Connect with us

Utah

Utah HC overcomes 2 overturned goals, wins 6-4

Published

on

Utah HC overcomes 2 overturned goals, wins 6-4


Nobody can accuse the Utah Hockey Club and the Tampa Bay Lightning of playing boring hockey on Saturday afternoon — and it came at a great time.

Utah HC held its “Next Gen. Game,” which was geared toward children. Youngsters held a variety of capacities around the arena, helping out with in-game entertainment, broadcasting, photography and more.

Some kids even got to stand with the players and officials during the singing of The Star-Spangled Banner.

It just so happened that the most goals ever scored in a game at the Delta Center came during Next Gen. Night.

Advertisement

“Kids like goals,” said Alexander Kerfoot, who was responsible for two of UHC’s tallies. “It wasn’t our plan to go out and score six or give up four, but it’s fun. I think that this was a great atmosphere for kids to come and watch the game. This is a new market. We’re trying to grow hockey here.”

The final score was 6-4 in Utah’s favor, with an additional two Utah goals that came back due to coach’s challenges. Those goals, combined with a spirited fight and rally towels, made the game one to remember.

Logan Cooley, who also scored two goals, was likewise appreciative of the environment in the arena.

“It wasn’t easy when the building’s packed and we weren’t winning in front of our fans,” he said, “but credit to them. They’ve stuck with us when things weren’t going our way, and now when you win in front of them, it’s such an amazing feeling. I like when they have those towels, too.”

How this works

This is a three-part article geared toward three different audiences.

Advertisement
  • First, we’ll have “Utah hockey for dummies” for all you new hockey fans. Welcome, by the way — we’re glad you’ve taken an interest in the greatest sport in the world.
  • Next, we’ll have a section titled “Utah hockey for casual fans,” aimed at those who have a basic understanding of the sport.
  • Finally, we’ll have “Utah hockey for nerds.” That will be for those of you who, like me, think about nothing but hockey all day, every day.

Feedback is welcome, so let me know what you think in the comments of this article or the comments section on “X.”

Utah Hockey for dummies

Jack McBain made a statement in the second period with his fight against Zemgus Girgensons.

There’s an unwritten (but almost always followed) rule in hockey stating that if you throw a dirty hit, you have to answer for it in the form of a fight.

So, when Girgensons stepped out of the penalty box after serving his time for a bad hit on Michael Kesselring, his gloves came off.

The custom exists for the purpose of vengeance without going to the extreme of an eye-for-eye situation. Nobody wants to see injuries, but that’s what tends to happen when players refuse to answer for bad hits.

It’s also worth pointing out that Girgensons’ hit on Kesselring was, indeed, dirty (contrary to what Lightning fans proclaimed on social media).

Advertisement

It was late and Kesselring was in a dangerous position, meaning it could have warranted a penalty for either interference or boarding. Girgensons knew it, as did McBain, and that’s why they fought.

Utah Hockey for casual fans

Every “casual fan” is familiar with Cooley at this point, but they might not all be aware of just how good he’s actually been.

According to the NHL public relations department, Cooley became just the fifth active American player to record multiple 20-goal seasons at age 20 or younger.

As I explained in an article earlier this week, Cooley’s entry-level contract has bonuses built into it for certain milestones. Hitting the 20-goal mark guaranteed him an extra $250,000.

Cooley is far from the only player to get that bonus money this season, but he’s one of only four players who aren’t in the last years of their respective deals to do it. You may have heard of the others: Macklin Celebrini, Adam Fantilli and Matvei Michkov.

Advertisement

That’s elite company.

“It’s always, probably, in the back of your head, but it’s something that, you know, you’re scoring to help the team win,” Cooley said of the achievement. “Individual success is nice, but again, it’s just two big goals that get us the win.”

At any rate, that’s a lot of success for someone who’s just 20.

Utah Hockey for nerds

When a team has a goal overturned due to a coach’s challenge, it can really shift the momentum. When it happens twice in the same game, it can be enough to cause the frustration to boil over.

But that wasn’t the case for Utah on Saturday.

“That’s just where our team grew, and that’s where our team (is) capable of weathering the storm here and there,” said head coach André Tourigny said of his group’s attitude with the two overturned goals.

Advertisement

In fact, it hasn’t really been the case for Utah all season.

Utah has had goals overturned in 11 games this season. Their record in those games is an astounding 8-1-2. That’s the kind of mindset that it takes to win in the NHL: If you get too low, you lose your confidence. If you get too high, lose the attention to detail that it takes to win.

That mindset was apparent on Saturday outside of the overturned goals, too. On two occasions Utah HC lost their lead, but both times, they went right back out and scored on the very next shift.

If they continue holding their heads high — but not too high — they’ll be in a position to have success for years to come.

What’s next?

Utah is back in action on Monday as the Detroit Red Wings come to town.

Advertisement

The two teams played in Detroit earlier in the month. Though the game didn’t start the way Utah HC drew it up, they found a way to get back in it and they ultimately walked away with the win.

Another Utah win will be critical in keeping its playoff hopes alive. The Calgary Flames and the St. Louis Blues both won on Saturday, meaning Utah HC remains four points out of the final wild card spot in the NHL’s Western Conference and behind the Blues, Flames and Vancouver Canucks.

Monday’s game starts at 7 p.m. MST and will be featured on both Utah 16 and Utah HC+.



Source link

Advertisement

Utah

Jazz Injury Report Rules Out 7 Players vs. Raptors

Published

on

Jazz Injury Report Rules Out 7 Players vs. Raptors


The Utah Jazz are set to face off against the Toronto Raptors to kick off their new week for their second of two meetings across this season, where the Jazz in particular have ruled out a total of seven names on their injury report.

Here’s what the injury landscape looks like for the Jazz and Raptors rolling into the night:

Utah Jazz Injury Report

OUT – Isaiah Collier (hamstring)

OUT – Keyonte George (hamstring)

OUT – Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee)

OUT – Walker Kessler (shoulder)

OUT – Lauri Markkanen (hip)

Advertisement

OUT – Jusuf Nurkic (nose)

OUT – Blake Hinson (two-way)

QUESTIONABLE – Cody Williams (shoulder)

It’s much of the same from what the Jazz have been dealing with across the past couple of weeks.

Advertisement

Keyonte George and Lauri Markkanen still remain out with their minor injuries that they’ve suffered past the All-Star break, and Walker Kessler, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Jusuf Nurkic remain out for the year with their respective season-ending injuries.

Advertisement

However, the two names that stick out on this injury report against the Raptors in particular are their two first round picks from the 2024 NBA Draft; Isaiah Collier who’s out with a hamstring injury, while Cody Williams is the latest to be among those listed with a shoulder issue.

For Collier, it’s set to be a third-straight game that he’s been out due to what’s been labeled hamstring soreness, and thus leave the Jazz without both their starting and second-string point guard for the night.

That could lead to either two-way signee Elijah Harkless getting a starting nod for a second straight game following his elevation against the Philadelphia 76ers, or that spot could go to 10-day signing Kennedy Chandler, who played 35 minutes in that same game for a career-high 19 points in his team debut.

Advertisement

Mar 21, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz guard Kennedy Chandler (0) warms up before the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

As for Williams, he’s been downgraded to questionable for the action due to shoulder soreness; something that could leave him still able to go before tip-off, but remains to be seen based on how he feels before gametime.

The second-year forward has been on a hot streak as of late. In his past five games, he’s averaged an impressive 19.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.0 assists, shooting 50.0% from the field throughout.

If Williams is out of the mix, it’ll leave their frontcourt a bit more shorthanded from what they’ve been used to across the past couple of weeks, and might lead to even more minutes for guys like 10-day signee Bez Mbeng and two-way big man Oscar Tshiebwe to fill those minutes.

Advertisement

Toronto Raptors Injury Report

OUT – Immanuel Quickley (foot)

OUT – Jakob Poeltl (rest)

Advertisement

QUESTIONABLE – Collin Murray-Boyles (illness)

When it comes to the Raptors, they’ll be without a couple of guys on their roster, Immanuel Quickley who’s slated to miss out due to a foot injury, while Jakob Poeltl won’t be playing for Toronto’s second leg of a back-to-back following their previous battle against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.

Advertisement

Collin Murray-Boyles, on the other hand, has been upgraded to questionable against the Jazz with an illness after previously being out against the Nuggets over the weekend.

Tip-off between the Jazz and Raptors lands at 9 p.m. MT in the Delta Center, where Toronto will have their chance at a 2-0 series sweep over Utah depending on the results.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Utah

POST-GAME: André Tourigny 3.22.26 | Utah Mammoth

Published

on

POST-GAME: André Tourigny 3.22.26 | Utah Mammoth


NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup and the NHL Conference logos are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks, including the foregoing, and NHL team logos and marks, as well as all other proprietary materials depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective NHL teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. © National Hockey League. All rights reserved.



Source link

Continue Reading

Utah

Utah chef’s cake didn’t have enough booze, Food Network judges say

Published

on

Utah chef’s cake didn’t have enough booze, Food Network judges say


After hitting a snag and suffering through what he called “the biggest embarrassment” on national TV, chef Adalberto Diaz managed to narrowly avoid elimination during the premiere episode of Food Network’s “The Ultimate Baking Championship.”

“I’ll make you proud,” Diaz told the judges when the show revealed he would be claiming the final spot in the top 10 and moving forward in the competition.

But during the second episode of the season, the Utah chef behind the Salt Lake City bakery Fillings & Emulsions once again found himself in a far from ideal situation.

Adalberto Diaz faces criticism on ‘The Ultimate Baking Championship’

After an intense first episode that eliminated six of the top pastry chefs from across the country, Diaz found himself in the competition’s top 10.

Advertisement

The first challenge of the episode tasked the remaining bakers with putting a modern twist on a classic dessert. Diaz did OK in this round, creating strawberry shortcake canapés that put him in a three-way tie for fifth place with 11 points out of 20.

But like the premiere episode, things took a turn for the worse during the second challenge.

Diaz and his fellow bakers each had 2.5 hours to create a geometric layered mousse cake. The Utah chef’s specific assignment was to give his cake a tropical and boozy theme — something he said he felt confident about given his Cuban heritage.

The chef went to work creating a blueberry mojito gelée cake with mango mousse, topped off with a chocolate hibiscus flower. He gave it an ocean look with dark blue coloring.

In a blind taste test, celebrity guest judge and pastry chef Amaury Guichon said Diaz’s final product wasn’t the right interpretation for a boozy dessert. There wasn’t enough booze in the cake, both Guichon and judge Duff Goldman said. Guichon also criticized the amount of dark blue coloring Diaz used and said it wasn’t a natural look.

Advertisement

“This cannot be served in a restaurant,” Guichon said.

Chef Adalberto Diaz Labrada puts a batch of macarons into an oven in the kitchen of Fillings & Emulsions in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

Diaz, who was watching the judging on a screen in another room, became emotional as he heard the feedback.

He told his fellow pastry chef and competitor Juan Gutierrez that it hurt to get that kind of criticism on the show because as an older competitor, he doesn’t have as much time for improvement in his career as the younger chefs.

“We should be already there,” a visibly upset Diaz told Gutierrez.

After all of the judging, host Jesse Palmer revealed that Diaz was once again among the bottom competitors for the round. And, just like the premiere episode, the Utah chef ended up narrowly avoiding elimination.

Advertisement

Diaz received a 15 out of 30 for his cake, bringing his cumulative score for the episode to 26 points.

Oralia Perez, a pastry chef based in Houston, got eliminated from the competition with a cumulative score of 25.

Contestants Sarah Craichy, Christopher Teixeira, Rochelle Cooper, Clement Le Deore, Lasheeda Perry, Molly Coen, Robert Gonzalez, Oralia Perez, Juan Gutierrez, Arlety Estéves, Florencia Breda, Steven Weiss, Casey Doody, Cesar Sajulan, Julian Belon and Adalberto Diaz on Season 1 of “The Ultimate Baking Championship.” | Rob Pryce

Now, Diaz moves forward as one of nine remaining chefs competing for $50,000 in “The Ultimate Baking Championship.”

The show airs Monday nights on Food Network, with episodes available for streaming the following day on Discovery+ and HBO Max.

Who is Adalberto Diaz?

Diaz’s colorful macarons and fruit desserts are on display at Fillings & Emulsions in Salt Lake City — which the chef has described as an “eclectic Latin bakery with a French flair.”

“The last 12 years I have invested everything I have, everything, into my pastry shop,” Diaz said during “The Ultimate Baking Championship” premiere episode, which included footage of his new location that features bright murals painted by his brother to highlight their Cuban heritage.

Advertisement
Chef Adalberto Diaz Labrada hands customer Cameron Dryg a cup of coffee at Fillings & Emulsions in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

“When I win this competition, it will be a dream come true and that money is gonna go straight into my business and my amazing team of chefs and pastry chefs,” he said during the premiere episode. “I want to make sure that we make it out of these harsh economic times.”

Diaz emigrated from Cuba in 2000 and made a home in Utah, where he quickly began working in the food industry. He worked at a few places around Salt Lake City over the next decade, and earned the American Culinary Federation’s title of Pastry Chef of the Year in 2012. He opened Fillings & Emulsions the following year, as the Deseret News reported.

The chef’s appearance on “The Ultimate Baking Championship” comes on the heels of being nominated as a semifinalist for the prestigious James Beard award for outstanding pastry chef or baker.

“I am part of this community and this community has welcomed me to be part of it, and even bigger, this country welcomed me when I came here, and gave me an opportunity to be more where I am today,” Diaz told the Deseret News last year after his James Beard nomination. “And I wish that opportunity was given to more people because you don’t know how they would change the world.”



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending