Clayton Keller’s career-high five points led the Utah Hockey Club to its third straight win, a dominant 6-1 decision against the Minnesota Wild on Thursday in Salt Lake City.
Keller finished with a goal and four assists, while teammate Nick Schmaltz had a goal and two assists.
Utah’s Logan Cooley and Barret Hayton each tallied a goal and an assist. Dylan Guenther and Sean Durzi also scored, and Mikhail Sergachev notched a pair of helpers.
Karel Vejmelka made 16 saves to register his fourth consecutive victory. The netminder has allowed only one goal in each of his past three starts.
Frederick Gaudreau scored for the Wild. Marc-Andre Fleury, making career start No. 1,014 to tie Roberto Luongo for the second in NHL history, stopped 25 shots as the Wild lost their second straight game.
The hosts cashed in on the power play just 3:59 into the contest. Hayton got the puck from Keller on the goal line near the boards, then skated directly toward Fleury, scoring when the puck bounced in off the skate of Wild defenseman Brock Faber near the crease.
The lead doubled in the final minute of the opening period, thanks to Minnesota committing two penalties — including a double minor high-sticking infraction by Marcus Foligno — just three seconds apart. With Utah on the five-on-three, Guenther scored with 30 seconds remaining on a one-timer in the right circle off a pass from Keller.
Minnesota halved its deficit with 3:58 left in the second period. On a breakaway, Gaudreau got Vejmelka to commit to his right and slid the puck into the open net.
Utah responded less than two minutes later when Durzi flipped the puck on goal, beating Fleury through traffic. The goal was the first of the season for Durzi. The defenseman returned to action Saturday after being sidelined from a shoulder injury he sustained in the first week of the season.
Utah pulled away with a strong third period. Schmaltz, who missed about nine minutes of game time after Foligno’s high stick drew blood, scored with 16:13 remaining. Keller added his goal at 10:30, and with 4:59 left, Cooley’s tip-in finished the scoring.
–Field Level Media
