In a courageous display of toughness and leadership, Utah Hockey Club captain Clayton Keller returned from a facial laceration to score a crucial goal in his team’s 5-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday night. The gutsy performance sparked the expansion club when they needed it most.
Keller Takes Puck to Face, Leaves for Stitches
Just over a minute into the second period, Keller took a deflected puck directly to the face off a shot from teammate Michael Kesselring. The captain immediately threw off his helmet and skated to the locker room, leaving a trail of blood on the ice.
Keller would require a dozen stitches to close the gash above his eye. But incredibly, he missed less than 15 minutes of game action before making his return. With noticeable swelling and the fresh wound, Keller was back on the Utah bench with 4:40 remaining in the second period, to the delight of the home crowd.
Wasting No Time Making an Impact
Never one to ease his way back in, the Utah captain promptly set up his team’s first goal a mere 40 seconds after returning. Keller’s pinpoint pass allowed the Hockey Club to halve the 2-0 deficit late in the frame and seize momentum heading into the third.
“It’s a little tough sometimes, just because you’re so locked in. You have a ton of energy, and then I was kind of sitting there for 20 minutes,” Keller said of the wait to return. “When I came back out, I just tried to get my legs into it, and be simple.”
Clayton Keller, Utah Hockey Club Captain
Simple perhaps, but undeniably effective. Keller’s presence seemed to energize his Utah teammates as they mounted a furious third period rally. The captain sealed the 5-2 victory himself with a long-distance empty-net goal for good measure.
Latest Heroics in Stellar Season
Monday’s dramatics were just the latest exploits in what has been a career year for the 25-year-old Keller. Over his last 22 games, the Utah captain has racked up an impressive 10 goals and 20 assists. He matched his career-high with a four-point outburst in Saturday’s win over St. Louis.
- 50 points – Leads Utah in scoring this season
- 34 assists – Also a team-high for the high-flying center
With their captain and leader back on the ice stitched up but undeterred, the Utah Hockey Club seem poised to continue their impressive inaugural campaign. Keller’s toughness and production have become emblematic of the expansion team’s feisty, never-say-die attitude.
As long as #9 is on the ice – with or without a few stitches – Utah looks to remain a force to be reckoned with in the West. Monday’s win pushed them to 27-14-4 on the year, firmly in the playoff picture as the second half heats up.
