The only thing Utah Hockey Club can do about the torrid pace the St. Louis Blues are setting is win games. The Blues (81 points) won their sixth straight game on Sunday to increase their lead over Utah (75 points) to six points in the race for the Western Conference's final wild card spot, but Utah has two games in hand. Utah also trails Calgary (77 points) and Vancouver (76).
St. Louis' 12-2-2 record since the 4 Nations Face-Off break is the best in the NHL.
The good news is that Utah just keeps winning at Delta Center, something it could not do earlier this season despite what coach André Tourigny felt were good efforts. Utah is 9-2-3 in its past 14 games at Delta Center.
"For a long time now we're pretty good at home," Tourigny said. "Early on, we didn't get rewarded the way we should have. Hopefully, it will balance out at the end."
Utah (32-27-11) finishes a three-game homestand on Monday against the Detroit Red Wings before embarking on a season-defining, three-game road trip whose first two stops come in the state of Florida against teams that have won the Stanley Cup three of the past five seasons and, between them, have represented the Eastern Conference in each of the past five seasons.
Here's a look at the week ahead.
Upcoming Schedule
Monday, 3/24: vs. Detroit, 7 p.m. MT
Thursday, 3/27: at Tampa Bay, 5 p.m. MT
Friday, 3/28: at Florida, 5 p.m. MT
Sunday, 3/30: at Chicago, 2 p.m. MT
Scouting the Red Wings: Barring a miraculous finish, the Red Wings (32-31-6) are going to lengthen the longest postseason drought in franchise history to nine seasons. With 13 games left in the season, Detroit trails the Montréal Canadiens by five points for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference and the Red Wings must jump four teams (Columbus, both New York teams and the Canadiens) to get to that spot. Detroit is 2-8 in its past 10 games.
Stats: Forward Alex DeBrincat leads the team with 32 goals. Forward Lucan Raymond leads the team with 46 assists and 70 points. Detroit's power play ranks third in the NHL at 29 percent, but its penalty kill is dead last at 69 percent. Detroit's 115 goals at 5-on-5 or 4-on-4 rank 30th in the NHL.
Injury updates: Defenseman Jeff Petry (undisclosed) and forward Elmer Söderblom (upper body) traveled with the team on this trip and could play. Defenseman Erik Gustafsson (undisclosed) is out long term and his season could be over. Center Andrew Copp is out for the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn pectoral tendon.
Season series: Utah leads, 1-0. Karel Vejmelka made 38 saves and four players scored as Utah beat the Red Wings, 4-2, on March 6 in Detroit
Scouting the Lightning: Tampa (40-25-5) is still in a race with Toronto and Florida for the Atlantic Division lead. The Lightning will have revenge on their minds after Utah beat them at Delta Center on Saturday. The addition of Jake Guentzel has revitalized a group whose Stanley Cup window many analysts thought had closed.
Stats: Forwards Brayden Point and Guentzel are tied for the team lead in goals with 34. Forward Nikita Kucherov leads the team with 68 assists and 98 points. Tampa's power play is fifth in the NHL at 25.8 percent; its penalty kill is seventh at 82 percent.
Injury updates: G Jonas Johansson did not join the team on its road trip due to a personal matter. The Lightning are otherwise healthy.
Season series: Utah leads, 1-0. Logan had two goals and an assist and Nick Schmaltz had a goal and two assists in a wild, 6-4 win on Saturday at Delta Center.
Scouting the Panthers: The defending Stanley Cup champs (43-25-3) lead the Atlantic Division with 89 points, and look poised for another run after acquiring left wing Brad Marchand from the Boston Bruins and defenseman Seth Jones from the Chicago Blackhawks at the NHL trade deadline.
Stats: Forward San Reinhart leads the team with 35 goals and 74 points. Center Aleksander Barkov leads the team with 45 assists. Both of Florida's special teams are 11th overall in the NHL; the power play at 24.3 percent, the penalty kill at 80.9 percent.
Injury updates: Defenseman Dmitry Kulikov (upper body) is week to week, but is expected to return before the regular season ends.
Season series: Florida leads, 1-0. Jesper Boqvist had a pair of third-period goals as the Panthers beat Utah, 4-1, on Jan. 8 at Delta Center.
Scouting the Blackhawks: The Blackhawks (21-41-9) are headed toward a fifth straight season with no playoffs and a high draft pick. Chicago's 51 points are just four better than San José for the league's worst record.
Stats: Forward Ryan Donato leads the team with 25 goals. Center Connor Bedard leads the team with 36 goals and 56 assists.
Injury updates: Forwards Colton Dach (elbow), Jason Dickinson (undisclosed), and defenseman Alec Martinez (undisclosed) are all day to day. G Lauren Brossoit (knee) is out for the season.
Season series: Utah leads, 2-1. In the first game in Utah Hockey Club history, Dylan Guenther had two goals, Connor Ingram made 24 saves and Utah beat the Blackhawks, 5-2 at Delta Center on Oct. 8. Utah won the second meeting at Delta Center last Tuesday when forward Lawson Crouse scored the game-winning goal on a backhander with 7:48 left in a 2-1 victory. Bedard scored in overtime to give Chicago a 4-3 win on March 7 in Chicago, spoiling a two-goal, third-period rally by Utah to force extra time.
Who's hot?
- Forward Logan Cooley has four goals and six points in his past four games.
- Forward Nick Schmaltz has six goals and 13 points in his past 11 games.
- Among NHL players 21 or younger, Utah forward Dylan Guenther is tied for the most goals with Dallas' Wyatt Johnston at 25, and Cooley is tied with two players for third at 21.
By the numbers
- With a win on Monday against the Red Wings, Utah would equal its point total from last season with 11 games still to play.
- Since the 4 Nations Face-Off break, Utah is 8-4-2 for 18 points.
- Utah's 75 points are currently the third most by a team in its inaugural season in NHL history. Vegas (109) and Florida (83) own the top and second-best marks all-time. Utah has 12 games remaining this season.
Quotable
"You don't put a lid on the ceiling," Tourigny said of Cooley's potential after his three-point game against Tampa. "Who am I to put a lid on a competitor like that?"
