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Clayton Keller’s five-point night fuels Utah Hockey Club win

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Clayton Keller’s five-point night fuels Utah Hockey Club win


Something almost felt off about the scoreline.

“It’s weird,” Utah Hockey Club head coach André Tourigny joked.

He’s right, it kind of was.

Tourigny’s team has had a habit of giving up late goals and being unable to extend its own gaps. But that was not the case in Thursday’s 6-1 win over the Minnesota Wild at Delta Center.

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Fueled by a career-high five-point night from Clayton Keller, Utah put together one of its more cohesive and dominant performances of the season. And it came at a good time — the Club now sits two points out of the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

“Every game is so important and it’s an exciting time of the year. This is when you want to play your best and this is what you put all the extra work in for,” said Keller, who had one goal and four assists. “We’ve learned and gotten better as the year’s gone on with how to play with the lead and have confidence and swagger in the third period.”

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club celebrates a win over the Minnesota Wild, NHL hockey in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025.

That sentiment proved true. Utah carried a 3-1 advantage into the final stanza but did not sit back and wait for Minnesota’s push. Instead, Keller, Nick Schmaltz and Logan Cooley all scored to cushion their team en route to its third consecutive win — and fourth straight on home ice.

“All we can control is how we’re playing,” defenseman Sean Durzi said. “It’s a relentless brotherhood. We feel like a big family in here. We know that this is such an important time of the year. Every win, we get closer and closer — the fans included.”

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The urgency was apparent from puck drop for Utah.

After going 0-for-5 on the power play Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks, Utah buried two goals on the man advantage in the opening frame against the Wild.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club celebrates a win over the Minnesota Wild, NHL hockey in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025.

The first came from Barrett Hayton, who picked up a pass from Keller above the goal line and proceeded to drive to the net. The forward stick-handled the puck around the crease and his shot knocked off of Wild defenseman Brock Faber’s skate and in to make it 1-0 at 3:59.

It was Hayton’s 16th tally of the season and fourth in the last four games after notching the Club’s first-ever hat trick on Saturday.

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“I think we were really consistent in that game,” Tourigny said. “I think we were really engaged and really connected all game long.”

Utah was put on a 5-on-3 late in the first. Jonas Brodin was called for hooking and, three seconds later, Marcus Foligno was dealt a double-minor (four minutes) for high-sticking Schmaltz who went down bleeding on the ice.

Schmaltz missed the end of the first and eight minutes of the second period as he got treatment for what appeared to be some missing teeth.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club center Nick Schmaltz (8) celebrates a goal as Utah Hockey Club hosts the Minnesota Wild, NHL hockey in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025.

“I went to see him,” Tourigny said. “I told him he was much better looking that way.”

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Utah’s Dylan Guenther was quick to capitalize from his office at the left face-off circle. Keller — with his second assist of the period — dished it over to Guenther who one-timed it past Minnesota goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury for the 2-0 boost at 19:30. The goal marked Guenther’s 22nd of the year. It was his 10th on the power play (another team-high).

While Frederick Gaudreau cut the Wild’s deficit to one at 16:02 of the second period, Durzi reclaimed the Club’s two-goal advantage with his first of the season — and, accordingly, first at Delta Center as a member of Utah Hockey Club.

The defenseman, in his fourth game back from injury, floated over to the right side before unleashing a snapshot from just above the circle for the 3-1 scoreline at 17:50.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Sean Durzi celebrates a goal as Utah Hockey Club hosts the Minnesota Wild, NHL hockey in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025.

“It was special. I got my grandparents — hopefully, they’re still up at home. I told them I’d get them one last game and I didn’t so hopefully they’re watching. I got them one tonight,” Durzi said. “The crowd’s been incredible. You get chills every time. To finally contribute and hear the crowd cheer when they call my name — it’s huge.”

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Schmaltz, Keller and Cooley’s goals in the third helped Utah run away with the two points. Keller assisted on both of his linemates’ scoring plays and potted a back-hander of his own while extending his point streak to six games. He’s had 12 points in that stretch.

“Just trying to do the same thing every single night. I think our line has done a good job lately,” Keller said. “My linemates, everyone that was out there, contributed to all the goals that we scored. We enjoy it for a little bit and then turn the page and be ready for the next one.”

The next one is Saturday against the New Jersey Devils in the last matchup of Utah’s four-game homestand before it hits the road again. Another important two points will be on the line. But that does not intimidate the Club like it might’ve earlier in the season.

Utah is learning to play with the expectation of winning.

“Now we have a stress without having a feeling of the pressure being so heavy at some points,” Tourigny said. “We see it more as a challenge, something we want to compete for than a pressure and a fear.”

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Two killed, six wounded in shooting outside Mormon church in Utah

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Two killed, six wounded in shooting outside Mormon church in Utah


Two people were killed, and at least six were wounded when gunfire erupted outside a funeral at a Mormon church in Utah on Wednesday night, according to authorities and reports.

Eight people were hit by gunfire when shots rang out outside The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Redwood Road in Salt Lake City around 7:30 p.m., Salt Lake City Police Department spokesperson Glen Mills told the Salt Lake City Tribune.

Two people were killed, and six people were injured in the shooting that occurred outside in the church’s parking lot as dozens were attending a funeral service inside.

Of the six wounded, three individuals are in critical condition, the Salt Lake City Police Department posted on X. All of the victims were adults.

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Police stand outside the Salt Lake City church where at least eight people were shot, including two fatally on Jan. 7, 2026. AP
People hug outside the church after the shooting in Salt Lake City, Utah. AP

There were no suspects in custody as of late Wednesday night, and it is not immediately clear if there were multiple gunmen involved. A motive was also unknown.

However, police said they have obtained solid leads in the investigation and are working to locate individuals involved in the shooting.

“We believe this was not a random incident,” Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd told reporters. 

The shooting was not believed to be targeting a religion, Redd clarified. 

Roughly 100 law enforcement vehicles swarmed the area in the aftermath of the gunfire as helicopters flew overhead. 

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The area around the Mormon church remained closed into the evening as authorities urged the public to stay clear of the still active scene.

Funeral attendees walk out of the meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Jan. 7, 2026. AP

“This should never have happened outside a place of worship. This should never have happened outside a celebration of life,” said Mayor Erin Mendenhall.

The Salt Lake City Police Department did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.

The incident remains under investigation.

With Post wires.

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Kevin Love Admits He Didn’t See Jazz Trade Coming

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Kevin Love Admits He Didn’t See Jazz Trade Coming


The Utah Jazz’s experiment to bring in 18-year league veteran Kevin Love thus far into the 2025-26 campaign has been a pretty solid success in the first two-plus months of the season.

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Love has been a positive voice in the locker room as the most tenured NBA veteran on the roster, he’s been vocal about enjoying his time and role with the organization, and for his time on the floor throughout the first 30 or so games of the regular season, he’s nestled into a consistent rotational player as the Jazz’s backup center as Walker Kessler has been out with a shoulder injury.

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But when he first arrived in Utah via a three-team trade from the Miami Heat, packed within the deal that sent John Collins to the LA Clippers, Love didn’t quite know what to expect out of his experience; he didn’t even anticipate being traded to the Jazz in the first place.

“I didn’t know what to expect when I got here, but I’ve been very pleasantly surprised from everything, from ownership, and Ryan Smith to the front office to the coaching staff, players all the way through,” Love said of the Jazz on The Old Man and the Three. “It’s been a blessing in my 18th year to be a part of this team and some place, I mean, you never know where you’re going to end up.”

“I did not expect to be traded but as far as a landing spot goes and just saying, yeah, so many people are saying ‘Oh what if it doesn’t work out? What if it doesn’t work out?’ I’m like ‘What if it does?’, right?And I think just adding value whether I’m playing or not is something that’s given me a lot of happiness and a lot of joy this late in my career. And I think that has allowed me to see a lot of the good and what this team has been able to bring and move forward.”

Kevin Love Settling in Nicely With Utah Jazz

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Love’s value stretches both on and off the floor for the Jazz, which makes sense for why the veteran big man has been loving his time since being on the roster. The 2016 NBA champion was vocal before the season about his desire to be a value add for wherever that may be, including Utah, and he’s been able to carve out just the right role for himself at this point in his career. 

During his 20 games played for the Jazz this season, Love has averaged 7.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and shooting 41.1% from the field in just over 17 minutes a night when he plays, and has proven he can still be a guy worthy of a few minutes down the rotation to fill out an NBA frontcourt, as he has for the year in Utah so far.

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Dec 15, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Caleb Martin (left) speaks with Utah Jazz forward Kevin Love (right) before the game at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

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It remains to be seen just how long Love’s time in Utah will last. There’s not even a guarantee that the 37-year-old will finish the regular season on the roster, depending on how the next few weeks transpire around the trade deadline and as the buyout market begins to gain some traction. But, for the time that he is in Salt Lake City, he’s made it into a nice home for what’s now the fourth roster he’s been on through nearly two decades in the league.

Be sure to bookmark Utah Jazz On SI and follow @JazzOnSI on X to stay up-to-date on daily Utah Jazz news, interviews, breakdowns and more!



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Winter weather advisories issued for Utah valleys ahead of arriving snowstorm

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Winter weather advisories issued for Utah valleys ahead of arriving snowstorm


Utah has significantly benefited from this week’s series of storms.

Alta, Brighton, Snowbird and Solitude resorts in the Cottonwood canyons all received over 2 feet of snow between Sunday and Tuesday, while several other resorts across the state’s northern half gained close to or even over a foot to 1½ feet of fresh powder.

What turned into the biggest storm of the season so far was great for winter recreation and for the state’s water supply. Alta gained nearly 4 inches of water through the storm, which helped Little Cottonwood Canyon’s snowpack jump from 58% of its median average on New Year’s Day to 110% of its median average for this point in the year.

The state’s average snowpack jumped from 57% of its median to 74% in just one week.

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“(It) was some wet, water-logged snow,” said KSL meteorologist Matt Johnson, adding that many communities north of Salt Lake City were big winners, as Kaysville, the Ogden bench and Logan all ended up with over 0.75 inches of precipitation.

There’s at least one more storm before things begin to settle down, which this time includes more valley snow.

The National Weather Service issued winter weather advisories across the state’s mountains, which could receive another foot of snow or more by the end of Thursday. It also issued its first advisory of the season for the Wasatch Front and other valley communities, which could end up with a few inches of snow.

Storm timing

A pair of low-pressure systems — one off the California coast and another off the Alaska coast on Tuesday — are projected to collide over the Four Corners in the coming days, which factors into the forecast.

Some scattered snow showers ahead of the low are possible in northern Utah on Wednesday afternoon, before a mix of rain and snow arrives in more parts of the state later in the day, Johnson said. The rain is expected to transition into snow from Logan to central Utah by Thursday morning, possibly causing a slick commute.

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Additional showers could linger into the afternoon, with the Great Salt Lake playing a “wild card” role in potentially aiding snow totals on Thursday and potentially again on Friday morning, before drier conditions return by the weekend.

Potential accumulations

Another 6 to 12 inches of snow is generally expected across the mountains in Utah’s northern half, while 4 to 8 inches are possible in the central and southern mountains by the end of Thursday, according to the weather service’s advisories. “Locally higher” totals are possible in the upper Cottonwood canyons and Bear River range.

Lower elevations, including the Wasatch Back and valleys scattered across Utah’s northern half, could receive 1 to 4 inches of snow by late Thursday, with lake-effect snow potentially enhancing totals southeast of the Great Salt Lake.

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Salt Lake City has collected only 0.1 inches of snow so far this season, but one weather service model lists Utah’s capital city as having over a 70% chance of collecting 2 inches of snow.

“Slow down and use caution while traveling,” the agency wrote in its alert.

Rain is more likely closer to St. George, but Johnson said there’s a chance of some flurries. The weather service projects that the city could wind up with about a tenth of an inch of precipitation.

A cool and dry weekend

Cooler and drier conditions are expected this weekend, as the system clears out. High temperatures may only top out in the mid-to-upper 30s across the Wasatch Front and northern Utah this weekend, with overnight lows in the teens closer to Logan and in the low 20s elsewhere.

Hazy conditions may also return across the Wasatch Front by the end of the weekend, as another lull in storm activity moves into the forecast, Johnson said.

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High temperatures will dip into the 40s across southern Utah, but are forecast to return to the 50s by the end of the weekend. Full seven-day forecasts for areas across Utah can be found online at the KSL Weather Center.





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