Utah Hockey Club lost another challenging game at home on Monday to the Dallas Stars, 3-2, at Delta Center.
It’s not the proper ending to the script for the Utah team before Christmas. It was Utah’s final game before the NHL break for the Christmas holiday. Utah will resume play on Friday, taking on the Colorado Avalanche.
Kevin Stunland scored the first goal for the Utah team. It’s his seventh goal of the season. Ian Cole picked up his ninth assist of the season. Michael Carcone got his sixth assist.
Clayton Keller has extended his assist/point streak to five games, passing his teammates Dylan Guenther and Logan Cooley for the longest assist streak by any Utah skater in 2024-25.
Team chemistry is a vast deal in sports. You can’t win in sports without identity and team chemistry. Logan Cooley shared his thoughts on the team's chemistry after coming back from adversity
"We know what type of team we are when we're playing our best, and that's when we're doing the little things that make us successful."
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
— Utah Hockey Club PR (@UtahHC_PR) December 23, 2024
"We know what type of team we are when we're playing our best and that's when we're doing the little things that make us successful." @utahhockeyclub Logan Cooley on the team's chemistry after coming back from adversity pic.twitter.com/DMMwnSdA02
After the game, coach André Tourigny told the media what the team needs to do to bounce back tonight against the Stars.
"We will be motivated. Life allows you to show what you're made of, and we intend to do that."
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
— Utah Hockey Club PR (@UtahHC_PR) December 23, 2024
"We will be motivated. Life gives you the opportunity to show what you're made of and that's what we intend to do."@utahhockeyclub André Tourigny on what the team needs to do to bounce back tonight against Dallas pic.twitter.com/wDKue8Y94Z
Nick Bjugstad knows how good the Stars team is, and he and the team know that they could’ve done better in the second and third periods. He spoke with the media after the game to comment on the game.
“Had a good first period,” Bjugstad said. “The second period wasn’t great; tried to fight back in the third, but that’s a good team. You can’t take a period off, and that’s what we did in the second.”
Barrett Hayton reached 100 career points, scoring for the second straight game. Hayton shared Bjugstad's thoughts about their second-period performance.
“I think that second period is the learning lesson,” Hayton said. “I thought we did a great job in the first period. We were urgent, intense, on the ball, and playing the right way. You can't afford those lapses against good teams, and that was what our second period was.”
Utah goaltender Karel Vejmelka made 27 saves for Utah (16-12-6), who lost for the first time in regulation in nine games (6-1-2).
Vejmelka has been performing solidly for this Utah team. He might receive more praise if he consistently saves more than 30 shots or if the team goes on a winning streak.