Jaxson Stauber made 29 saves to record his first career shutout, and Nick Schmaltz scored twice to lead the Utah Hockey Club to a commanding 6-0 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday night.
The loss marked just the 28th time the Golden Knights have been shut out in franchise history and only the second time by a 6-0 margin. The other was against Calgary on Feb. 9, 2022.
Clayton Keller, Alexander Kerfoot, Logan Cooley, and Michael Carcone also contributed goals for Utah, while Ilya Samsonov stopped 22 shots for Vegas.
Takeaways
Utah: Stauber shined in his first start for Utah and just the seventh of his NHL career. The 25-year-old goaltender, who went 5-1-0 during his stint with Chicago in the 2022-23 season, looked poised and confident in net.
Vegas: The Golden Knights endured a rough first period, conceding four goals without scoring any. This marked just the fifth time in franchise history—and third time at home—they allowed four or more goals in the opening frame without responding. They are now 0-5 in such games.
Key Moment
From the opening puck drop, Utah took control of the game. Less than 24 hours after an energized performance in a victory over Winnipeg, the Golden Knights appeared sluggish. Utah capitalized early, scoring three goals in the first 10:35 to set the tone for the rest of the game.
Key Stat
Stauber’s flawless performance resulted in the first shutout of his career, stopping all 29 shots he faced.
Up Next
Utah: Hosts the Dallas Stars on Monday night.
Vegas: Faces the Edmonton Oilers at home on Tuesday night.
