SALT LAKE CITY — Barrett Hayton scored the decisive goal with just 1:32 remaining, leading the Utah Hockey Club to a narrow 2-1 win against the San Jose Sharks on Friday night.

Nick Schmaltz also contributed a goal for Utah, while goaltender Karel Vejmelka made 18 saves in the match. This victory marked Utah’s third home win in 12 games this season.

San Jose’s lone goal came from Fabian Zetterlund, who netted his 12th of the campaign. Goalie Alexandar Georgiev registered 23 saves for the Sharks, who have now lost two games in a row.

The game started with Zetterlund striking early, scoring just 58 seconds into the match. Utah leveled the score at 6:57 in the second period, courtesy of Schmaltz’s crisp 30-foot shot.

Utah seemed ready to take the lead at the 3:22 mark of the third period when Clayton Keller fired in a 50-foot shot. However, the goal was disallowed after a replay showed that Schmaltz had interfered with Georgiev just before the shot was taken.

The tie remained until Hayton found a way to beat Georgiev with a long-range shot late in the third period.

Key Takeaways:

For the Sharks, this marked the first time in a month they had failed to score more than one goal in a road game.

Utah’s strong defensive efforts allowed them to stay competitive, even after conceding an early goal.

Significant Moment:

Hayton’s eighth goal was crucial, as it prevented the need for overtime against the Sharks for the second time this season.

Important Stat:

San Jose managed only three shots on goal during the second period.

Next on the Schedule:

The Sharks are set to host the Minnesota Wild on Saturday. Meanwhile, Utah will continue their seven-game homestand facing off against the New York Islanders on the same night.