The Utah Hockey Club pushes Vegas to its limits in OT Heartbreaker

LAS VEGAS – The Utah Hockey Club put up a valiant fight Saturday night, but ultimately lost to the Golden Knights in a 4-3 overtime thriller in Las Vegas.

Brett Howden scored the game-winning goal at 2:15 of overtime, firing past Utah's Alexander Kerfoot to secure a comeback win that preserved Vegas' unbeaten home record.

Utah initially dominated the game and displayed a determined offense that surprised the home crowd. Logan Cooley, who scored the first goal for Utah late in the first period, gave the Hockey Club its first goal with a shot from the left circle.

Ian Cole and Kerfoot followed, each of them finding the net to keep Utah ahead and in the fight.

But despite the strong performance, Utah goaltender Connor Ingram had his hands full, making 31 saves to fend off Vegas' relentless offense. After trailing 2-0 late in the second period, the Golden Knights staged a comeback that Utah struggled to stop.

William Karlsson fueled Vegas' rally and ultimately gave Utah the lead with 5:37 left in the third period. Utah wasn't paying attention, however, and Kerfoot responded with just under seven minutes left in regulation, taking advantage of a puck rebound to even the score and force the game into overtime.

“We didn’t break,” Kerfoot said after the game. “They are an experienced team and a really good hockey team. They know how to win.”

For the young Utah team, the game against the reigning Stanley Cup champions was a testament to their perseverance.

“It was good that we stuck with it,” Kerfoot added. “We are a young team that is still on the way to becoming an experienced team.”

“We fought back and got the equalizer, which is good,” Cole added. “But extra time is kind of a 50/50 coin toss. It’s a shame to lose that extra point, but we got one and overall played a decent game against a very good team.”

Noah Hanifin played a standout role for Vegas with a goal and two assists, while Tomas Hertl reached a career milestone with 500 points.

Despite Vegas' success, the Utah Hockey Club left with valuable lessons and confidence for the next game.