Cooley Scores Twice in Seven Days, Leads Utah Past Canadiens

Utah's Logan Cooley recorded his second hat trick in just seven days, scoring three goals against the Montreal Canadiens including the game-winning tally in the second period. The young center opened the scoring with a backhand and added two more on snap shots, both assisted by key teammates, to push his season total to 11 goals in 17 games. His performance solidified Utah's lead at 3-2 heading into the final period.

Logan Cooley, the Utah Hockey Club’s 21-year-old center, recorded his second hat trick in seven days on November 5, 2026, leading the team to a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre in Montreal. He opened the scoring at 1:42 of the first period with a backhand finish assisted by Nate Schmidt and Vincent Trocheck, then added his second goal at 9:24 with a snap shot set up by Nick Schmaltz and Mikhail Sergachev. The decisive third goal came at 11:05 in the second period, again a snap shot from Schmaltz and Clayton Keller, sealing Utah’s lead. This performance brought Cooley to 11 goals in just 17 games this season, with eight of those coming before this game, including all three regulation goals in a previous hat trick against Pittsburgh on October 28, 2026—where he scored the final goal with seconds remaining. His rapid ascent has made him a standout rookie, drawing attention from national media and fantasy hockey circles alike. The Utah Hockey Club, a relatively new franchise, is benefiting from early success with young talent, possibly signaling a shift in their long-term strategy toward developing homegrown stars rather than relying on veteran acquisitions. Cooley’s performance also highlights the growing influence of player development systems and front-office decisions favoring high-upside prospects.

The broader context includes Cooley’s emergence as a key figure in the NHL’s rookie class, with his recent exploits echoing earlier breakout performances by