All four forward lines score in first game of critical, two-game road trip
Utah GM Bill Armstrong told his troops this week that they had earned the right to stay together. In the next breath, he handed out four contract extensions to walk the talk.
His team repaid him with a gutsy 4-2 win in Detroit on the day before the NHL trade deadline.
Utah goaltender Karel Vejmelka was the story of the game on Thursday, stopping 38 shots to earn his fifth win in his past six outings.
Dylan Guenther, Nick Schmaltz, Kevin Stenlund and Lawson Crouse scored, the penalty kill was a perfect three-for-three against the NHL’s second-ranked power play unit, and Utah crept a little closer to the final wild card spot in the Western Conference with a win against a team that is trying to claim its own wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Utah rallied from a 2-1 deficit despite being outshot 40-19. Utah has won three of its past four games, four of its past six, and seven of its past 10.
“We had a kind of slow start today, but after the first period, we played a pretty good second and even better in the third,” Vejmelka said. “It’s a big team win tonight.”
Playoff watch: The only other team of note in the race for the Western Conference’s final wild card spot that was in action on Thursday was the Calgary Flames. They lost, 3-2, in overtime in Dallas on Thursday. Overall, Utah drew within a point of the St. Louis Blues with a game in hand, within two points of the Vancouver Canucks, and within three points of the Flames, who hold the final wild card slot.
Extension energized: Utah signed four players to contract extensions this week: forward Alex Kerfoot, defensemen Olli Määttä, Ian Cole and Vejmelka. They all seemed energized by the security in Thursday’s game.
Kerfoot set up Dylan Guenther’s first period goal with a terrific backhand pass. Määttä logged 18:20 of ice time, he was a plus-1, and he drew a game-clinching penalty on Patrick Kane late in the game. Cole logged 21:32 of ice time and recorded a goal-saving blocked shot late in the game.
And then there was Vejmelka.
Utah’s starter, who just agreed to a five-year extension on Wednesday, made 38 saves to mark his highest save total in a road game this season. Two saves in particular stood out.
Vejmelka’s right pad/toe save on Red Wings center Dylan Larkin with just over a minute remaining in the first period was a possible game-changer with Utah already trailing 2-1. So was his point-blank glove save on forward Alex DeBrincat, moving left to right, with just over a minute left in the second period and the game tied, 2-2.
“We got an elite performance from Veggie,” Utah coach André Tourigny said. “We demanded a lot from him tonight. I want to help him a little better, but you know what? That’s what a team is. When you stick together, sometimes it’s one guy, another night it’s another guy.
“He was really, really good, tuned in, made key saves at key moments.”
Bjugdstad injured: Utah center Nick Bjugstad missed the game with an upper-body injury that landed him on injured reserve. The IR stint is retroactive to Utah’s last game on March 1 which means he is eligible to play in the team’s home game against Toronto on Monday.
Players who are placed on IR must miss at least seven days.
Quotable: “We had one period to go out there and win an important hockey game and that’s what we did,” said associate captain Lawson Crouse of his team’s two-goal third period. “It shows a lot of courage from our team. There’s definitely things we need to improve on, but getting a win like that feels good.”
Up next: Utah travels to Chicago for the only time this season to face the Blackhawks on Friday. Utah leads the season series, 2-0. In the first game in Utah Hockey Club history, Dylan Guenther had two goals, Connor Ingram made 24 saves and Utah beat the Blackhawks, 5-2 at Delta Center on Oct. 8. Utah won the second meeting at Delta Center on Feb. 25 when Crouse scored the game-winning goal on a backhander with 7:48 left in a 2-1 victory.
DETROIT, MI (WXYZ) — The Black Legacy Advancement Coalition’s Black Legacy Day celebration is an intergenerational, joy filled gathering in Detroit, centered around authentic joy and liberation.
On Saturday, May 30th, Detroiters, neighbors, partners and friends of every race, creed and background are invited to share in a day of reflection and fun. Highlights will include a food giveaway, a scavenger race, a men’s basketball tournament and free justice resources.
To learn more, visit www.theblac.co.
St. Hubert pastor discusses the Archdiocese of Detroit’s restructuring
The Rev. Douglas Bignall of St. Hubert Catholic Church in Harrison Township discusses the ongoing restructuring effort by the Archdiocese of Detroit on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.
The list of churches targeted for the possible stoppage of weekend Masses has grown to at least 58 parishes across southeast Michigan, according to the latest proposed models the Archdiocese of Detroit had released as part of its major restructuring process through Friday.
At least 22 parishes under the first round of proposed models wouldn’t hold weekend Mass. The archdiocese has been divided into 15 planning areas, or geographic areas, and three or four models are being proposed for each planning area, said the Rev. Mario Amore, executive director of parish renewal for the Archdiocese of Detroit.
The archdiocese has been holding listening sessions with parishioners this spring as part of its restructuring plan to get reactions.
The models have different proposed groupings of parishes, in which a grouping would share a pastor and potentially other priests. In some cases, selected churches in the grouping would no longer hold Sunday Mass.
The Archdiocese of Detroit released on May 22 and this past week the model proposals for another five planning areas, including areas of Macomb County, Oakland County and Detroit. Around 36 more parishes would no longer hold Mass in the future under the latest proposals.
Bunches of churches in Detroit would be affected, while four parishes in Troy and three parishes in Clinton Township wouldn’t have Saturday Vigil Mass or Sunday Mass under each of the proposed models presented for their planning areas.
Archdiocese of Detroit spokesperson Holly Fournier said the archdiocese has heard a wide range of reactions about the proposed models, which is “understandable given how personal parish life is for people.”
“Some pastors and parishioners are hopeful about opportunities for stronger collaboration and renewed ministry, while others are experiencing more uncertainty and concern, especially in places where one or more models suggest a parish might no longer host weekend Masses in the future,” she said.
Fournier emphasized that the models are “draft models” and aren’t final decisions.
The models for the final six planning areas will be released in June, according to the restructuring website.
The models are part of the archdiocese’s biggest restructuring plan in years. Announced last fall, Archbishop Edward Weisenburger said the archdiocese can’t maintain the roughly 200 existing parish buildings it has and is working to “right-size” the archdiocese, along with its personnel and financial resources.
Fournier said the draft models were developed by priests earlier this year and are being presented in listening sessions as proposals “meant to spark broader consultation with the faithful.” Each parish in the archdiocese is holding listening sessions this spring or early summer.
In other dioceses that have undergone restructuring processes like the Archdiocese of Detroit’s, as many as 20-40% of the initial models were changed as a result of parishioner feedback, Fournier said.
“That is why it is so important for Catholics to attend their parish listening sessions to view these models and provide their honest feedback, so informed adjustments can be made where necessary,” she said in an email.
One of the most heavily affected groupings is Planning Area 1, which includes west Detroit. Ten of its 13 parishes would not have Saturday Vigil Mass or Sunday Mass in at least one of the model plans. They include Christ the King, Presentation/Our Lady of Victory, SS. Peter and Paul (Jesuit), SS. Peter and Paul (Westside), St. Charles Lwanga Church, St. Mary of Redford, St. Moses the Black Parish, St. Peter Claver Parish, St. Scholastica and St. Suzanne-Our Lady Gate of Heaven, all of which are in Detroit.
Planning Area 9, which includes southeastern Oakland County, has between 15 and 19 parishes, depending on the model. Ten of the parishes wouldn’t hold weekend Mass in at least one of the models. Four of them are in Troy.
They include St. Lucy in Troy, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Troy, Christ Our Light in Troy, St. Thomas More in Troy, St. Owen in Bloomfield Township, Our Lady of La Salette in Berkley, Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Oak Park, St. Justin-St. Mary Magdalen in Hazel Park, St. Vincent Ferrer in Madison Heights and Divine Providence in Southfield.
Planning Area 10, which includes all of northern Oakland County and parts of western Oakland County, has 19 to 22 parishes, depending on the model. Seven would stop holding weekend Mass in at least one of the models, including St. Benedict in Waterford Township, St. Thomas More in Troy, Sacred Heart in Auburn Hills, St. John Fisher Chapel University Parish in Auburn Hills, St. Perpetua in Waterford Township, St. Rita in Holly and Prince of Peace in West Bloomfield Township.
Planning Area 12, which includes parts of southern and eastern Macomb County, has 16 parishes. Four Warren parishes and three Clinton Township parishes would stop holding Mass under the draft models.
St. Louise de Marillac in Warren wouldn’t hold Saturday Vigil or Sunday Mass in two of the three draft models presented by the archdiocese. Six other parishes would not hold weekend Mass in only one of the models, including St. Louis in Clinton Township, San Francesco in Clinton Township, St. Ronald in Clinton Township, St. Martin de Porres in Warren, St. Faustina in Warren and St. Mark in Warren.
Planning Area 13, which includes areas of central and northern Macomb County and a parish in Troy, has 14 or 16 parishes, depending on the draft model. Three parishes in the planning area wouldn’t have weekend Mass under at least one of the models: St. Jane Frances de Chantal in Sterling Heights, St. Matthias in Sterling Heights and SS. John and Paul in Washington Township.
Amore said that if a church stops holding Sunday Mass, parishioners are encouraged to worship at other churches in their “pastorate,” which is a grouping of parishes overseen by a pastor. In the long term, the church building might close, or other sacramental celebrations might take place there, such as weddings and baptisms, he said.
The parish’s buildings could also be repurposed for other uses, such as religious education classes.
Fournier said the proposed models are meant to “foster discussion and discernment.”
“We encourage Catholics to stay engaged in the process, share their feedback honestly, and remember that the goal is not simply organizational change, but ensuring vibrant Catholic communities for future generations,” she said.
asnabes@detroitnews.com
Detroit’s dining scene just got even more flavorful with the opening of Sunda New Asian, bringing modern Southeast Asian cuisine to the city.
Restaurant owner Billy Dec joins the show to share what guests can expect from the new hotspot, from bold dishes and incredible cocktails to an energetic atmosphere.
Watch the video above to see what’s cooking up at Sunda New Asian.
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