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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Hockey Club head coach André Tourigny ran down a long list of why forward Kevin Stendlund was considered an "unsung hero" this season.
"His play on the (penalty kill) speaks for itself, but more than that, it's his big face off and the way he plays in our zone, and key moments in the game where you have to either win the draw or you need the guy who's playing really well down low — he does all of the above," Tourigny said.
There's not a team that understands that more than the Florida Panthers.
Stenlund made his first trip back to the place where he won a Stanley Cup last season on Friday. He got a tribute video featuring some short-handed goals and a stickless penalty kill.
He was a PK ace for the Panthers; and, well, he was up to his old tricks helping Utah get a result in a 2-1 overtime loss to Florida. The Hockey Club picked up a point for the OT loss.
"We got in trouble because we took too many penalties; we got in the box too much, but our PK kept us in the game," Tourigny said.
Florida, though, was just 1-for-6 on the man-advantage, which kept Utah in the game as it struggled to produce offense once again.
By the time Sean Durzi found the back of the net on a two-on-one rush in the third period, the Club had gone seven periods without scoring a goal.
"Just happy to see one go," Durzi said.
And happy to see a bit more fight than the Club had in Tampa Bay 24 hours earlier. Utah was lifeless in its 8-0 loss to the Lightning; against the defending Stanley Cup champs, though, the team got up off the mat.
"I'm proud of the effort. I loved our intensity today," Durzi said. "I thought we had the right mindset. What happened in Tampa, happened in Tampa. I mean, everybody and their grandmother knows that was not a good effort, so proud of a lot of guys today. A lot of good efforts."
But …
"Disappointed we didn't get that one, though," he added.
Sam Bennett scored twice for the Panthers, including a quick backhand with 41 seconds remaining in overtime to give Florida the win. Bennett also scored in the opening minutes of the second period on a power play to give the Panthers the lead.
Utah defenseman Olli Määttä exited the game in the second period with a lower-body injury and didn't return, forcing Utah to play out the game with five defensemen.
"Everybody did a little bit more," Tourigny said. "And especially with the number of PK we had, I think that overloaded a few guys on the back to back."
Tourigny said he didn't know the extent of Määttä's forward. Utah does have an extra healthy defenseman on the roster in Nick DeSimone, but if Määttä is forced to miss time, the Club may have to look to its AHL affiliate for help. Defensman prospect Maveric Lamoureux played 19 games for Utah earlier this season.
With the overtime loss, Utah now sits 9 points back of the playoff line with nine games remaining. MoneyPuck gives the team a 0.6% chance of making the postseason — so pretty long odds.
But until the math says they are officially out, the players are keeping the belief.
"If you ask me about the belief in the room going forward, it hasn't wavered," Durzi said. "A couple efforts that we're not happy with — everybody knows that — but our belief hasn't wavered."
