Utah Hockey Club forward Clayton Keller recorded a career-high five points as Utah defeated the Minnesota Wild 6-1 on Thursday night, extending their home winning streak to four games.
Keller scored his 22nd goal of the season and added four assists in the dominant performance at Delta Center.
Nick Schmaltz contributed a goal and two assists, while Barrett Hayton and Logan Cooley each finished with a goal and an assist. Dylan Guenther and Sean Durzi also scored for Utah. Goaltender Karel Vejmelka stopped 15 of 16 shots.
Frederick Gaudreau scored the lone goal for Minnesota. Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 25 saves in the loss.
Hayton opened the scoring on a power play just 3:59 into the first period.
Utah extended its lead after gaining a two-man advantage late in the first when Minnesota’s Marcus Foligno received a double-minor for high-sticking Schmaltz and Jonas Brodin was called for hooking the same player.
Guenther capitalized quickly, threading the puck between Fleury and the post for his 22nd goal with 30 seconds remaining in the opening frame.
Gaudreau got Minnesota on the board with 3:58 left in the second period.
Durzi responded just under two minutes later, scoring his first goal of the season from long distance to restore Utah’s two-goal advantage.
Utah pulled away in the third period with goals from Schmaltz, Keller, and Cooley.
Game Notes
Minnesota has now been outscored 12-2 in three losses to Utah this season.
Dylan Guenther has five power-play points in his last six games, including three goals. He leads Utah in power-play goals (nine) and ranks second on the team in power-play points (21).
Utah scored multiple goals on the man-advantage in a single period for just the third time this season.
Durzi’s goal proved crucial, halting Minnesota’s momentum after Gaudreau had cut the deficit to one.
Up Next
Minnesota visits Colorado on Friday night. Utah hosts New Jersey on Saturday night.
