Utah Hockey Club, Blues Clash as Both Look to End Skids

The Utah Hockey Club and St. Louis Blues are both desperate for a win as they prepare to square off Sunday at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.

Utah’s Third-Period Struggles

Utah has lost four straight (0-2-2) and has let late leads slip away in back-to-back overtime losses—falling 3-2 to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday and again to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday.

In both games, Utah held a 2-1 lead in the third period but failed to close things out.

“It’s frustrating, for sure,” said Clayton Keller, Utah’s leading scorer with 56 points (18 goals, 38 assists) and a recent hot streak of four goals and 11 assists in his last nine games. “We’ve got to keep going, learn from it, and believe we can make plays in the third period. That’s the next step.”

Despite the setbacks, Utah has picked up points in its last two games.

“We controlled the majority of the game,” forward Alexander Kerfoot said. “We’ve got to find a way to get two points.”

Coach Andre Tourigny emphasized that Utah must finish its chances late in games.

“We had seven scoring chances in the third period,” Tourigny noted. “We need to capitalize. We need to take quality shots, get on rebounds, and hit the net more consistently.”

Blues’ Offensive Struggles Continue

While Utah has at least managed to earn points in overtime, St. Louis has dropped four straight in regulation while being outscored 16-4 in that stretch. The Blues also suffered back-to-back shutout losses for the first time this season.

On Friday, the Colorado Avalanche buried the Blues early, scoring four times in the first period en route to a 5-0 rout.

Unlike earlier in the season, St. Louis has struggled to mount comebacks.

Defenseman Justin Faulk highlighted the team’s mental fragility as a key issue.

“You have to stop it; you just can’t let it get to two, three, four,” Faulk said. “Our group needs to be mentally tougher and harder to play against.”

Season Series: Utah Dominates So Far

Utah has already won both matchups against St. Louis this season, winning 4-2 in St. Louis (Nov. 7) and 4-2 again in Utah (Jan. 18).

Keller, who grew up in the St. Louis area, has one goal and four assists in those games and an impressive 34 points and a plus-13 rating in 30 career games against the Blues.

Both teams are desperate for points, making this game a must-win battle in the Western Conference playoff race. Who will finally break their slump?