Logan Cooley's game-winning goal revives his game — and Utah's playoff hopes

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Logan Cooley felt like he could breathe easier; and he kept the Utah Hockey Club's playoff chances breathing, too.

The 20-year-old forward couldn't have handpicked a better time to snap out of his cold streak.

At the 5:08 mark of the third period, Cooley crashed toward the net and quickly wristed in a rebound goal to help Utah to a 3-1 win over Vancouver at Rogers Arena. It was his 18th goal of the season but first since Feb. 27. He hadn't had a point in the last six Utah games.

"It feels like it's been two years since I got one in the back of the net," Cooley said. "It's a big confidence boost, and hopefully I can keep it rolling now."

His team is hoping he can, too.

It's not hyperbole to say that Sunday's game was Utah's biggest of the season. A loss would have put The Club down 6 points with 15 games remaining. But a win? Well, now the team is right back on the doorstep of the postseason.

Utah is just 2 points behind Vancouver and the St. Louis Blues for the final Western Confernece playoff spot.

The Hockey Club also got a goal from Kevin Stenlund and had a critical four-minute penalty kill in the third period during the win, as well.

"We're fighting for the playoff spot; they're 4 points ahead of us (just 2 now). It doesn't get much bigger than that," Kerfoot said.

Cooley regaining his form from earlier in the season may just push Utah over the top in what has turned into a four-team battle. That's why Utah head coach André Tourigny thought it was important to help Cooley get back to the right mindset.

Following the team's no-show effort in Seattle, Tourigny met with the young budding superstar and showed him video to showcase where he could be better — or, more harshly, where he needed to be better.

"It's not always easy watching video after video, but he helped me try to kind of get my game back and doing the things that make me a good player," Cooley said of the meeting. "I kind of found some of that tonight."

Tourigny also changed the lineup, moving Cooley from the first-line center to a second-line wing to try and help spark both lines that had struggled against the Kraken.

The move looked to be a masterstroke on Sunday.

Cooley said it was a bit of an adjustment, but by the third period he seemed right at home as he rebounded Nick Schmaltz's shot with a blast into the back of the net.

"You're not doing as much work as you do as a center, which is kind of nice," he said with a laugh. "But you're just trying to be in position to try to adjust as quick as possible."

That's exactly what he did during the game-winning goal.

But Clayton Keller, who scored an empty-netter to put the game on ice, also got an uncredited assist on the goal, too. The team has made it a point to keep shifts shorter to have more fresh legs on the ice and extend offensive zone changes. Keller decided to make a quick change with Cooley before the goal.

"Kells gets Cools an opportunity there to come on the ice — he's got a little extra jump, finds a loose puck and scores," said Alexander Kerfoot, who was key in killing off a four-minute penalty later in the third with Utah holding a single-goal lead.

Those are the chances that Cooley wants to have. Yes, he's young and there's plenty to his game that still needs to be developed, but he's hoping to skip a few steps in the natural progression

"When you talk to him about being patient, he looks like you look at your grandfather when he tells your story about in the old days — he has no time for that," Tourigny said. "He wants it right here, right now. He wants to make the difference."

He made the difference on Sunday, and he's hopeful there's plenty more moments like that ahead as Utah continues its playoff chase.

"It truly does feel like the weight of the world is off my shoulders now," Cooley said. "I can just play and get back to what I was doing that makes me successful."

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