Hockey News

Utah HC Inaugural Season Comes to an End Against Playoff Bound St. Louis Blues

Leave a comment
Apr 15, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Utah Hockey Club center Alexander Kerfoot (15) controls the puck from St. Louis Blues right wing Jimmy Snuggerud (21) during the first period at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Le-Imagn Images

All things come to an end.

Sometimes it isn't pretty, like Utah HC’s 6-1 season-ending loss to the St. Louis Blues, who clinched a playoff spot with the win.

But for Utah, the end of this season is only the beginning of many more to come. Instead of lingering on the disappointment of missing the playoffs, Utah is in a position where it can look ahead with optimism.

There’s just something about Utah defensemen’s homecomings that result in Utah losses.

This time, it was Robert Bortuzzo’s turn to fall short in his return to the St. Louis Blues—a team he was a part of for over 10 seasons, winning a Stanley Cup with them in 2019. Rumors that this might have been the final game of his 14-year NHL career only made his appearance more sentimental.

But it was the playoff implications for the Blues that ultimately overshadowed Bortuzzo’s return, leading to a dominant win.

It wasn’t as if the Blues didn’t celebrate Bortuzzo, as he did receive a standing ovation from the St. Louis faithful.

But the Blues looked incredibly hungry and motivated to control their own fate and clinch a playoff spot.

Early on, they capitalized on poor positioning during an odd-man rush, as both defensemen—Ian Cole and Michael Kesselring—were caught playing high in the offensive zone.

With only Logan Cooley back on defense, a simple swipe at the puck was all Jimmy Snuggerud needed to kick off the breakaway. Ultimately, Brayden Schenn would score on the rebound of Snuggerud's shot.

The Blues once again showed plenty of energy and focus, scoring their next goal after a series of decisive passes led to a wide-open chance for Pavel Buchnevich.

But that wouldn’t be the end of the Blues’ success in the first period, as they scored two more power-play goals to take a 4–0 lead to end the period. 

With strong defense stifling Utah’s offense, the deficit proved far too much to overcome. Utah’s only goal came from Clayton Keller on its first power play of the second period, briefly cutting into the lead.

Despite a much better second period from Utah, the Blues entered the third having made the proper adjustments to get back to their game plan. They limited the power-play opportunities Utah had in the second and recreated both the offensive and defensive success they showed in the first, scoring two more goals to secure the win.

It is an unfortunate trend: Utah has now lost its last three games when a defenseman returned to face his former team on the road.

In Mikhail Sergachev’s return to Tampa for the first time since being traded, the Lightning handed Utah its worst loss in franchise history, winning 8–0.

The very next game, Kevin Stenlund also came up short on his homecoming night against the Florida Panthers. Utah did play much better as it managed to force overtime in that game, despite struggling to generate offense or create quality scoring chances. Still, the game would end in a 2-1 for Utah. 

But whether or not this marks the end of Bortuzzo’s career, it had to feel good to get a start—his first since Jan. 2 against Calgary—against a team he shares so many memories with. 

And if it truly is his last game, there couldn't be a better way to end his career than in St. Louis. 

Despite ending on a losing note, the inaugural season for Utah was an improvement in every way.

On the ice, the team earned 89 points in the standings, surpassing the performance of last year's squad when they were still playing as the Arizona Coyotes. The development of young stars like Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther also helped team captain Clayton Keller set new career highs in both assists and points. 

Not only that, but the stadium improved, with the Delta Center now serving as its official home, rather than a temporary relocation. The practice facility, once completed, will be considered one of the best in the NHL, as announced with the completion of its construction.

While the team’s move from Arizona to Utah was a significant change, it’s hard to ignore the benefits that the change in scenery under new owners Ryan and Ashley Smith has brought.

Vejmelka Caps Off Strong Season With Goalie Of The Week HonorsVejmelka Caps Off Strong Season With Goalie Of The Week HonorsThe NHL has announced their top goalies of the week, and to no one’s surprise, Utah Hockey Club’s Karel Vejmelka has been named as one of them.

The season may have ended without a postseason trip for Utah, but it served as a great building block and transition year. The team is sure to improve with more time and talent joining in the future.

Still, Utah surely would have wanted to take home a win against the team that stole its playoff berth.

But with Utah general manager Bill Armstrong having success with both the draft and his recent trades, Utah fans should be excited for what the offseason has to offer and how it will ultimately improve the team ahead of next season.

Utah's Keller & Schmaltz Set Career-Highs Against PredatorsUtah's Keller & Schmaltz Set Career-Highs Against PredatorsLast night, in Utah Hockey Club's 7-2 win over the Nashville Predators, a few new career-highs were set. Both Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz reached new personal bests in points.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *