WHEN: 6:00 p.m. MT
WHERE: Xcel Energy Center - Saint Paul, Minnesota
TV: SEG+, UtahHC+, Utah 16 | RADIO: KSL Sports Zone 97.5 FM, NHL App
For the second time this season, the Utah Hockey Club (15-11-5) has won three straight games, and Head Coach Andre Tourigny's squad carries that momentum with them to Xcel Energy Center tonight for a Central Division matchup with the Minnesota Wild (20-8-4). After a thrilling 3-2 comeback win in overtime against the Vancouver Canucks, Utah has earned points in six straight games and turns its attention to a Minnesota team that has dealt with a rash of injuries and now has lost three of its last four. The two teams met 10 days ago at Delta Center where the Wild claimed a 5-4 shootout victory.
ONE-TIMERS
- Utah completed its fifth third-period comeback win of the season against the Canucks on Wednesday
- Clayton Keller and Dylan Guenther have each scored in both of Utah’s last two games.
- Mikhail Sergachev has scored the first two overtime goals of his career with Utah this season, including one Wednesday against Vancouver.
- Logan Cooley has two assists in each of his last three games.
- Utah has not been outscored by the opposition during the third period in 13 straight games.
TONIGHT’S MATCHUP
The Wild have had an excellent start to the campaign and sit second in the Central Division with 44 points. Injuries have riddled Minnesota’s lineup, and the Wild have had to play without several key players over the last month. Three games ago, forward Mats Zuccarello returned to the lineup for Minnesota and has three points (0G, 3A) in his first three games back from injury. Through 19 games this season, Zuccarello has 17 points (6G, 11A) while mostly playing on the Wild’s top line. Minnesota is top-5 defensively in the NHL at 2.63 goals allowed per game, and the Wild are third-best at 5-on-5 with a scoring ratio of 1.38 at even strength.
WHO TO WATCH
UTAH: #11 DYLAN GUENTHER - Guenther now has goals in three straight games after the game-tying goal on the power play Wednesday night against Vancouver. The streak, which contains four goals total, matches his season long goal streak that he set in the first three games of the season with five red lights in three contests. Guenther leads Utah and all NHL skaters 21 or younger with 14 goals this season.
MINNESOTA: #97 KIRILL KAPRIZOV - Kaprizov has four goals in his last three games including multi-goal efforts against the Philadelphia Flyers on Dec. 14 and the Vegas Golden Knights on Dec. 15. He is tied for fifth in league scoring with 48 points (22G, 26A) and second in goals. Kaprizov scored one of Minnesota's five goals against Utah on Dec. 10 at Delta Center, and he is one of the frontrunners for the Hart Trophy this season.
LAST MEETING
Utah came inches away from knocking off the team that then held the best record in the NHL on Dec. 10 at Delta Center. The Minnesota Wild claimed a 5-4 shootout victory after Matt Boldy was the only skater to convert in the skills competition. Clayton Keller rose to the occasion in the third period and netted two power-play goals to tie the game on two occasions before Juuso Välimäki gave Utah a 4-3 lead later in the third. Minnesota’s Marco Rossi eventually tied the game at 4-4 with 43 seconds left in regulation, and neither side could produce a goal in overtime. Goaltender Karel Vejmelka made 34 saves as Utah picked up a standings point for the third straight game.
LOOK BACK
A full house at Delta Center was treated to one of the most entertaining games of the season on Wednesday when Utah erased a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 in overtime. Mikhail Sergachev scored his second overtime goal of the season after Clayton Keller and Dylan Guenther scored in the third period to tie the game and force the extra period. Goaltender Karel Vejmelka made several critical stops throughout the third period and overtime, and the netminder picked up his seventh win of the season with 24 saves on 26 shots.
POWER PLAY
Utah’s power play has provided timely goals over the last several weeks, and the specialty unit has now connected in five straight games, going 7-for-17 (41.2%) in that span. The power play for Utah sits at 21.6% for the season and ranks 15th in the NHL. Dylan Guenther leads the team with six power-play goals and 14 power-play points (6G, 8A). The former first-round pick has factored into 14 of Utah’s 19 total power-play goals this season with either a goal or an assist.
CLAYTON KELLER
Utah's captain has come through in the clutch over the last several weeks. Keller has four goals in his last four games, including two tallies on Dec. 10 against Minnesota, and a goal Wednesday night against Vancouver. The eighth-year pro has goals in back-to-back games for the first time this season after netting the game-winner on Dec. 14 against the San Jose Sharks with 44 seconds left in regulation and scoring a critical goal against the Canucks on Wednesday in the third period to kickstart a comeback win. Each of Keller’s last four goals have come in the third period for Utah. The captain is tied for the team lead in scoring with 30 points (11G, 19A) this season.
LOOK AHEAD
Utah welcomes in the Holidays at home with a pair of pre-Christmas games against the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday, Dec. 22 and the Dallas Stars on Monday, Dec. 23. Sunday’s game against Anaheim is scheduled for 3 p.m. while Monday’s affair is slated to start at 7 p.m.
