The Utah Hockey is visiting our Neighbors to the North to close out their quick road trip with games against Vancouver and Edmonton.
Tonight, Utah battled the Canucks at Rogers Arena in a critical game that could have a huge impact on playoff seeding. Vancouver currently holds the last Wild Card spot in the Western Conference, but Utah is close on their heels, behind the Canucks in the standings by only four points.
The first period between the Utah Hockey Club and Canucks was scoreless but had no shortage of action. The gravity of the matchup got the intensity that it deserved with an extremely physical first 20 minutes, in which Vancouver and Utah stacked up seven total penalties.
Vancouver opened the second period with a power play goal, but Utah quickly evened the scoreline. The puck bounced around, finding its way back to the blue line before Michael Carcone fired it back behind the net, where Nick Bjugstad wrapped from the right side of the net to the left side, then putting a perfect pass between the legs of a Vancouver player, leaving the puck on a silver platter for Kevin Stenlund to put away.
In the third period, Logan Cooley committed a holding penalty almost right out of the gate, but a kill kept the score even and allowed Logan Cooley to make up for his mistake. A shot from Nick Schmalz ricocheted off a group of tangled players in front of the net, bouncing almost directly to the right, exactly where Logan Cooley was. With no defender and the Vancouver goaltender turned the wrong direction, Cooley was able to put the puck into the back of the net from a tight angle, giving the Utah Hockey Club a 2-1 lead.
After Utah took the lead Clayton Keller got unlucky when a high stick drew blood, putting him in the box for a four-minute double-minor. The Utah penalty kill came up huge, keeping the Canucks scoreless for six power play minutes in the final frame.
Clayton Keller put the cherry on time with an empty net goal, and the Utah Hockey Club is now tied with the St. Louis Blues and Calgary Flames at 71 points.
Gameday in Vancouver.
📍: Rogers Arena
⏰: 6PM MT
📺: Utah HC+ & Utah 16
📻: KSL Sports Zone pic.twitter.com/u51nFjGzGi
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) March 16, 2025
Pregame
In town for the big game.#UtahHC #Canucks pic.twitter.com/VRH2iqPDOM
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 16, 2025
INJURY UPDATE@utahhockeyclub forward Liam O’Brien will miss the next four weeks with a lower-body injury
— Utah Hockey Club PR (@UtahHC_PR) March 16, 2025
Big one tonight. pic.twitter.com/XiTmOOne81
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) March 16, 2025
Per everyone’s request, here are Kells and Johnny 🫡 pic.twitter.com/Z9zp8tkWO0
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) March 16, 2025
Here come the boys.#UtahHC pic.twitter.com/n75vv3mIZg
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 16, 2025
Best fans 🩵 pic.twitter.com/9IPFu0oL5K
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) March 16, 2025
Cooley has been reunited with Guenther on the second line while Kerfoot has moved up to the first.
We’ll see if that can get Cooley going again. https://t.co/icxym74tO1
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 16, 2025
Stage is set. #UtahHC | @ZionsBank pic.twitter.com/e4AUCeGyIp
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) March 16, 2025
First Period
Really nice chance for Guenther in close but it’s stopped by Lankinen.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 17, 2025
Schmaltz just lit up Garland, but I don’t think it was on purpose.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 17, 2025
Delay of game penalty against Vancouver.
Utah with the first PP of the night.
1P: 15:15 | 0-0#UtahHC
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 17, 2025
Nice little scrap in the Canucks crease involving Crouse, McBain & Carcone.
Crouse gave the goaltender a little love tap which resulted in everyone grabbing a dancing partner.
Crouse & Myers to the box.
4 on 4 hockey.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 17, 2025
Canucks remaining physical with Crouse after the whistle.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 17, 2025
Guenther to the box for cross checking.
Forbort to the box for slashing.
4 on 4 hockey.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 17, 2025
Vancouver fans naming the Utah Hockey Club.
I think they picked the Salt Licks? 😂#UtahHC #Canucks pic.twitter.com/OHskHlfWtw
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 17, 2025
These two teams do not like each other.
Carcone to the box. Joshua to the box.
More 4 on 4 hockey.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 17, 2025
Scoreless after one in Canada.
A lot more chances for Utah but nothing overly dangerous.
Tons of physicality & a plethora of penalties on both sides. These teams have played 4 on 4 hockey multiple times already. https://t.co/Botu3xM8x8
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 17, 2025
If you’re not tuned in, tune in. pic.twitter.com/6EuzEWiqOO
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) March 17, 2025
Second Period
No goal due to goaltender interference. https://t.co/YmJD0Vp0i7
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 17, 2025
Very questionable call here by the referee.
Carcone was pushed from behind into the crease. What on earth is he supposed to do in that situation? https://t.co/E2eGtS5U41
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 17, 2025
Hughes scores.
1-0 Vancouver. https://t.co/xkwirfX79I
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 17, 2025
I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a player less excited to score than Quinn Hughes.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 17, 2025
KEVIN STENLUND SCORES AND THIS GAME IS TIED.
What a wraparound pass by Bjugstad!
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 17, 2025
What a pass from Bjugstad and Stenlund stays hot with 3 points over the last 2 games.
4th line getting it done! https://t.co/daI4ujAyxp
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 17, 2025
Third Period
Logan Cooley to the box for holding.
Canucks back to the PP.
3P: 18:44 | 1-1
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 17, 2025
Impressive PK by Utah as they killed the whole thing from their own zone.
Canucks were persistent and suffocating but Utah did a good job maintaining their shape.
Utah back to full strength.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 17, 2025
LOGAN COOLEY SCORES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2-1 UTAH!!!!!!!
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 17, 2025
Brilliance from Cooley.
Watch him drift towards the net on the weak side. HELL of a shot too. Made that look easy.
2-1 Utah https://t.co/aXwsDYat6N
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 17, 2025
What a saucer pass by Logan Cooley.
What a save by Lankinen on Guenther.
This game remains 2-1 with 11 to go in the third.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 17, 2025
Double minor penalty against Keller for a high stick.
Big ouch. Utah needs to dig deep to kill this off.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 17, 2025
Some clutch saves from Vejmelka right now.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 17, 2025
Props to Utah’s PK again.
That was a MASSIVE kill.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 17, 2025
Lankinen to the bench.
Extra attacker for the Canucks.
1:05 to go.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 17, 2025
Tanner Tripp is a sports writer for KSL Sports covering all teams across the state of Utah. Follow him on X @tanner_tripp and Instagram @tanner.tripp here.
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