Utah Hockey Club keeps playoff hopes alive with win over Buffalo Sabres

The Utah Hockey Club’s contest with the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday wasn’t a mathematical elimination game, but it felt do-or-die for Utah.

But call them the Bee Gees, because they’re staying alive.

It was the closest 5-2 game you’ll ever see. A 2-2 tie prevailed for most of the third period, but Dylan Guenther jammed a loose puck home late to give his team the lead. Two empty-net goals later, Utah was celebrating a victory.

Utah maintains fifth place in the Western Conference wild card rankings because all the teams they’re chasing got points on Thursday. It’s going to be a battle if they’re going to make it, and beating the Sabres was a step in the right direction.

Utah Hockey for dummies

After allowing three goals in the first period in Edmonton on Tuesday, Karel Vejmelka took a spot on the bench. Head coach André Tourigny said after the game that the decision was to allow him to rest up for an important playoff push, rather than an indication that he was at fault for the deficit.

But Vejmelka didn’t let that keep him down on Thursday. When Utah HC found itself killing a penalty early in the game, he put his work boots on and single-handedly willed the puck to stay out of the net.

It started with a decisive pad save on Alex Tuch during a scramble. Later on in the same sequence, he tracked a cross-zone pass to Rasmus Dahlin on the back door, got across and robbed him with a glove save.

“(We have) all the confidence in the world,” said Utah defenseman Mikhail Sergachev of Vejmelka. “He’s our guy. He’s there when we need him. It showed tonight. He’s unbelieveable.”

Vejmelka remained hot all night long, giving Utah a chance to win. That’s all you can ask from a goalie.

Utah Hockey for casual fans

After a 13-game hiatus, Matias Maccelli made his return to the lineup on Thursday — and it was a huge step in the right direction for him.

The 24-year-old made himself noticeable all game long, making plays and putting himself in scoring locations on a regular basis. He didn’t contribute to the score sheet, but if he keeps this type of confidence up, he’ll get his rhythm back.

His closest chance came in the third period, throwing a cross-zone, high-to-low pass to Alexander Kerfoot on the back door. Kerfoot got a good shot off, but Sabres goalie James Reimer shut the door. Had that gone in, Maccelli would have stolen all the headlines.

“I think Chelly, coming back to the lineup, did an outstanding job,” Tourigny said after the game.

Now, here’s the key for Maccelli: Don’t be content where you are. This isn’t the first time this season he has burst onto the scene after a cold streak and made an big impact on a game. He’s had three two-goal games this season, all of which were followed by zero-point contests.

Maccelli scored 57 points last season, and confidence was a big reason for that. If he can keep the good vibes going, it’s not unlikely that he gets back to his former self.

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Utah Hockey for nerds

Tourigny and Guenther mentioned post-game that this wasn’t Utah’s best game, even though they found a way to win. Here’s what they meant by that.

First is the lack of success that the power play has seen. Not only has it not scored since March 12, it has also allowed two goals against in the last two games.

“Our power play is not clicking the way we want lately,” Tourigny said after the game. “I think there’s a lot of over-passing the puck or not enough battle.”

He continued, saying that it all hinges on the team’s battle level. If they’re battling hard, they play well. If they aren’t they let things slide.

The second factor is the amount of odd-man rushes that Utah allowed — breakaways, in particular. As was the case against Edmonton on Tuesday, they found themselves chasing the puck carrier far more than they would have liked.

“Since March 1, we’re not as stingy as we used to be defensively,” Tourigny said. “We get away with murder here and there, but that won’t last. We need to tighten it up — win more battles, get on the right side of the puck on dirty pucks — those kinds of things."

Regardless of that, they found a way to win. That’s a skill that all good teams have, because, frankly, no one is perfect 100 percent of the time. Good teams find ways to win on those off nights.

What’s next?

Next up are the always dangerous Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning have made the playoffs 10 of the last 11 years, and they’ve made the Stanley Cup Final four times in that span.

Utah HC defenseman Mikhail Sergachev was a major part of three of those trips to the Final with the Lightning. It’s because of his time there that he has two Stanley Cup rings to his name.

If the playoffs were to start today, the Lightning would finish third in the Atlantic Division, though the race is so tight that they could very well be on top before the season ends.

It’s an afternoon game, starting at 3 p.m. MST. It will be broadcast on Utah HC+ and Utah 16.