Lawson Crouse had gone pointless in the last 14 games.
The Utah Hockey Club forward and associate captain knew he had to be better and finally broke through Friday in his team’s 4-3 overtime loss over the Edmonton Oilers at Delta Center.
Nick Bjugstad dished the puck to Crouse who was flashing towards the net on the left side. Crouse, with little hesitation, wired it top-shelf to tie things 3-3 at 3:42 of the third period and earn his fourth goal of the year.
It was what Utah has needed all season — a veteran leader to step up and produce in an important moment of the game.
“Finally,” Crouse said of seeing the puck cross the goal line. “I’ve had some good looks through the past couple weeks and they weren’t going in. It’s easy to get down on yourself, but you just have to keep doing the things that you do. And tonight it went in.”
A turnover from Matias Maccelli at the offensive blue line during overtime allowed Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to net the game-winner at 1:18. A game within reach slipped away.
While Utah could not come away with the extra point after Crouse’s goal forced overtime, the team’s pushback in the third and contributions from its more experienced players were important.
“That was a big positive point in the night,” head coach André Tourigny said of Crouse. “[Nick] Bjugstad, him and Maccelli played against [Connor] McDavid all night long. At 5-on-5 they shut him down and get the big goal to get us a point. There’s a lot of positive there.”
Utah scored all three of its goals at even-strength, while the Oilers logged two of theirs on the power play. That, ultimately, was the difference despite a strong opening frame from the home team.
Alex Kerfoot scored as part of Utah’s quick start. Kevin Stenlund forced a turnover off of Connor McDavid in the neutral zone and sprung up into a 2-on-1 with Kerfoot, dishing it to his linemate across the crease. Kerfoot buried it at 6:17 for the 1-0 lead and his fourth goal of the season.
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Edmonton Oilers left wing Drake Caggiula (8) looks on as Utah Hockey Club center Kevin Stenlund (82) brings the puck down the ice with Utah Hockey Club left wing Michael Carcone (53) during the game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024.
After producing some of the team’s most dangerous chances earlier in the period, the second line cashed in with a tally from Logan Cooley to make it 2-0 at 17:15. Cooley followed the puck to the net and was there to knock in the rebound of Juuso Välimäki’s shot from the point.
The play marked Cooley’s sixth point in four games and a continued surge of confidence from the trio of him, Dylan Guenther and Jack McBain. According to Natural Stat Trick, that line has scored a cumulative seven goals through 12 games together this season — the most on the team in that time span.
“We generated a lot of good stuff,” Tourigny said.
Utah talked earlier in the year about giving its opponents too much respect and space. That was temporarily remedied in the first — Utah was physical, pushed the pace and did not let Edmonton easily earn ice. But, as has happened many times this season, the intensity changed in the second period.
The Oilers potted three unanswered goals to take a 3-2 lead by the end of 40 minutes. Vasily Podkolzin opened scoring for Edmonton at 9:44 with a snapshot off the rush before Leon Draisaitl and McDavid each struck on the Oilers’ respective two second-period power plays.
“I think it was a good game overall. I think we got killed on the [penalty kill] in the second period. Cleaned up some stuff,” Stenlund said. “It’s just how the game goes, I guess. We’ll work on it and get better.”
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club center Logan Cooley (92) passes the puck during the game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024.
Crouse’s third-period goal tied the game before the Oilers won it in overtime. Utah, still, has yet to win consecutive games since the first week of the season and is now dealing with lineup adjustments.
The backend was once again reconfigured for Utah. Välimäki entered the lineup due to Maveric Lamoureux being sidelined with an upper-body injury. The team said he will be out for four to six weeks. Lamoureux was recalled from the AHL in October to help fill the holes Sean Durzi and John Marino — who are both still month to month with injuries — left. Now, Utah’s bandaid is also hurt.
The team has little time to worry, though, as it plays the Vegas Golden Knights Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in its second back-to-back in the last week.
“Have to get to Vegas, get in your bed, try to get some sleep,” Crouse said. “Wake up and start planning for the game.”
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