SALT LAKE CITY – Dylan Guenther delivered the game-winning goal late in the third period as the Utah Hockey Club secured a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks at Delta Center on Sunday night.
Guenther capitalized on a power play opportunity, redirecting a precise pass from Nick Schmaltz at the left post with just under six minutes remaining.
“It’s a big win for us,” Guenther said. “These tight games help build confidence, and we want to keep that momentum going.”
Logan Cooley made an immediate impact in his return to the lineup, scoring Utah’s first goal after missing seven games with a lower-body injury. Goaltender Karel Vejmelka turned away 14 shots as Utah’s defense held Vancouver to just 15 total attempts on goal.
“I think we have a group of guys that thrive in high-pressure moments,” Cooley said. “The power play came through when we needed it most, and that made the difference tonight.”
Jake DeBrusk gave the Canucks an early advantage, scoring just 1:43 into the second period off a cross-crease setup from Elias Pettersson. But Utah responded quickly, as Cooley redirected John Marino’s shot to even the score at 3:51 of the period.
Vancouver’s Arturs Silovs, making his first start in nearly three months, recorded 30 saves but couldn’t stop Utah from breaking the deadlock late.
With the victory, Utah (25-24-9, 59 points) moves within four points of Vancouver (26-20-11, 63 points) for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Calgary sits between the two teams with 62 points.
Head coach André Tourigny praised his team’s performance, saying, “There’s always room for improvement, but I liked our composure and urgency. The guys showed great compete level, and that’s what we need moving forward.”
Utah will continue its homestand Tuesday night against the Chicago Blackhawks as the playoff race heats up.
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