Sport Preview, 12/20: Utah Hockey Membership vs. Minnesota Wild – NHL.com

Sport Preview, 12/20: Utah Hockey Membership vs. Minnesota Wild
WHEN: 6:00 p.m. MT
WHERE: Xcel Vitality Middle – Saint Paul, Minnesota
TV: SEG+, UtahHC+, Utah 16 | RADIO: KSL Sports activities Zone 97.5 FM, NHL App
For the second time this season, the Utah Hockey Membership (15-11-5) has gained three straight video games, and Head Coach Andre Tourigny’s squad carries that momentum with them to Xcel Vitality Middle tonight for a Central Division matchup with the Minnesota Wild (20-8-4). After an exciting 3-2 comeback win in additional time in opposition to the Vancouver Canucks, Utah has earned factors in six straight video games and turns its consideration to a Minnesota staff that has handled a rash of accidents and now has misplaced three of its final 4. The 2 groups met 10 days in the past at Delta Middle the place the Wild claimed a 5-4 shootout victory.
ONE-TIMERS
TONIGHT’S MATCHUP
The Wild have had a superb begin to the marketing campaign and sit second within the Central Division with 44 factors. Accidents have riddled Minnesota’s lineup, and the Wild have needed to play with out a number of key gamers over the past month. Three video games in the past, ahead Mats Zuccarello returned to the lineup for Minnesota and has three factors (0G, 3A) in his first three video games again from damage. By 19 video games this season, Zuccarello has 17 factors (6G, 11A) whereas principally taking part in on the Wild’s high line. Minnesota is top-5 defensively within the NHL at 2.63 objectives allowed per sport, and the Wild are third-best at 5-on-5 with a scoring ratio of 1.38 at even energy.
WHO TO WATCH
UTAH: #11 DYLAN GUENTHER – Guenther now has objectives in three straight video games after the game-tying aim on the facility play Wednesday evening in opposition to Vancouver. The streak, which comprises 4 objectives complete, matches his season lengthy aim streak that he set within the first three video games of the season with 5 pink lights in three contests. Guenther leads Utah and all NHL skaters 21 or youthful with 14 objectives this season.
MINNESOTA: #97 KIRILL KAPRIZOV – Kaprizov has 4 objectives in his final three video games together with multi-goal efforts in opposition to the Philadelphia Flyers on Dec. 14 and the Vegas Golden Knights on Dec. 15. He’s tied for fifth in league scoring with 48 factors (22G, 26A) and second in objectives. Kaprizov scored one among Minnesota’s 5 objectives in opposition to Utah on Dec. 10 at Delta Middle, and he is without doubt one of the frontrunners for the Hart Trophy this season.
LAST MEETING
Utah got here inches away from knocking off the staff that then held the perfect document within the NHL on Dec. 10 at Delta Middle. The Minnesota Wild claimed a 5-4 shootout victory after Matt Boldy was the one skater to transform within the expertise competitors. Clayton Keller rose to the event within the third interval and netted two power-play objectives to tie the sport on two events earlier than Juuso Välimäki gave Utah a 4-3 lead later within the third. Minnesota’s Marco Rossi ultimately tied the sport at 4-4 with 43 seconds left in regulation, and neither aspect may produce a aim in additional time. Goaltender Karel Vejmelka made 34 saves as Utah picked up a standings level for the third straight sport.
LOOK BACK
A full home at Delta Middle was handled to one of the crucial entertaining video games of the season on Wednesday when Utah erased a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 in additional time. Mikhail Sergachev scored his second additional time aim of the season after Clayton Keller and Dylan Guenther scored within the third interval to tie the sport and power the additional interval. Goaltender Karel Vejmelka made a number of essential stops all through the third interval and additional time, and the netminder picked up his seventh win of the season with 24 saves on 26 pictures.
POWER PLAY
Utah’s energy play has offered well timed objectives over the past a number of weeks, and the specialty unit has now related in 5 straight video games, going 7-for-17 (41.2%) in that span. The facility play for Utah sits at 21.6% for the season and ranks fifteenth within the NHL. Dylan Guenther leads the staff with six power-play objectives and 14 power-play factors (6G, 8A). The previous first-round choose has factored into 14 of Utah’s 19 complete power-play objectives this season with both a aim or an help.
CLAYTON KELLER
Utah’s captain has come by way of within the clutch over the past a number of weeks. Keller has 4 objectives in his final 4 video games, together with two tallies on Dec. 10 in opposition to Minnesota, and a aim Wednesday evening in opposition to Vancouver. The eighth-year professional has objectives in back-to-back video games for the primary time this season after netting the game-winner on Dec. 14 in opposition to the San Jose Sharks with 44 seconds left in regulation and scoring a essential aim in opposition to the Canucks on Wednesday within the third interval to kickstart a comeback win. Every of Keller’s final 4 objectives have come within the third interval for Utah. The captain is tied for the staff lead in scoring with 30 factors (11G, 19A) this season.
LOOK AHEAD
Utah welcomes within the Holidays at residence with a pair of pre-Christmas video games in opposition to the Anaheim Geese on Sunday, Dec. 22 and the Dallas Stars on Monday, Dec. 23. Sunday’s sport in opposition to Anaheim is scheduled for 3 p.m. whereas Monday’s affair is slated to begin at 7 p.m.
UTA at SJS | Recap

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