WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox disagree on many issues but they were united Saturday in calling for less bitterness in politics and more bipartisanship.
“Politics has gotten too personally bitter,” said Biden, who has practiced politics since he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1972. “It’s just not like it was.” The Democratic president commented while delivering a toast to the nation’s governors and their spouses at a black-tie White House dinner in their honor.
Biden said what makes him “feel good” about hosting the governors is “we have a tradition of doing things together. We fight like hell, we make sure that we get our points across. At the end of the day, we know who we work for. The objective is to get things done.”
Cox, a Republican and chairman of the National Governors Association, preceded Biden to the lectern beneath an imposing portrait of Abraham Lincoln above the fireplace in the State Dining Room.
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The Utah governor said the association “harkens back to another time, another era, when we did work together across partisan lines, when there was no political danger in appearing with someone from the other side of the aisle and we have to keep this, we have to maintain this, we cannot lose this,” he said.
Cox leads an initiative called “Disagree Better” that aims to reduce divisiveness. He had joked earlier in the program that he and Biden might be committing “mutually assured destruction” by appearing together at the White House since they’re both up for reelection this year.
He told Biden that as state chief executives, governors “know just a very little bit of the incredible burden that weighs on your shoulders. We can’t imagine what it must be like, the decisions that you have to make, but we feel a small modicum of that pressure and so, tonight, we honor you.”
Biden said he remembered when lawmakers would argue by day and break bread together at night. He is currently embroiled in stalemates with the Republican-controlled House over immigration policy, government funding and aid for Ukraine and Israel.
Cox went on to say that his parents taught him to pray for the leader of the country.
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“Mr. President, I want you to know that our family prays for you and your family every night,” he said. “We pray that you will be successful because if you are successful that means that United States of America is successful and tonight we are always Americans first, so thank you.”
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat who is the association’s vice chairman, also offered a toast.
“We have a lot more in common and a lot more that brings us together as Americans for love of country and love of the people of our country,” he said.
Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, were among Cabinet secretaries and White House officials who sat among the governors. The group included North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who in December ended his bid to become the Republican presidential nominee and challenge Biden.
Guests dined on house-made burrata cheese, an entree choice of beef braciole or cod almandine and lemon meringue tart with limoncello ice cream for dessert.
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After dinner, the program moved to the East Room for a performance by country singer Trisha Yearwood.
The governors, in Washington for their annual winter meeting, heard from Biden and Harris on Friday during a separate session at the White House.
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Those who asked Santa Claus for a White Christmas may find what they wanted under the tree… or better yet, on the trees as storms are expected to bring snow to much of Utah on the holiday.
TRACK THE STORMS: Get real-time weather by downloading the FREE Utah Weather Authority app
Southern Utah will wake up on Christmas morning with snow already likely on the ground as a storm moves in overnight. The winds then turn in the afternoon and the snow arrives along the Wasatch Front with a few inches possible in the northern Utah valleys.
Salt Lake City is currently seeing a 60-70 percent chance of receiving over a trace amount of snow, according to the National Weather Service, with the possibility of accumulating snowfall in the benches.
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The mountains are expected to get a decent dump of snow, which will please skiers and snowboarders who have waited through a disappointing start to winter. The resorts up the Cottonwood canyons can see up to 10 inches of snow.
Another storm is expected to impact many of the state’s mountains on Thursday and Friday. Overall, the northern mountain areas could receive up to 3 feet of snow throughout all the storms, with the higher amounts possible in the Bear River Mountains and upper Cottonwoods.
The Thursday-Friday storm will only bring light accumulations to valleys.
Barrett Hayton did not have a concrete answer for Utah Hockey Club’s lackluster second period.
“I don’t know. We’re going to have to sit down and talk about it. I think we have to figure out what causes that,” the forward said. “The mentality we have to figure out.”
It was Hayton’s third-period goal that pulled Utah within one after allowing the Dallas Stars to take a 3-1 lead in the middle frame. However, the attempted comeback was too little too late and the Stars took the two oh-so-valuable divisional points in a 3-2 win at Delta Center Monday night.
“We’re neck and neck [in the standings] with these guys. That’s a game we really needed and wanted,” Nick Bjugstad said. “Tried to fight back in the third, but that’s a good team. Can’t take a period off. That’s kind of what we did in the second.”
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(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Dallas Stars left wing Mason Marchment (27) vies for the puck with Utah Hockey Club defenseman Olli Maatta (2) and Utah Hockey Club center Barrett Hayton (27) during the first period of the NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024.
The Stars took a 1-0 lead midway through the first period with a goal from Colin Blackwell. Following a Utah turnover in the neutral zone, the Dallas forward broke out off the rush and sniped it past Karel Vejmelka from the right side.
Kevin Stenlund tied things 1-1 for Utah just over a minute later with his fifth goal of the month and sixth of the season. The veteran forward earned net-front positioning and tipped Ian Cole’s blast from the point in at 12:41.
The back-to-back fatigue became evident in the second period for Utah. The team looked disjointed and slow and it cost it.
“It’s a veteran team on the other side who weathered the storm in the first period,” head coach André Tourigny said. “Then they got us where they wanted us and we didn’t play particularly well at that.”
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(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) and defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok (52) react to a goal from the Dallas Stars during the first period of the NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024.
Dallas took advantage of its fresh legs by creating frequent odd-man situations simply by beating Utah to the puck.
That is how Roope Hintz’s goal unfolded. He and Mavrik Bourque blew past Stenlund and Michael Kesselring at Utah’s defensive blueline ahead of a give-and-go sequence which found Hintz uncovered in front. He wristed it in for the 2-1 advantage at 12:39.
Jamie Benn’s tally at 17:50 closely resembled the same play. Wyatt Johnston looped the puck behind the net before hitting a wide-open, net-front Benn who unleashed a one-timer to make it 3-1 heading into the third period.
“I think that second period is the learning lesson, obviously. We knew coming into this game it’s a four-point game, division game. Those matchups are huge,” Hayton said. “We’re all pissed off about it and disappointed and frustrated in ourselves. That’s a big game and sucks for it to go that way.”
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(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston (53) prepares to shoot as Utah Hockey Club left wing Matias Maccelli (63) defends during the second period of the NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024.
Utah’s power play — which had been on a seven-game conversion streak — could barely string passes together and did not establish a cycle in the two chances it was given through 40 minutes. The third line of Bjugstad, Lawson Crouse and Matias Maccelli, however, had noticeable jump at the start of the night as it tried to get its production going.
“When you’re not scoring as a line you try to figure out what to do. But for us it’s just simplifying,” Bjugstad said. “Just have to find a way to score. That’s kind of all I’ve got on that front.”
Hayton’s goal came at 11:39 of the final stanza and gave his team just under nine minutes to hunt for an equalizer it ultimately did not find. After Utah won an offensive-zone faceoff, Hayton got between the hash marks and deflected in Nick Schmaltz’s shot from the left side for the 3-2 scoreline and his second goal in two games.
Clayton Keller picked up the secondary assist on the play which extended his point streak to five games — he’s had 10 points through that stretch.
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“Proud of the effort of the guys,” Tourigny said. “Proud of the pushback we had. We all talk about the second period which is totally true and fair, but in the third period we had a hell of a pushback and the guys never quit.”
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club celebrate a goal against the Dallas Stars during the first period of the NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024.
Utah will now have three NHL-mandated days off for the holidays before returning to Delta Center on Friday to host the Colorado Avalanche — another Central Division opponent.
Despite Utah’s two-game losing streak, the team remains confident about its overall play in December and the position it has put them in heading into the new year.
“It’s on us. They pushed, but we have to understand that’s game management,” Bjugstad said. “We’ve got to learn, we’ve got to move on. I think this team has a lot of upside so we want to fulfill that.”
The Utah Hockey Club’s last two regulation losses have now come at the hands of the Dallas Stars following Monday night’s 3-2 loss at home.
An insufficient effort in the second period was Utah HC’s demise. Outside of that, it was as evenly matched as any game.
“I think that second period’s a learning lesson, honestly,” said Utah center Barrett Hayton. “I thought we did a great job in the first period. We were urgent, we were intense, we were on the ball, playing the right way. You just can’t afford those lapses against good teams, and that’s what our second period was.”
A late push from Utah yielded some close calls, but sports fans know “close” doesn’t cut it.
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How this works
This is a three-part article geared toward three different audiences.
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
Hayton seems to have found his scoring touch once again.
Until this week, the 24-year-old who centers Utah’s top line hadn’t scored since Oct. 30. Now, he has a pair of goals in as many games. It’s his second time scoring in bunches this year, as he scored in each of the team’s first three games and again in its fifth game.
He told the media after the game Monday that there’s not much rhyme or reason to his streaks.
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“I think you’ll score and produce when you’re playing well and playing the right way,” he said. “It all comes full circle like that, so I don’t know. It’s just coincidence.”
Regardless of whether the puck goes in the net or not, Hayton has played an immaculate defensive game this year, which has opened his linemates up for offensive success.
Clayton Keller, who plays on Hayton’s left wing, has scored more than a point per game this year. Nick Schmaltz, his other winger, is just below a point per game.
Interesting note: There’s a discrepancy as to how many points Hayton now has in his career. The team is celebrating his goal as his 100th point, but NHL.com says it’s only his 99th, with the same number of games played, goals and assists.
HockeyDB and most of the other sites agree that it’s number 100. I’m not good enough at math to figure out who’s right. Someone add it up and let me know in the comments.
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Utah Hockey for casual fans
Although Utah HC managed just 26 shots Monday, Stars goaltender Casey DeSmith was the story of the game. He plays at the top of his crease, which is especially effective when facing shots from medium and close distances. It earned him the honor of first star of the game.
Time and time again, Utah would create plenty of open space, make a great play and put a solid shot on net, only to have it go straight to the crest of DeSmith’s jersey.
“There weren’t many holes on him,” said Utah center Nick Bjugstad. “There were some good chances on our end, but I still feel like traffic and making it a little harder on him would have been beneficial for us.”
Utah Hockey for nerds
The fatigue of a back-to-back affects teams more than we probably think it does. In this, the second game in as many nights for Utah HC, they got much-needed energy from the third line: Bjugstad, Lawson Crouse and Matias Maccelli.
All night long, that line created chances out of thin air. They seemed to have the chemistry together that earned them all the best or second-best point totals of their careers last year.
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One example came midway through the first period Monday. Bjugstad was streaking down the left wing but was forced to the outside by the Stars’ defender.
Rather than trying to beat him with speed, Bjugstad threw on the brakes and sent a spinning backhand pass straight to the stick of Crouse.
DeSmith matched him with a perfectly positioned save, but the play gave Utah a jolt of energy.
Then on the first shift of the second period, they had a similar high-energy rush. It was not by coincidence that Utah head coach Andre Tourigny selected his highest-paced line to set the tone for the second.
These are the kinds of things that third lines are typically responsible for, in addition to chipping in a goal once every two or three games. They’re really struggling to do that second part, but they showed on Monday that they can do the first thing.
“When you’re not scoring as a line, you try to figure out what to do,” Bjugstad said. “For us, it’s just simplifying.”
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What’s next?
There will be three silent nights for Utah HC — and the rest of the NHL — before getting back into action on Friday as they host the Colorado Avalanche.
It’s the third and final match this season between the two teams. They’re both 1-1-0 against each other so the season series is on the line.
It’s a big game in the sense that both teams are competing for one of the same five playoff spots, so every point matters. It’s a good chance for one team to gain the edge over the other.
Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon is as hot as ever right now, with 16 points in his last seven games. With that in mind, it shouldn’t surprise you that he has a five-point lead in the NHL points race.
The game starts at 7:30 p.m. It will be broadcast nationally, meaning it won’t be available on the normal channels. Instead, it’s on ESPN2.