Clayton Keller scores winner as Utah gets by Sharks

Field Level Media|published: Sun 15th December, 01:32 2024

Dec 14, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose Sharks defenseman Timothy Liljegren (37) shoots the puck during the second period against the Utah Hockey Club at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

Clayton Keller scored the game-winner and added an assist as the Utah Hockey Club edged the San Jose Sharks 4-3 on Saturday night in the Bay Area.

Nick Schmaltz added a goal and an assist; Dylan Guenther and Michael Carcone had the other Utah goals.

Logan Cooley and Mikhail Sergachev added two assists each for Utah, which has won back-to-back games and four of five.

Karel Vejmelka made 19 saves for the win.

Fabian Zetterlund scored and added an assist, and Alexander Wennberg and Mikael Granlund had the other goals for San Jose, which has lost four of five.

Vitek Vanecek stopped 36 shots in the loss.

Guenther opened the scoring at 7:27 as his shot from the slot deflected off Wennberg and past Vanecek for his team-leading 13th of the year. The Utah forward has points in five straight games (three goals, five assists).

Wennberg tied it 1-1 at 14:58 of the opening period, beating Vejmelka glove side for his eighth of the season. Barclay Goodrow, playing in his 600th career game, picked up the primary assist on the goal.

San Jose took a 2-1 lead at 14:11 of the middle frame as Granlund picked up the rebound off Fabian Zetterlund's shot and beat Vejmelka short side for his team-leading 11th of the season.

Utah tied it 2-2 on a power play as Schmaltz batted a Cooley pass past Vanecek for his fifth of the season at 18:52 of the second period.

Zetterlund gave San Jose a 3-2 lead, one-timing a Nikolai Kovalenko pass past Vejmelka at 5:00 of the third period for his 10th of the season.

Kovalenko now has four assists in two games since being acquired in a trade from the Colorado Avalanche on Monday.

Carcone tapped in a Kevin Stenlund cross-ice feed past Vanecek for his third of the season to tie it 3-3 at 9:49.

Keller added the winner with 43.8 seconds remaining in the third on a power play, beating Vanecek with a shot from the point for his 10th of the season. The Utah captain has three goals and three assists over his last five games.

Saturday was the second of three meetings between the two clubs. San Jose and Utah conclude the season series on Jan. 10 in Salt Lake City.

--Field Level Media

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