Utah Hockey Club pushes Vegas to the limit in OT heartbreaker

LAS VEGAS — The Utah Hockey Club put up a valiant fight Saturday night but ultimately fell to the Golden Knights in a 4-3 overtime thriller in Las Vegas.

Brett Howden clinched the game-winning goal at 2:15 of overtime, dashing past Utah's Alexander Kerfoot and sealing a comeback victory that preserved Vegas' undefeated home record.

Utah initially commanded the game, showcasing a determined offense that surprised the home crowd. Logan Cooley, who opened the scoring for Utah late in the first period, gave the Hockey Club its first goal on the first shot, snapping one in from the left circle.

Ian Cole and Kerfoot followed, each finding the back of the net to keep Utah ahead and in the fight.

But despite the strong showing, Utah's goalie Connor Ingram had his hands full, making a total of 31 saves to fend off Vegas' relentless offense. Trailing 2-0 in the late second period, the Golden Knights mounted a comeback that Utah struggled to hold off.

William Karlsson added fuel to Vegas' rally, ultimately edging Utah ahead at 5:37 in the third period. Utah didn't fold, though, and Kerfoot responded with just under seven minutes left in regulation, using a puck bounce to tie the score and force the game into overtime.

"We didn't break," Kerfoot said after the game. "They're an experienced team and a real good hockey team. They know how to win."

For the young Utah team, facing the reigning Stanley Cup champions was a testament to their persistence.

"It was good that we stuck with it," Kerfoot added. "We're a young team still finding our way to being an experienced team."

"We battled back and got that tie-in goal, which is good," Cole added. "But overtime is kind of a 50/50 coin flip. It sucks losing that extra point, but we did get one, and for the most part, we played a decent game against a very good team."

Noah Hanifin played a standout role for Vegas, with a goal and two assists, while Tomas Hertl hit a career milestone by reaching 500 points.

Despite Vegas' success, the Utah Hockey Club left Vegas with valuable lessons and confidence as they look toward the next game.

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