SALT LAKE CITY – In a dramatic farewell to their debut season at the Delta Center, the Utah Hockey Club came up just short Thursday night, falling 4-3 in a shootout against the Nashville Predators.
Despite a high-energy crowd and a strong performance between the pipes from goaltender Karel Vejmelka, who stopped 28 shots, Utah couldn’t hold off a determined Nashville squad. Juuse Saros stood tall for the Predators with 39 saves and was instrumental in the comeback victory.
Utah jumped out to a 2-0 lead midway through the second period with goals from Nick Bjugstad and Josh Doan. Bjugstad found the net at 4:49, slipping the puck over Saros from a sharp angle. Doan followed up at 13:54, capitalizing on a rebound to extend the lead.
Nashville responded before the period ended, as Nick Blankenburg netted a power-play goal to cut Utah’s lead to 2-1. The momentum carried into the third, with Filip Forsberg evening the score on another power play just 1:19 into the frame.
Shortly after, Ryan O’Reilly gave Nashville its first lead of the night with a rebound goal at 3:17. Utah answered swiftly, as Dylan Guenther knocked in a loose puck at 5:42 to tie it 3-3, setting up a tense finish.
Overtime couldn’t separate the teams, and in the shootout, Forsberg delivered the lone goal to seal the win for Nashville.
While Utah was officially eliminated from playoff contention a day earlier, the loss didn’t dampen the spirit of the home crowd. Team captain Clayton Keller praised the fans after the game:
“It’s been unbelievable since day one. So many people made sacrifices for us to be here. Our fans have had our backs all year. We’re a hungry group and we’ll be back next season.”
Following the game, Utah handed out its season honors, naming goaltender Karel Vejmelka the team’s Most Valuable Player.
The Utah Hockey Club now hits the road to close out its inaugural campaign, beginning a three-game trip Saturday night against the Dallas Stars.
- Loveland Living Planet Aquarium Welcomes 4 New Macaroni Penguins - April 19, 2025
- Jazz Rookie Keyonte George Scores Career-Best 35 in Defeat - April 19, 2025
- Children’s Miracle Network Mourns Loss of Co-Founder Joe Lake at 82 - April 19, 2025
