Michael Carcone’s hard-nosed performance epitomized Utah Hockey Club’s overall game Monday against the Dallas Stars.
The fourth-line forward had four shots, two hits, one block and a takeaway in 16:31 of ice time in the 2-1 loss at Delta Center. Carcone came inches away from scoring in all three periods and played a gritty defensive style — but he could not find the needed result on the scoresheet.
Similarly, Utah Hockey Club both contained and even dominated a tough divisional opponent for long stretches of the night, unleashing a season-high 35 shots on goal while hunting its way back into the game after going down 2-0 in the second period.
But their comeback fell short.
“I thought we played well. That’s a good team over there and I felt we outplayed them for the most part tonight,” Carcone said. “I thought we deserved better, but I feel like we’re saying that quite a bit now. Eventually it’s just going to go for us — stick with it.”
Carcone’s line with Alex Kerfoot and Kevin Stenlund pushed the tempo for Utah while skating with a certain edge and snarl. The trio combined for seven shots on goal — second-most of any line — were strong on the forecheck and maintained its energy through 60 minutes.
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club center Kevin Stenlund (82) looks to pass the puck as Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston (53) defends during the game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024.
Much of that has to do with Carcone’s growth in confidence since earning consistent lineup slotting, he said. The 28-year-old winger was a healthy scratch for nearly a month before returning to the nightly rotation in early November.
He has now played 12 consecutive games and scored his first goal of the season Saturday in Las Vegas.
“I think he brings a special element of speed to our team. There’s not one game where I don’t see Carcone pushing their D back, going around their D, bringing the puck deep in their zone and doing those kinds of things,” head coach André Tourigny said.
Like Carcone, Utah came out with pace in the opening frame, carrying over from its blowout win on Saturday. The team created dangerous chances — namely from Kerfoot, Carcone and Dylan Guenther — and controlled the neutral zone which put the Stars on their heels for portions of the period.
Despite a high-flying opening, Utah did not have anything to show for it on the scoreboard.
“The opportunities are there, I just haven’t been knocking them down,” Carcone said. “Could be 2-2, could be 3-2 if I put one of those away. Definitely put that pressure on myself and I need to start contributing in the ways I know I can.”
The Stars took a 1-0 lead in the second period while Clayton Keller sat in the penalty box for holding. Utah let Evgenii Dadonov have as much time and space as he wanted with the puck before the Dallas forward snapped it past Karel Vejmelka from the lower right circle at 7:07.
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Referees break up a fight between Utah Hockey Club players and Dallas Stars players after the end of the game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024.
Jamie Benn cushioned his team’s advantage with less than a minute remaining in the middle stanza. The Stars won a defensive-zone faceoff and pushed the puck to the other end of the ice where Benn lasered it home from the right side off a pass from Sam Steel.
Nick Schmaltz kept Utah in the fight in the final frame with his third goal in two games. After going 23 games in search of his first of the season, Schmaltz has finally been able to contribute on the scoresheet in a way that tangibly changes the complexion of games.
“That’s what you expect from a player like him,” Tourigny said.
Matias Maccelli picked up the puck along the boards and popped it over to Schmaltz who ripped it top-shelf from the high slot for the 2-1 scoreline at 6:57. Maccelli logged his first point since Nov. 15 with the assist on the play.
Schmaltz would be the lone goal-scorer for Utah on Monday as the team could not find a way to force overtime in a third period that showed pushback and resolve nonetheless.
“I thought we were all over them. I think they were kind of just hanging on and chipping pucks out and we were kind of controlling the play for the most part,” Schmaltz said. “Fought back in the third and just couldn’t find a way to get the next one.”
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club celebrates a goal against the Dallas Stars during the third period of the game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024.
Utah, generally, can feel content with how it competed. But it is the NHL and the sentiment of a moral victory is not enough in the standings nor in the locker room. These professionals want to win and it’s up to them to find the play that pushes them over the edge in games like Monday’s.
“It feels like we take a step forward and then two steps back,” Carcone said. “When we take that step forward, we came in and I thought we played a great game, we just can’t get the results. Once we learn from that and play a little bit stingier I think we are gonna start rolling.”