WHEN: 8:00 p.m. MT
WHERE: Delta Center - Salt Lake City, Utah
TV: SEG+, UtahHC+, Utah 16 | RADIO: KSL Sports Zone 1280 AM, NHL App
The Utah Hockey Club (28-26-9) returns to Delta Center for a two-game homestand, beginning tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs (38-22-3). Utah has earned points in five of its last six games and is 4-1-1 in that stretch. The team is currently just four points out of the second wild card spot in the Western Conference.
ONE-TIMERS
- Clayton Keller is tied for 10th in league scoring with 72 points (23G, 49A).
- Utah signed Ian Cole, Olli Määttä, Alexander Kerfoot, and Karel Vejmelka to contract extensions last week.
- Four teams, including Utah, are within four points of each other in the battle for the second wild card spot in the Western Conference.
- Six members of the Utah Hockey Club hail from the province of Ontario.
- Sean Durzi was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round (52nd overall) of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.
TONIGHT’S MATCHUP
Despite having lost three straight games entering tonight, the Maple Leafs are one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference and are currently second in the Atlantic Division. Prior to their recent skid, Toronto had won eight out of nine games since the start of February.
The conversation around the Maple Leafs begins with their captain Auston Matthews. Matthews missed significant portions of the season due to injury but is currently riding a 12-game point streak (2G, 15A) into tonight’s affair. He has 23 goals in just 48 games this season, and he captained Team USA during the 4 Nations Face-off tournament.
If the Toronto conversation begins with Matthews, it certainly continues with Mitch Marner and William Nylander. Marner (21G, 58A) and Nylander (35G, 30A) rank first and second respectively on the team in scoring, and make the Maple Leafs one of the most star-studded rosters in the NHL.
STANDINGS UPDATE
WC1: Minnesota Wild - 76 points
WC2: Calgary Flames - 70 points
—
- Vancouver Canucks - 69 points
- St. Louis Blues - 69 points
- Utah Hockey Club - 66 points
- Anaheim Ducks - 61 points
WHO TO WATCH
UTAH: #8 NICK SCHMALTZ - After scoring against his former team on Friday in Chicago, Schmaltz now has goals in back-to-back games and in three of his last four contests. The winger is second on the team with 49 points (14G, 35A) and fifth on the team in goals.
TORONTO: #16 MITCH MARNER - Marner posted two goals in Toronto’s 7-4 defeat against the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday and now has three goals in his last two games. He is also carrying a six-game point streak into tonight (5G, 3A).
LOOK BACK
Utah earned a point in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday at United Center following a two-goal surge in the third period. Down 3-1 entering the final 20 minutes, John Marino scored his first goal in Mountain Blue, and Clayton Keller cashed in on the power play to tie the game at 3-3 and help Utah earn a crucial standings point.
The Blackhawks took control of the game in a 5:07 stretch during the second period in which they scored three goals, including a penalty shot conversion from Frank Nazar. Utah initially led 1-0 after Nick Schmaltz scored just 0:56 into the game.
In overtime, 2023 first overall pick Connor Bedard scored the game-winner for Chicago.
LAST MEETING
Utah fell to Toronto 3-2 at Scotiabank Arena on Nov. 24. Logan Cooley led off the scoring on the power play for Utah in the first period, but Toronto scored three goals in the span of 5:35 in the second period to take control of the game. Mitch Marner potted two for the Leafs, and William Nylander provided the third.
Jack McBain scored his second goal in as many nights early in the third period, but Utah’s rally fell short. Karel Vejmelka was robust in net once again with 32 saves on 35 Toronto shots.
QUICK STARTS
Nick Schmaltz scored the second fastest goal to start a game this season for Utah when he found the back of the net just 0:56 into the first period against Chicago on Friday. On Thursday night against the Detroit Red Wings, Dylan Guenther scored just 2:08 into period one. Michael Kesselring owns the fastest goal to start a game in Utah’s inaugural season with a tally just 0:17 into the first chapter of a Nov. 7 win against the St. Louis Blues.
The fastest goal to start a game in the NHL this season belongs to Chicago’s Landon Slaggert, who scored just 0:07 after the opening puck drop on Feb. 1 against the Florida Panthers.
Utah has been strong early in games this season, trailing after the first period only 14 times—tied for the fewest in the NHL. Utah also allows the second fewest goals in the first period (41) and has the seventh best goal differential in the opening frame (+12).
ALEXANDER KERFOOT
Kerfoot was one of four players last week to receive a contract extension from Utah, signing a one-year deal that will activate at the start of the 2025-26 season. With Toronto in town, Kerfoot will be facing the team he spent four seasons with from 2019 to 2023. While wearing the Maple Leaf, Kerfoot posted his highest scoring season to date in 2021-22 when he notched 51 points (13G, 38A) and a career-best +19 rating.
A key contributor to Utah’s penalty kill, Kerfoot ranks seventh in shorthanded ice time among forwards in the NHL this season. He also scored the first shorthanded goal in Utah Hockey Club history on Nov. 30 against the Vegas Golden Knights.
LOOK AHEAD
Utah continues a two-game homestand on Wednesday against the Anaheim Ducks at Delta Center. The Ducks have crept to the fringes of the Western Conference playoff race and are now just five points behind Utah in the standings. Utah has lost twice to Anaheim in games that extended beyond regulation.
