Utah HC Dominate in 4-0 Shutout Win Against The Minnesota Wild

It didn't take long before Utah Hockey Club (21-19-7) got on the scoreboard on route to a 4-0 blowout against the Minnesota Wild (28-16-4).

Once again for Utah, it was Barrett Hayton and the second line who created offense just like they had in the 5-2 win against the Winnipeg Jets.

At 1:46 of the first period, Hayton scored Utah's first goal of the night after a shot from Nick DeSimone deflected off of his stick right into the goal.

Without a diving effort from Josh Doan, who swung the puck off the boards, DeSimone wouldn't have retained possession for Utah and been able to take the shot.

But that wouldn't be the only time that Hayton and DeSimone would connect for a Utah goal.

Later in the third, Hayton would get another goal that came off a rebound from another long shot from DeSimone.

This time, Hayton would take advantage off Minnesota goalie Filip Gustavsson dropping the puck. With Gustavsson unable to corral DeSimone's shot in his left hand, Hayton quickly got the rebound and shot it through two bodies to get his second goal of the night.

After that goal, Utah was up 4-0 in the third and would go on to shut out Minnesota due to the stellar play of Karel Vejmelka. He ended the night with 26 saves and got his first shutout of the season and the sixth of his career.

The only other shutout Utah has had this season was when goalie Jack Stauber did it on the road in a 6-0 win against the Las Vegas Knights.

Related: Looking Ahead At Utah HC's Three Game Road Trip

Meanwhile, for the Minnesota Wild, this was the first time it had been shutout at home since Jan. 13 of last year when it lost 6-0 against... guess who... the Arizona Coyotes.

In that game, Nick Bjugstad led the team with 3 goals while Clayton Keller got 2 goals and an assist.

While Keller didn't replicate the three point game he had last year, he did get a goal in the first period extending his goal streak to three consecutive games.

After Utah defenseman Michael Kesselring was tripped by Minnesota's Ryan Hartmen, Utah was given its first power play of the game. While Utah did allow a shorthanded Minnesota team to have odd man rush, Utah would still play good defense and wouldn't allow a shot on the goal.

Right after the goal, Utah would advance the puck back into the offensive zone and Keller would score on the power play despite having to shoot his wrist shot at a very sharp angle with three Minnesota players surrounding him.

Still with a fresh black eye, after receiving a puck to the face in Utah's game against Winnipeg, Keller got his third power play goal against the Wild this season.

Overall, Utah dominated the first period on offense as it got over five minutes in the offensive zone and outshot the Wild 15-5 on goal shots.

Even when it was outshot 3-12 on goal shots in the second period, Utah still would be the only team to get a goal after Lawson Crouse miraculously tipped a shot from Olli Mäattä in the net behind Gustavsson.

With Mäattä's original shot being deflected by captain Jared Spurgeon, who was out the previous nine games, the puck weirdly spun into the padding of Gustavsson. Immediately after it bounced off the Gustavsson's knee pad, Crouse tipped the puck mid air into the goal for Utah's third goal of the night.

Crouse's goal came after an eight-minute drought without a shot on goal for Utah, largely due to the offensive pressure Minnesota applied in the second period.

But Utah wouldn't break even though it spent most of the second period on defense.

Utah also continued its success on penalty kills as it killed all three of Minnesota's power plays. Since Dec. 23, Utah leads the lead in penalty kills as it has killed 90% of power plays.

Now Utah finds itself four points behind the last wild card spot after the Calgary Flames won 5-2 against the Buffalo Sabres.

With a game less than 24 hours away against the Winnipeg Jets, Utah won't get much time to rest before it plays its second road game of the trip.

Last Notes

Midway through the first period, it looked as though Utah's Ian Cole scored a goal for Utah, but it was taken back after a successful challenge by the Wild deemed that Utah's Nick Schmaltz interfered with the goalie.

Cooley played against his former college teammate Brock Faber tonight. Both attended the University of Minnesota.

Do you think that Utah can beat Winnipeg for a second time this week? Will Hayton or Keller be able to continue their goal streaks against Connor Hellebuyck? Let me know down below!