Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
- Nick Schmaltz scored twice, leading Utah Hockey Club to a 6-0 victory.
- Goaltender Jaxson Stauber achieved Utah's first shutout, saving 29 shots.
- The win marks Utah's first victory against Vegas, improving their season record to 10-10-4.
PARADISE, Nev. — "Welcome to the party Schmaltzy!"
Utah Hockey Club owner Ryan Smith posted on social media platform X after his team's sixth goal and second by Nick Schmaltz on Saturday night against the Vegas Golden Knights.
The goals were the first of the season for Schmaltz, though the 28-year-old forward from Wisconsin leads Utah in assists with 17.
"It comes in waves," Schmaltz said of his goals. "Once you get one, maybe the floodgates open and stuff starts bouncing in your way. Hopefully this opens it up for me a little bit, and I get a little more."
A newly-minted mustache for Schmaltz helped add to the party atmosphere at T-Mobile Arena as the Hockey Club took up residency in the Vegas net with four goals in the first period and two in the second to tie their season-best in a 6-0 win.
The "welcome to the party" could have just as easily applied to goaltender Jaxson Stauber, who earned the first shutout in Utah Hockey Club history in his first start after getting called up to the team just 10 days ago from the Tucson Roadrunners.
Congrats to Jaxson Stauber on the first @pepsi shutout of his career! đź‘Ź pic.twitter.com/UC3XWd1xUY
— NHL (@NHL) December 1, 2024
Stauber had 29 saves on 29 shots by the Knights to hold the Pacific Division leaders to zero goals for just the second time this season.
"It feels unreal, something you dream of as a kid," Stauber said of the shutout. "I've gotta give a lot of credit to my teammates tonight."
Ontario native Michael Carcone also got his first goal in a Utah sweater to make it 5-0 in the second period, with Clayton Keller, Alexander Kerfoot and Logan Cooley scoring the other three goals.
Cooley's goal extended his point streak to five games (three goals, four assists) for the longest run of his NHL career and the longest by any Utah player this season.
The win moves Utah to 10-10-4 on the season and also gives the club its first win over regional rival Vegas after dropping the first two meetings in the three-game season series.
The Hockey Club returns home for its first-ever meeting against the Dallas Stars before departing once again for a two-game road trip to Buffalo and Philadelphia.
