Utah Mammoth star center Logan Cooley stepped up his all-around play in Game 1 and got under the skin of Golden Knights veteran Nic Dowd. What's there to expect from him during the rest of this series?
Regardless of whether you cheer for the Utah Mammoth or Vegas Golden Knights or not, Logan Cooley is a must-watch player during these playoffs.
The budding NHL star served notice in the Mammoth's first-ever playoff game that he will be a major factor in the series. Not only did he score the first playoff goal in Mammoth history, but he shoved Vegas center Nic Dowd off a faceoff and caused a skirmish late in the game.
After the game, Dowd appeared to tell Cooley he's coming for him in not-so-subtle terms. Dowd called it emotional hockey after Vegas' 4-2 win, but in Tuesday's Game 2 and beyond, it's clear this matchup will be a storyline going forward.
If Vegas fans were looking for a villain to cheer against, they surprisingly have it in Cooley.
The 21-year-old didn't exactly light the league on fire on offense this season, with 24 goals and 43 points in 54 games after posting 25 goals and 65 points in 75 games last season.
But Cooley was clearly Utah's best player in Game 1, and his coach, Andre Tourigny, spoke glowingly about his young star.
"He was on a mission," Tourigny told reporters, including Deseret News. "You guys know how 'Cools' is, how competitive he is, and I think he just put it on display."
Cooley amped up his physical game in Game 1, logging four hits against the Golden Knights after averaging one hit per game in the regular season. The Mammoth could've used more of that tenacity than they got from their other players, as Vegas outhit Utah 51-31.
Meanwhile, Cooley also led the Mammoth in shots on net in Game 1, with five. Considering Cooley averaged 1.89 shots during the regular season, his increased effectiveness did not go unnoticed.
The Mammoth will need more from the rest of their lineup, including star right winger Clayton Keller, who was held off the scoresheet completely in Game 1.
But if Utah can get additional electric, engaged performances out of Cooley, the Golden Knights may find they can't stop Cooley from getting under their skin – with or without additional nasty words from Dowd.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.