The Winnipeg Jets came into Delta Center as the best team in the league, and many counted the Utah Hockey Club out. However, it was Utah who came out victorious with a massive 4-1 win. It took a great power play and some hard work to take down the Jets. Here are some takeaways from Saturday’s win .

Clayton Keller Hits Point No. 500

In his eight full seasons in the NHL, Clayton Keller has been the face of the franchise for the Arizona Coyotes and now the Utah Hockey Club. He’s been through it all, including tying franchise records, a major injury, some disappointing seasons, a relocation, and finally being named captain after years of many expecting it to happen.

After 76 games in Utah, the four-time NHL All-Star scored his 500th point. Keller got his 499th point off the first Utah goal. Some nice passing from the first power-play unit set up Keller in front of the net, where he ripped the puck home and scored. It was his 26th goal of the season, which ties Dylan Guenther for the team lead in the category.

His 500th point came from another power-play goal and, ultimately, the game-winning goal. Keller found Guenther with the puck near the right side of Connor Hellebuyck. Guenther received the puck and slid it over to Barrett Hayton on the other side of the crease for an easy tap-in goal.

Keller didn’t even know it was his 500th career point. Obviously, he was focused on getting the win and keeping Utah’s chances of making the playoffs alive. However, when he found out, he made sure to credit everyone in his life who made his journey to this point possible.

“(It took) Lots of hard work and sacrifice,” Keller said. “So many people in my life sacrificed for me to get to this level, so I’m just super thankful for everything that they’ve done for me, my teammates, and my coaches. There are so many people that have helped me get to where I am. I still feel like I have a lot more to give, and I’m just getting started.”

Keller and the first power-play unit were really clicking on Saturday. In the whole game, Utah went 2-for-3 on the man advantage. It was arguably one of the best games the power play has had all season. Head coach André Tourigny made sure to compliment the power play and Keller after the game.

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“Our power play produced, but more than that, they gave us momentum,” Tourigny said. “They played, they attacked, they were under their toes. They played really solid. I think (Keller’s) play, not just on the power play but 5-on-5 play; he had a rock solid game. Captain showed up; huge in a big game.”

The power-play units have been a mixed bag as of late. In some games, they’ve managed to produce. In others, it feels like they haven’t shown up. On Saturday, it felt like Utah played like their lives were on the line. They consistently attacked and had numerous shots that challenged Hellebuyck.

Keller thought Utah’s special teams played with an attack-first mindset. He also acknowledged that the team made sure to finish on chances, which is something Utah has struggled with throughout the season.

“Maybe the power play had been struggling a little bit, but I think that’s how you get better,” Keller said. “When you struggle, you learn from it, you watch the video, you break it down a little bit more, and you simplify. We just had an attack mindset tonight. We finished when we had the opportunities and we worked away from the puck. That’s a key for us.”

It was a special night for Keller, but it was also a demonstration of his willingness to win and improve as not just an individual but a team as well. It showed with the two power-play goals and a win over one of the best teams in the league.

Barrett Hayton Ties a Career High

For years, the Coyotes were criticized for their selection of Hayton fifth overall in the 2018 NHL Draft. Many have said it was too high a reach. Looking at some of the players below him, others have called it unfortunate that the team passed up on players like Quinn Hughes and Evan Bouchard. Like it or not, Hayton became part of the team. After struggling at times with the Tucson Roadrunners, it seemed like he was never going to live up to the hype.

However, Hayton broke out during the 2022-23 season, scoring 43 points and 19 goals. On the first line with Keller and Nick Schmaltz, he impressed and turned into a valuable center . It seemed like Hayton had really turned a corner in his development.

Unfortunately, Hayton suffered an injury in the middle of his 2023-24 season and only appeared in 33 games with the Coyotes. During the move to Utah, he was re-signed to a two-year contract extension. It was expected that in those two seasons, it would be decided if Hayton would be a long-term part of the growing Utah team.

What followed was another strong NHL season. Hayton started the season off strong, with goals in his first three games and six points in his first five games. He’s now up to 43 points, 24 assists, and 19 goals this season. That ties his career highs in all three categories.

It hasn’t been all sunshine and roses in Hayton’s career, but his 2024-25 season has proved he’s a very effective player for Utah. Despite the injuries and negativity surrounding his career, he’s battled through it, and now, he’s about to shatter all of his personal offensive records.

Utah Takes Down the Top Team in the League

The Jets are currently 52-21-4 and have 108 points. That is good enough for the best record in the NHL. Yet, a Utah team that is barely in the playoff race managed to get a win against them.

Utah’s speed definitely played a part in the win. They outpaced the Jets, and it helped them keep the puck in their opponent’s zone for long stretches of time. It also helped that Utah scored early and never looked back until Mark Scheifele scored in the third period.

When Utah wasn’t playing their best, it was Karel Vejmelka in his 20th straight start that helped them keep the lead. Vejmelka’s excellent play has become pretty normal in Utah. It’s now to the point where fans are throwing broccoli on the ice to celebrate his wins.

“We had a good start and we played with a lot of speed,” Keller said. “They’re a great team, tough to play against, and they have great players. The third maybe got away from us a little bit, but [Vejmelka] was unreal as usual, kept us in the game, and made key saves at the right times. It’s a good feeling to win at home.”

Utah wasn’t scared to face the Jets, either. They played with confidence, and it showed. As mentioned, the power play was playing well, and everyone was in the game. It’s another strong opponent that Utah has really challenged.

“I like the fact that we’re not scared,” Tourigny said. “We’re taking it the right way: ‘OK, let’s get at it.’ We want that and we believe in ourselves. We have no complex against those teams. We beat Winnipeg twice this year; how we played against Dallas, how we played against L.A., how we played against Colorado. All those games were hard-fought games. I think that showed the character of our team and the leadership of our team. That’s why we love our team.”

Kevin Stenlund used to play for the Jets before moving on to the Florida Panthers last season. He isn’t a man of many words, but he knows how big it was to take down the best team in the league, and all he needs is a few words to sum it up.

“It shows how good of a team we are when we play the right way, play our way,” Stenlund said. “It was a good game.”

Utah now trails the Minnesota Wild by seven points for the second wild card spot in the Western Conference. As mentioned many times, it’s going to be super tough for Utah to make it. They basically need to win out.

However, the team is locked in. Utah doesn’t want to hear anything about the odds. They’ll continue playing their best hockey until the end of the season. It’s been the message ever since they got into playoff contention, and that mentality won’t end after game 77 or 78 or any other game until the end of the season.

“They don’t want to hear anything,” Tourigny said. “They just want to play, and play good. They are locked in. They’re straight on in what we have to do and play and win games. That’s it. They’re the easiest team to coach in the league right now. They’re tuned in, they’re locked in. We just need to lead a plan and they’re tuned in. They’re great.”

In other playoff-related news, the Roadrunners won their first game of their series against the Bakersfield Condors on Saturday. This series could be the biggest series of the season for Tucson, as they hold the final playoff spot in the Pacific Division, and the Condors only trail them by three points. Like Utah, every game is a playoff game for them until the end of the season.

As the entire Utah organization continues to learn what it’s like to play in meaningful games, the 2024-25 season is quickly coming to a close. There are now only five games left in Utah’s season as the playoffs rapidly approach.

Utah will next welcome the Seattle Kraken to the Delta Center. The Kraken are 33-38-6 this season and are coming off a 5-1 win over the San Jose Sharks . The two last met in March when Utah lost 4-2.