Ever since Utah Hockey Club relocated to Salt Lake City, people have wondered what the team could become.
The true potential of the Club has been a bit blurry through its inaugural season simply because it has not had all of its core pieces healthy and active at once.
That changed Sunday night at Delta Center as Utah Hockey Club beat the Vancouver Canucks 2-1 in a game that carried significant playoff implications.
For the first time, Utah had Logan Cooley, Dylan Guenther, Mikhail Sergachev, John Marino and Sean Durzi in the lineup together. All of those players — and then some — have dealt with injuries, leaving Utah short-handed for chunks of the year.
While a small sample size, Sunday displayed the pressure Utah can play under when all of its personnel is available. It resulted in putting the team four points out of the second wild card spot in the Western Conference.
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club right wing Dylan Guenther (11) brings the puck down the ice during the game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024.
“It’s super exciting. We’re like 60 games in and this is our first time [being fully healthy]. I don’t think that happens too much,” said Guenther who scored the game-winning goal. “We’ve been a little unlucky that way. Hopefully, it stays this way and we can keep winning games.”
Cooley returned Sunday for his first game since Jan. 29 after dealing with a lower-body injury. Durzi returned Saturday for his first game since Oct. 14 after undergoing shoulder surgery. Marino made his Utah debut on Jan. 14 and has been a strong first-pair defenseman with Sergachev who missed five games that month and came back on Jan. 29.
The lineup that general manager Bill Armstrong likely imagined when making his moves last summer finally hit the ice, albeit in February with 24 games left in the regular season. Utah, at the very least, is making things interesting as it enters the final push at full strength.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club General Manager Bill Armstrong answers questions during media day at the Delta Center, on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024.
“This time of year, every game kind of feels like a playoff game,” Cooley said. “That’s what you play for. You play to eventually get into the playoffs and one day win a Stanley Cup. For us, that’s what we’re building for. It’s fun to be in these games. Especially when you’re winning — it’s the best feeling.”
It did not take long for Cooley to impact the game — he tied things in the second period after Vancouver’s Jake DeBrusk made it 1-0 at 1:43 with a snapshot on the power play.
Cooley won the offensive-zone faceoff and knocked it back to Clayton Keller who dished it to Marino at the point. Cooley proceeded to get in front of the net and tipped in Marino’s blast from up top. The play marked Cooley’s 16th goal and 44th point of the season.
“He’s a gamer,” Guenther said of Cooley. “He was working hard over the break, over the time off to make sure he was ready. Just a really good player.”
The 20-year-old reclaimed his spot as first-line center between Keller and Nick Schmaltz on Sunday. Alex Kerfoot, who was filling in while Cooley was injured, moved to the left wing on the fourth line with Kevin Stenlund and Nick Bjugstad. The second and third lines remained unchanged with Matias Maccelli scratched for the third consecutive game.
In terms of how Cooley physically felt after missing seven games, he said, “Feeling a lot better. Each and every day you’re kind of gaining more confidence in that area. It felt pretty good tonight.”
After outshooting the Canucks 22-8 through 40 minutes of play, Utah finally pulled ahead in the third period. It was none other than Guenther — who has logged three game-winning goals since returning from injury on Feb. 4 — to capitalize on the Club’s fourth power play of the night.
Guenther stationed himself to the left of Vancouver goaltender Arturs Silovs with his stick firm on the ice and deflected Schmaltz’s wrist shot from the right circle into the back of the net for the 2-1 scoreline at 14:07. It was Guenther’s 21st goal of the season — which is now a team-high — and he extended his point streak to six games. He has had eight points in that stretch.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club center Logan Cooley (92) in NHL action between the Utah Hockey Club and the San Jose Sharks, at the Delta Center, on Friday, Jan 10, 2025.
“Just finding ways to win games I think builds our confidence in those tight ones. We can use that moving forward,” Guenther said. “This is kind of where you want to be as a player. This is why you work hard to play in moments like this.”
Utah played shut-down hockey for the remaining 5:53 of the final frame and defended the Canucks’ 6-on-5 en route to earning the all-important two points.
“You see growth in our team,” head coach André Tourigny said. “You see our guys getting better. More and more comfortable in those tough situations.”
If Utah had lost on Sunday, it would be eight points out of the playoff picture. The chance of a first-round appearance would be deeply unrealistic. But, suddenly, the Club has enough life to be back in the conversation as five points separate the four teams right on the playoff bubble in the Western Conference.
It is a challenge, it seems, Utah is ready to face.
“I’m looking [at the standings] for sure. I’m checking to see how other teams are doing. As much as you want to say it’s all about you, it’s really not,” Guenther said. “I think we need a little bit of help. But we’ll do whatever we can to get the most points possible.”