ST. PAUL, Minn.
Dylan Guenther netted his second goal of the game during the third period, helping the Utah Hockey Club clinch a 2-1 victory against the Minnesota Wild on Friday night.
Guenther scored just five seconds into a power play, securing the decisive goal for his team.
Utah’s goaltender, Karel Vejmelka, made 28 saves, contributing to the team’s impressive fourth consecutive win of the season, as well as their seventh consecutive victory on the road. This achievement establishes a record for the most consecutive road wins by a franchise in its debut season.
Mats Zuccarello managed to find the net for Minnesota, but the Wild have struggled recently, losing four out of their last five games and getting outscored 19-9 during this stretch. Marc-Andre Fleury, the Wild’s goalie, recorded 16 saves throughout the match.
Minnesota initially took a 1-0 lead in the first period after a coordinated three-player passing sequence involving Kirill Kaprizov and Marco Rossi, resulting in Zuccarello’s goal midway through the period. However, Guenther equalized just a minute later.

Utah had one successful power play out of three attempts. Over the past 13 games, they have excelled, scoring 13 power-play goals from 36 opportunities, with eight of those goals coming in the last six contests.
On the other hand, the injury-riddled Minnesota lineup welcomed back Brock Faber, who had sustained a neck injury from a shot during Wednesday’s 6-1 loss to the Panthers. Although he underwent evaluation at a hospital, Faber remarked that he currently feels like he’s suffering from a severe case of strep throat.

A pivotal moment in the game occurred when Utah seemed to take a 2-1 lead in the second period with a rebound goal from Jack McBain. However, Minnesota quickly challenged the play, successfully arguing that there was goaltender interference by teammate Kevin Stenlund, which nullified the goal.
In terms of statistics, the Wild’s right wing Ryan Hartman has not scored a point in his last 14 games and is without a goal in 16 outings. He has accumulated a total of four goals and three assists in 28 games this season, a stark contrast to the 21 goals and 24 assists he achieved in 74 games last season.

Looking ahead, Utah is set to begin a three-game homestand on Sunday against Anaheim, while Minnesota will face Winnipeg on Saturday.