, all alone down low, hit the post. Seconds later, on the other end of the ice, Logan Cooley scored to give Utah a 3-2 lead. Oli Määttä picked up the lone assist on the goal.

Utah’s success on the power play continued late in the second period when Josh Doan’s seventh goal of the year increased Utah’s lead, 4-2. Kailer Yamamoto and Jack McBain picked up assists as Utah’s second power play was rewarded. However, Dallas would respond 47 seconds later when Jason Robertson scored to cut Utah’s lead to 4-3.

“I think the second unit played well for a couple of games,” Tourigny shared. “They didn’t have a lot of looks tonight, they had the opportunity, and they came up big, so it’s good to see some traction on our second unit and then come up with a big goal, the killer goal at the end. Great job by the power play.”

Utah regained a two-goal lead in the first five minutes of the third period with a power play goal from Nick Schmaltz. Schmaltz started and ended this play, first winning the faceoff and then capitalizing on a rebound to score his 19^th of the season. Utah is the third team this season to have four different players score on the power play in a single game (per Utah PR).

Late in the third period, Utah’s penalty kill withstood a push from Dallas and held their two-goal lead throughout. With 40 seconds left in regulation, Benn scored for the Stars to cut the lead to 1. Toronto reviewed the goal and determined it was goaltender interference, which returned Utah’s lead to a pair of goals. The visitors held on in the final seconds to secure the win and pick up their first victory over the Stars this season. Utah improves to 37-30-13 and starts the three-game road trip with a big win in Texas.

“They’re a heck of a team,” Schmaltz explained post-game. “They got nine, 10, 11 high-end forwards, and obviously they didn’t have all their (defensemen) in there tonight but still they’re a heck of a team. They’re one of the best teams in the West and it’s hard to win in this building too.

“Happy to get a win and good start to the road trip.”

Other Notes from Tonight’s Game:

During pregame media availability, head coach André Tourigny discussed working towards the way the Stars play in several areas like their calmness under pressure. Utah remained calm throughout that contest, and that was something the team was proud of in the win.

“I think that’s such a huge thing and I think that’s a big part of growing and getting mature in this league,” Hayton shared. “A team like that, they’re going to push, they’re going to have stretches. We saw that, had a couple of shifts in the third they were all over us, but we competed. We kept on the inside, and we were able to manage those waves and have poise within that. I think that’s such a big thing in this league and learning how to win is having composure and poise in those situations. So that’s definitely a big key against these teams.”

Barrett Hayton set a new career-high for goals in a single season (20), and the forward has been on the scoresheet quite a bit recently. Hayton has three goals in his last six games and has three power-play points in his last four contests (per Utah PR). The forward set several career-highs in Thursday’s game. His assist on Schmaltz’s power play goal set new career-highs in both assists (25) and points (45).

“(Hayton’s) a guy who (gets) rewarded a little bit, but he does a lot more than what he gets rewarded for,” Tourigny explained. “The way he competes, his faceoffs, both special teams, his professionalism, and his urgency every day, it’s contagious. The way he prepares himself and the way he competes, I think he makes others better.”

Hayton isn’t the only player heating up in this stretch. Mikhail Sergachev has seven points in his last seven games (2G, 5A). Dylan Guenther is riding a four-game points streak (1G, 5A). Sean Durzi has a point in four of his last six games (1G, 3A) and has scored in three of Utah’s last five road games (Per Utah PR).

Vejmelka’s streak continues as Thursday’s game in Dallas was his 23^rd straight start. Utah’s netminder is the first NHL goaltender to achieve this over the last 10 seasons.

Up Next:

Utah travels to Nashville to face the Predators Monday night at 6 p.m. MT. You can watch on SEG+, UtahHC+, or Utah 16. You can listen to the game on KSL Sports Zone 97.5 FM or the NHL app. Monday's game will be the second of three games on the final road trip of the season.