Barrett Hayton Shines with First NHL Hat Trick, but Utah Falls to Kings
Barrett Hayton had a night to remember, recording the first hat trick in Utah Hockey Club history. But despite his heroics, the team fell short in a tough 5-3 loss against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena. It was a game full of momentum swings, standout performances, and critical playoff implications.
Right from the start, Hayton made his presence known. He opened the scoring on the power play, deflecting a slick backhand feed from Nick Schmaltz at 7:54 of the first period. The lead didn’t last long, though, as Kings veteran Drew Doughty, fresh off his return from injury, answered with a one-timer to tie things up just 28 seconds later.
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Hayton wasn’t done. In the second period, he pounced on another rebound from Schmaltz and buried it into an open net, briefly giving Utah a 2-1 advantage. But the Kings responded yet again, with Kevin Fiala blasting a one-timer to even the score before Alex Laferriere put LA ahead 3-2 on a breakaway goal.
In the third period, the Kings extended their lead to 4-2 thanks to Trevor Lewis, but Hayton wasn’t going down without a fight. At 11:00, he completed his hat trick in style, sweeping in a rebound to cut the deficit to 4-3. It was a huge moment, not just for Hayton, but for the entire Utah franchise—its first-ever three-goal performance. Unfortunately, that was as close as they’d get. Mikey Anderson sealed the game with an empty-netter in the final minutes, securing the Kings' victory.
Despite the loss, Hayton’s performance was nothing short of spectacular. He made the most of his opportunities, scoring all three goals on just three shots. Over his past 14 games, he’s been on fire, tallying 14 points, including seven goals. His coach, André Tourigny, had high praise for the young center, saying, “He plays the right way, competes so hard—you can’t help but cheer for him.”
This game was also notable for Utah defenseman Sean Durzi’s return after a long injury absence. Playing against his former team in Los Angeles, Durzi logged over 21 minutes of ice time and registered an assist in his first game back. His return, along with the rest of Utah’s blue line finally being intact, should provide a boost as the team pushes for a playoff spot.
With the loss, Utah now sits 10 points behind the Kings in the Western Conference playoff race, making their next matchup against the Vancouver Canucks even more critical. The team will need to regroup quickly and build on the positives—especially the stellar play of Barrett Hayton—as they fight to stay in the postseason hunt.
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