Month: March 2025

Gianna Kneepkens has made a lasting mark on the Utah women’s basketball program over the past four seasons.

From her immediate impact as a freshman to oftentimes carrying a veteran Utes squad during the 2024-25 season, Kneepkens has played a vital role in one of the university’s most successful athletic programs in recent years.

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She had a career year this season, averaging 19.3 points per game while shooting 50.4% from the field, 44.8% from 3-point range and 89% from the free-throw line.

Kneepkens’ time in a Utah uniform is over though.

On Friday, Kneepkens announced she is entering the NCAA transfer portal and will spend her final collegiate season elsewhere.

Kneepkens expressed her appreciation for the University of Utah, the people she’s come to know while at the school and the education she’s received in her social media announcement entitled, “My next chapter.”

“I have been treated with respect, care, and generosity,” she wrote. “I am a better person and student-athlete because of my time at the University of Utah. I will always be proud of my decision to be a Ute.

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“Life also provides opportunities, challenges, and times of discomfort so people can stretch themselves. After conversations, prayerful discernment, and much introspection, I have decided to enter the transfer portal.”

It’s an unexpected move — the two most likely choices for her next year appeared to be playing one last season at Utah, which would have been her fifth season in the program after a medical redshirt year, or declaring for the WNBA draft and pursuing a pro career.

Kneepkens will be highly coveted in the transfer portal. She is a career 49.5% shooter, including 43.2% from 3-point range, and has averaged 15.6 points per game over her four collegiate seasons.

The 6-foot Kneepkens has earned a long list of accolades (the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year four years ago and three first-team all-conference honors among them) during her time at Utah and her ability to impact the game in a variety of ways — from shooting to facilitating to rebounding — will be appealing to numerous suitors.

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As she explained in her announcement, Kneepkens is embracing the unknown — much like she did during the 2023-24 season when a broken foot forced her to the sidelines and she stayed active in the day-to-day scheming and game plans even while being unable to play.

“The University has become a large part of who I am due to the love, support, and formation I have received over the past four years. I will carry Utah with me no matter where I am in life,” Kneepkens wrote.

“However, I am taking my grad year to pursue the education that comes with the unknown, seeking a difference that will enhance my educational and athletic journey.”

What Gianna Kneepkens has meant to Utah women’s basketball

Kneepkens has been a linchpin to Utah’s success since arriving in Salt Lake City ahead of the 2021-22 season as part of a recruiting class that included Jenna Johnson and Ines Vieira.

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Along with Kennady McQueen, who joined the program a year earlier and was granted an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19, those four players have been a part of every team in Utah’s run of four straight NCAA Tournament appearances.

It’s only the second time in program history that Utah has made the NCAAs four straight seasons.

With Johnson, Vieira and McQueen out of eligibility, Kneepkens will be playing without those three for the first time in her career — and it makes sense that her fifth “bonus” season, made possible due to a medical redshirt because of last year’s broken foot, gives Kneepkens a chance to explore and find her best path to finishing her collegiate career.

“Those girls mean everything to me. They’re my best friends. I’m just grateful I have had the past four years to play with them. It’s gonna be weird knowing that we don’t play basketball again together.”

Gianna Kneepkens, on Jenna Johnson, Kennady McQueen and Ines Vieira

“Those girls mean everything to me. They’re my best friends. I’m just grateful I have had the past four years to play with them. It’s gonna be weird knowing that we don’t play basketball again together,” Kneepkens said after Utah’s NCAA Tournament first-round loss to Indiana on March 21.

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”But I know that they’ll hear from me, and I know I’ll hear from them. No matter where we go, what their next steps of life will be, (I’m) so grateful for the relationships (we have).”

What that group of four has accomplished together should be applauded, and it extends beyond the bounds of the court.

“The program just means everything to me. This was my dream all growing up, to be in this spot right here with Utah across the front of my jersey, and then to do it with these type of people, Gianna and my senior class that’s with me, us collective as a whole,” McQueen said after the Indiana game.

“They’re my best friends, and it’s just been awesome. Our conversations off the court, beyond basketball, have just been incredible here.”

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Prior to Kneepkens stepping on campus in the summer of 2021 alongside Johnson and Vieira — and joining McQueen — Utah hadn’t been to the NCAA Tournament in over a decade.

After coming off the bench the first eight games of her college career, Kneepkens joined Johnson and McQueen in the starting lineup during that 2021-22 season, helping the Utes reach the NCAA Tournament, where they advanced to the second round.

Kneepkens earned Pac 12 Freshman of the Year and All-Pac-12 first team honors that year while averaging 11.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game.

The most successful season for this group of Kneepkens, Johnson, Vieira and McQueen — who also had All-American forward Alissa Pili as a teammate for two years — came two seasons ago, when the Utes earned a share of the Pac-12 regular-season championship and hosted the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament.

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That team ended up making the Sweet 16, where it lost to eventual national champion LSU. It was the first time in 22 years that Utah made the Sweet 16.

Arguably one of the biggest what-ifs is what the Utes could have accomplished during the 2023-24 season if Kneepkens hadn’t broken her foot eight games into the year.

While Pili, a future first-round WNBA draft pick, headlined that group, there was a tremendous adjustment when Kneepkens was lost for the season.

That team, which started the year ranked No. 5 in the country, still made the NCAA Tournament and reached the second round.

Even though the Utes lost in the first round of the NCAAs this year, Kneepkens was the leader of a veteran group as she experienced a career year, averaging 19.3 points per game while being one of the country’s elite shooters in all three facets.

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Over the final 14 games of the season, Kneepkens scored 20 or more points 10 times, including a career-high 32 in a win over UCF.

She also averaged 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game, impacting the game in a variety of ways.

Utah ended up going 4-4 in the NCAA Tournament over the past four seasons with this core group, and that included advancing to the second round three times.

Kneepkens will graduate from the University of Utah in May, and she’ll have a grad transfer year to continue her pursuit of becoming a pro basketball player.

Her impact at Utah, though, will long be remembered at Utah.

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“Gianna came to us in 2021 as part of a special recruiting class with Jenna Johnson and Ines Vieira, and they immediately made our program better,” Utah first-year coach Gavin Petersen said in a statement in response to Kneepkens entering the transfer portal.

“They were instrumental in elevating Utah women’s basketball to the position it is in now, and after four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances they leave Utah together.”

What it means for the immediate future of Utah women’s basketball

With Kneepkens’ departure, Petersen will have to replace all five starters next year as he heads into his second season as Utah’s head coach.

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In addition to Kneepkens, the Utes primarily started four seniors this year, including Johnson, McQueen, Vieira and Rhode Island grad transfer forward Maye Toure.

Specifically along the guard line, Utah will look quite a bit different beginning next season, though a couple familiar faces will be back, barring any further transfer portal movement.

Maty Wilke, a former Wisconsin transfer with two years in the Utah system, started 19 games over the past two seasons when other players have gotten hurt, and she’s made plenty of critical plays over her time in Salt Lake City, none bigger than her game-winning half court shot against BYU in overtime on March 1.

She’ll be a senior next season with experience in the Big Ten, the Pac-12 and now the Big 12.

Brooke Walker showed promise as a true freshman point guard. She ended up averaging 10.6 minutes per game and shot 42.6% in a limited role this season and should expect to take on a bigger part of the mantle going forward.

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There were two other guards on this year’s roster, true freshmen Kylie Ray and Grace Foster. Ray has also entered the transfer portal, according to On3 Sports’ Talia Goodman, while Foster played just six games in her freshman season while dealing with injuries.

The Utes are also bringing in a pair of top 50 guards in their latest recruiting class.

Five-star point guard Leonna “LA” Sneed is ranked No. 26 in ESPNw’s top 100 in the 2025 recruiting class, while four-star guard Avery Hjelmstad is ranked No. 47 nationally by ESPNw.

Both players should get their chances to make an early impact at Utah.

Expect the Utes to be extremely active recruiting in the transfer portal this year, not just along the guard line but in the post as well. Toure was Utah’s top rebounder and best post scorer, but she was a grad transfer and is out of eligibility.

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Another transfer from last season, former Michigan forward Chyra Evans, missed all of this season due to injury.

The most experienced front line player coming back is small forward Reese Ross, who has shown growth over her first two seasons at Utah and will be in line for an expanded role.

She averaged 7.8 points and 5.0 rebounds per game this season.

Samantha Crispe will be a senior in her third year in the program, and she averaged nine minutes per game this year. Another freshman, small forward Ella Todd, is also coming into the program this year.

“That’s why I think we have a connection and that’s what makes her so good, though. She will not rest until, I mean, if there was an open gym, she’d probably go shoot free throws, to be honest. That’s the competitive fire and that nature that I love about her and how that feeds off into our program. She’s just the ultimate competitor.”

Utah coach Gavin Petersen, on Gianna Kneepkens

Utah, still, will need to go searching for a good amount of help in the transfer portal, particularly to help fill leadership and experience positions across the roster.

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Finding shooting and an impact at as many levels as Kneepkens was able to accomplish — not to mention her leadership qualities and work ethic — will be difficult.

Following what ended up being Kneepkens’ final game in a Utah uniform, the Utes’ NCAA Tournament loss to Indiana, Petersen described what makes her the “ultimate competitor” — and something the coach and player share.

“We focus on what we did wrong. It might be a small glimpse, it might be outweighed 20 to 1, but we’ll dwell on that one,” Petersen said.

“That’s why I think we have a connection and that’s what makes her so good, though. She will not rest until, I mean, if there was an open gym, she’d probably go shoot free throws, to be honest. That’s the competitive fire and that nature that I love about her and how that feeds off into our program. She’s just the ultimate competitor.”

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The Utah system and its ability to produce success — which it has with four straight NCAA Tournament appearances — will be greatly challenged this next season.

While Petersen understands what Utah is losing in Kneepkens, he’s also confident in the future of a program that has made reaching the NCAAs its standard.

“Our coaching staff is going to strive hard to live up to the new standard, which we’ve established. It’s not going to be easy, but we welcome that,” he said after the Indiana loss. “We’re going to roll up our sleeves. Our player development is second to none. We take pride in that, and we’re going to hit the offseason with those returning and our newcomers coming into our program.

“I want to give this group something in five years to come back to, and hopefully we’re hosting (the NCAA Tournament first and second rounds), and it’s just something that they can continue to be proud of.”

Most of the world breathes dirty air, and only 17% of cities globally meet the World Health Organization’s pollution guidelines, according to a recent report. The world’s smog is especially harmful to young lungs and brains. Nearly 2,000 children under 5 are dying every day from air pollution (second only to malnutrition as a cause of death in that age group) and many more suffer from asthma and cognitive impairments.

We may think this only applies to kids in Bangladesh and Senegal. But children are struggling to breathe right here in Utah. We can do more to protect them.

Salt Lake City and its suburbs rank among the nation’s most polluted cities for both ozone and short-term particle pollution. Our future — like our valley — at times looks hazy and grim. But we can’t allow ourselves to feel terrified to the point of paralysis. Our anxiety should spur us toward action, not despair, and our conversations surrounding air quality should focus not only on the gravity of the problem but the solutions that will dig us out. We need hope, but not the wishful kind. We need action-oriented hope.

Last week, scientific, legal and medical experts gathered at the University of Utah College of Law for the annual Wallace Stegner Symposium to discuss solutions to northern Utah’s harmful air. These experts encouraged Utahns to make individual decisions that will lead to cleaner air in their homes and neighborhoods. We should avoid using inefficient gas-powered yard equipment like mowers, leaf blowers and other potent neighborhood polluters. If possible, we should cook on electric stoves in favor of gas-powered units, which often leak methane and benzene even when turned off.

Additionally, we have to stop spraying so many pesticides near our homes (no matter how annoyingly persistent or even downright charming a polo-clad salesman may be). Pesticides should be used to deal with actual pest problems. But our preventative chemical spraying is out of hand and bad for our health.

Individual behavioral changes are needed, but sweeping legislative change is far more important. Policy is the most important tool in cleaning up our air.

Vehicles are a top source of pollution in northern Utah. Presenters at the symposium were clear that we need to reduce the amount of pollution spewed out of tailpipes. “Electric cars are the obvious choice,” said Logan Mitchell, an air quality scientist and energy analyst at Utah Clean Energy.

With help from the Inflation Reduction Act, Utah is beginning to invest in solar energy, which — if scaled up — will reduce the pollution coming from buildings and homes. But we need to invest more in electric vehicles if we want cleaner air.

The U.S. spends billions each year on fossil fuel subsidies. It’s time to redirect those subsidies toward EVs. Utah lawmakers should beef up incentives to purchase EVs in the state. We also need to invest in charging stations for EVs to be viable.

But even with mostly EVs roaming Utah cities, we would still not be in the clear. The parched lakebed of the imperiled Great Salt Lake sends arsenic-laced dust to nearby communities when the wind blows. Kevin Perry, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Utah, was one of the first researchers to deeply analyze the potential harms of the dust. Though two consecutive wet winters saved the lake from complete collapse, Perry says many “dust hotspots” remain exposed. He is calling for more monitors to track the spread of that dust. But the state Legislature only allocated $50,000 for monitors this past session.

We need greater investments in data collection so that we can make better decisions for the future. More importantly, we simply need to get more water to the lake — especially in years that see above-average snowfall. State and local lawmakers are responsible for curbing water consumption across municipalities and farms by promoting efficient water use in lesser quantities. We should be vigilant in reminding our representatives of that responsibility. In other words, let the phone calls begin.

It is important to acknowledge how far we have come as a country and region to improve air quality. Experts at the symposium lauded the Clean Air Act as an extremely effective piece of legislation that helped us emerge from the incessant smog of the mid-1900s.

But there’s danger in getting so caught up in how far we’ve come that we forget how far we still have to go. On one hand, despair will get us nowhere. But too many Utahns have adopted an artificial brand of hope that assumes things aren’t as bad as experts say. Gov. Spencer Cox often falls into this camp. He chides scientists for peddling “doomerism.” But his position of power requires so much more of him. We need his leadership — not his penchant for happy talk.

True hope begets action.

To close the conference, the Stegner Center’s co-director, Brig Daniels, recited the words of the symposium’s namesake, Wallace Stegner. “One cannot be pessimistic about the West. This is the native home of hope. When it fully learns that cooperation, not rugged individualism, is the quality that most characterizes and preserves it, then it will have achieved itself and outlived its origins. Then it has a chance to create a society to match its scenery.”

Utah is beautiful. It will be even more beautiful when we clean up the smog — giving Utah’s kids a cleaner, more pure horizon.

Nobody likes to lose, but compared to its effort in Tampa on Thursday, the Utah Hockey Club is happy about the result against the Florida Panthers on Friday.

Utah HC fell 2-1 to the defending Stanley Cup champions but got a point since the road loss came in overtime. Sam Bennett scored both of the Panthers’ goals, including the overtime winner after Utah had tied the game up in the third period.

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“We had no passengers today,” said Utah head coach André Tourigny. “Everybody was engaged. Everybody was connected. I’m really proud of them.”

Brad Marchand made his Panthers debut on Friday, tallying the primary assist on the game-winning goal. Marchand had been in the Boston Bruins organization since 2006 prior to a trade that sent him to Florida on March 7.

Marchand, who’s nicknamed “The Rat” for his less-than-friendly antics on the ice, scooped up a plastic rat as he celebrated the win with his teammates — carrying on the longstanding tradition in Florida to throw rats on the ice after each win.

Any performance Utah had against Florida was bound to be better, considering it had just suffered its worst loss in franchise history the night before—a brutal 8-0 defeat against Tampa.

But forcing overtime less than 24 hours later against the reigning champs was quite the response from a team coming off such a loss.

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“The way we were engaged—I think the boys were into it,” said head coach André Tourigny. “They were fighting and emotionally engaged in the game. We were really detailed and disciplined. We stuck together.”

Though Utah’s energy was much higher and its defensive effort stifled the Panthers to just one regulation goal, it was ultimately Utah’s lack of offense that would cost them the game in overtime.

Just as Utah’s Logan Cooley was in prime position to take a shot after turning the corner, he decided to pass the puck toward Keller, who was closer to the net.

But the pass couldn’t get through heavy traffic, as it was stolen by Gustav Forsling, marking the last time Utah had possession on offense.

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Though Durzi would made a couple of great defensive plays as Utah’s only player back, blocking two shots and preventing a pass in front of the net to give both Keller and Cooley time to get back on defense, Florida still would manage to score the game-winning goal

As Sam Bennett received a pass, Keller was too far behind to contest the shot—having made a play on the puck just a second earlier—allowing Bennett to much space and ultimately take the lead and win with a goal.

“The belief in the room going forward hasn’t wavered,” said Sean Durzi. “The staff gives us confidence to go out there and play our game. We just have to execute.”

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Utah managed only 14 shots on goal throughout the entire game, with none coming in overtime. In fact, Sean Durzi was the only Utah player to register a shot attempt due to  Utah’s struggle to maintain possession in overtime.

Olli Maatta Exits With Injury in Utah’s Loss Against Florida Panthers Utah defenseman Olli Määttä has exited with a lower body injury and will not return in Utah’s game against Florida.

Still, Utah’s defense kept the team alive for most of overtime, relying on key saves from goalie Karel Vejmelka and defensive pressure to disrupt Florida’s shot attempts. However, after Cooley’s pass was stolen, the defense had to rush back and was never able to properly set up as intended.

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While Durzi’s play in overtime wasn’t enough to secure a win, his goal during a four-on-four situation ensured Utah reached overtime and earned a point in the standings.

Though offensive opportunities were rare, Utah’s Barrett Hayton recovered the puck in the middle of the ice after teammate Josh Doan forced Forsling to lose control.

With Hayton immediately turning on the jets, Utah found itself in a 2-on-1 opportunity as Durzi joined the rush. As Florida’s defense converged on Hayton, he perfectly placed a pass to Durzi, who fired the puck past Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.

But while the goal was a positive moment, Utah must still be frustrated with its offensive production, managing only 14 shots on goal despite having four power plays.

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After all, Florida scoring its first goal on its first power play and managing 32 shots on goal wouldn’t have hurt as much if Utah had been able to capitalize on any of its power plays.

But while Utah didn’t allow the Panthers to score another power play goal, successfully killing the other five power plays Florida had, its lack of production on its own power plays proved to be the difference.

Still, coming away with a point in the standings was important for Utah as it chases the blazing-hot St. Louis Blues, but time is running out for Utah to secure a win.

Utah will have the chance to play a struggling Chicago Blackhawks team that has only won one of its last ten games. However, even a game against Chicago could prove tricky for Utah, as it lost in overtime the last time it faced the Blackhawks.

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But with the game against the Blackhawks being the last road game before Utah returns home for a five-game homestand, if Utah can win this road game, it can go home still holding hope for its playoff chances.

As a member of the Florida Panthers’ championship team, Kevin Stenlund finally received his championship ring from the team.

Along with that, he was greeted with applause from the crowd and a tribute from the team.

Coincidentally, this is the second Utah player to receive a tribute on this road trip, with Mikhail Sergachev returning to Tampa for the first time since being traded to Utah. He, too, had won a championship with that team.

The Utah Hockey Club has announced that they have recalled goalie Matt Villalta from the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners. In a corresponding move, they have sent down Jaxson Stauber to the Roadrunners.

Villalta, 25, has played in 41 games for Tucson, posting a record of 17-21-3. Along with that record, he has a .906 save percentage (SV%) and a 3.01 goals-against average (GAA).

He will now join the Utah Hockey Club and back up Karel Vejmelka, potentially even appearing in an NHL game. Although that wouldn’t be his first NHL game, it would be his first with Utah.

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As for Stauber, the 25-year-old has had a bit of a rough go in the NHL this season. After getting off to an early start, he has struggled. In six games played, he has a record of 2-1-1 along with a .892 SV% and a 3.26 GAA. Unfortunately, he will report to the AHL but could be called up again before the end of the season.

With Connor Ingram out of the lineup due to personal reasons, the backup goalie position for Utah has a glaring hole. Vejmelka has been good this season but is likely a bit fatigued and needs a game or two off. Unfortunately, with no true backup goalie and Utah still mathematically in a playoff spot, it makes it hard for the coaching staff to not point to Vejmelka as the starter.

Sergachev’s Tampa Homecoming Spoiled by Utah HC’s Worst Loss in Franchise History When Mikhail Sergachev was welcomed back by the Tampa crowd, where he won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Lightning, it gave the city a long-awaited chance to show its appreciation for him.

Utah HC Recalls Forward From AHL Tucson Roadrunners The Utah Hockey Club has recalled forward Kailer Yamamoto from the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL.

Dylan Guenther Records 100th Career NHL Point Utah Hockey Club forward Dylan Guenther recorded his 100th career NHL point last night against the Detroit Red Wings.

Andre Tourigny Among Many Supporting Ryan Smith and the New Utah Ownership On Monday, March 17,

James Mirtle of the Athletic put out an article ranking every NHL owner from 1-32, based on surveyed responses from over 4000 readers, including fans of every NHL team.

Utah became the first state in the nation to ban pride flags from all public schools and on all government property after Gov. Spencer Cox allowed a bill prohibiting the display of any non-sanctioned flag to become law without signing or vetoing it. It will go into effect May 7.

The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Trevor Lee, R-Layton, has repeatedly said he constructed the bill specifically to ban pride flags in schools, and a later version of the bill that passed both the House and Senate expanded the prohibition to all government property.

In a letter to lawmakers late Thursday night explaining his decision, Cox wrote that he had “serious concerns” about HB77 and encouraged lawmakers to consider repealing its provisions that would apply to government property. He said he would not veto the bill because he expected the Legislature to override it.

“As tired as Utahns are of politically divisive symbols, I think they are also tired of culture war bills that don’t solve the problems they intend to fix,” the governor wrote.

Cox went on to say that despite his concerns, he supports the bill’s professed goal of making classrooms “neutral” spaces.

“In an attempt to make some kids feel more welcome, other kids feel less welcome,” he wrote. “I appreciate that the bill is neutral on the types of flags in question (and I find it strange that no headline reads ‘MAGA flags banned from classrooms’).”

MAGA, or Make America Great Again, flags express support for President Donald Trump, a Republican politician, while pride flags express support for members of the LGBTQ+ community.

The flags approved for display under HB77 include the U.S. flag, Utah state flag, flags of Native American tribes, Olympic flags, military flags, flags of other countries and flags for colleges and universities. Historic versions of the U.S. and Utah flags would also be approved, and the law includes a carveout for flags displayed for educational purposes as part of an approved curriculum.

In his letter, Cox said that despite the legislature’s attempts to make schools politically “neutral,” the law focuses too narrowly on flags and will instead encourage other types of political displays, such as posters or light displays.

“To those legislators who supported this bill,” he wrote, “I’m sure it will not fix what you are trying to fix.”

Cox also noted that he has asked the State Board of Education to “continue their work to find ways to make our classrooms more politically neutral.”

“The idea that kids can only feel welcome in a school if a teacher puts up a rainbow flag is just wrong,” he said in Thursday’s letter. “Let’s do everything possible to make our classrooms one of the last remaining politically neutral places in our state.”

The governor did go on to say, however, that he feels the legislation goes too far in banning unsanctioned flags from government property.

“While I think it’s wrong for city and county officials to fly divisive flags, I believe that elections have consequences and the best way to stop that behavior is to elect people who believe differently,” he wrote. “All this bill does is add more fuel to the fire.”

Cox concluded his letter Thursday by addressing the LGBTQ community in Utah directly: “I know that recent legislation has been difficult. Politics can be a bit of a blood sport at times and I know we have had our disagreements,” the letter read. “I want you to know that I love and appreciate you and I am grateful that you are part of our state. I know these words may ring hollow to many of you, but please know that I mean them sincerely.”

In his first two years in office, Cox marked Pride Month with declarations that encouraged Utahns to “be more inclusive and accepting of the LGBTQ+ members of our community.”

However, in 2023, Cox removed any mention of the LGBTQ+ community from his declaration, and last year declared June a “Month of Bridge Building,“ not Pride Month.

‘This isn’t about flags’

A proposed amendment to the bill that would have removed the provisions related to government property failed during a vote on the Senate floor. Some LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, including Equality Utah, have said they are exploring possible litigation, particularly over the provisions of the law that apply to government property.

“Make no mistake — this isn’t about flags; it’s about advancing an agenda aimed at erasing LGBTQ+ Utahs from public life,” ACLU of Utah’s Director of Communications Aaron Welcher said in a statement ahead of Cox’s decision to let the bill become law. “Today it’s Pride flags. Tomorrow, it’s your freedom on the chopping block.”

Cox’s decision came after the Sundance Film Festival announced Thursday it will be leaving Utah for Boulder, Colorado, starting in 2027. Among the criteria Sundance considered in the selection process, the festival said in a statement Thursday, was “ethos and equity values.”

According to a Deadline report earlier this month, a “Sundance insider” said HB77 was part of the film festival’s considerations in moving out of the state. Sundance officials did not confirm the report at the time.

Following the report, Cox said he’d been told the bill was not part of the reason for the move. “I’m going to take the board at their word,” he said during a news conference earlier this month.

A number of lawmakers in other states, including Arizona, Alaska, Florida and North Carolina, have recently introduced similar bans. Lawmakers in Alabama are also considering a bill that would ban pride flags in schools, and lawmakers in Idaho recently passed a similar ban on unsanctioned flags in public schools, which the governor signed into law earlier this month.

The wave of anti-pride flag bills across the country comes along with a recent federal push by the Trump administration to remove the flags from embassies and Department of Veterans Affairs facilities, as well as federal efforts to ban pride flags in all government buildings.

‘Queer blood on your hands’

The legislative hearings on HB77 drew attention from a sharply divided public. Some parents and conservative activists argued that keeping schools and government buildings “neutral” will make them safer for everyone. But queer students, LGBTQ advocates and some teachers spoke out against the bill, and urged legislators to consider how important a pride flag can be for making a student feel safe at school.

“You all argue semantics, but you all know this is wrong and immoral. Queer people commit suicide at a higher rate than everybody else,” Millie Dworkin, a senior at Salt Lake Center for Science Education, said during public testimony as part of a House committee hearing in February. “This is not because they are inherently prone to commit suicide due to their sexual orientation or gender identity; it is because of how they are treated. If you pass this, you will have queer blood on your hands.”

The bbill’ssponsor attracted further controversy last month when he said that, under the bill, Nazi and Confederate flags could be displayed in classrooms in some cases.

“There are instances where in classrooms, you have curriculum that is needed to use flags such as World War II, Civil War,” he said in a House committee hearing. “You may have a Nazi flag. You may have a Confederate flag, and so you are allowed to display those flags for the purpose of those lesson plans if it’s part of the curriculum, and that is okay.”

Lee later claimed he never said teachers could display a Nazi flag, and attacked The Salt Lake Tribune for publishing his comments about displaying Nazi flags in classrooms.

Some LGBTQ groups have argued that this carveout would allow for teachers to display flags when they teach about LGBTQ history, including lessons on Harvey Milk and Stonewall — though a spokesperson for the state school board said that while the individual districts have some flexibility in their lesson plans, the state does not currently have any mandated LGBTQ history curriculum.

TAMPA — Milestone nights are never guaranteed to have a happy ending, but the Lightning were definitely determined to make defenseman Ryan McDonagh’s 1,000th NHL game special.

And while Mikhail Sergachev could feel the support from Lightning fans in his first game at Amalie Arena since the June trade that sent him to Utah, his night was derailed by being on the wrong side of a lopsided loss.

The Lightning (42-25-5) tied their season high in goals and had their largest margin of victory in Thursday’s 8-0 win over the Utah Hockey Club. And while they have outscored opponents 14-1 over the past two games, the key to their success has been a renewed emphasis on protecting their own net.

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“It just goes to show, it really matters the way you play in your own end,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “It does have an effect on how you play. … We’re doing the right things. But the big thing is how we’re playing without the puck and inside the dots. And when we’re limiting teams the way we have the last couple of games, this is the byproduct of that.”

Nikita Kucherov’s four-point night gave him 105 on the season, trailing Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon by two points for the NHL lead. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped all 25 shots for his sixth shutout of the season, tying Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck for the league lead.

“You look at our wins and the goals against are low numbers,” said Lighting center Brayden Point, whose line scored three goals, including the 300th of Point’s career. “You look at our losses and they’re high. It’s been a big focus for us, especially as we make our push to the playoffs here.”

Winning big for Mac

If there’s one player who epitomizes the way the Lightning want to play defensively, it’s McDonagh. And Tampa Bay wanted to write a memorable script for his 1,000th game.

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“We all want to show up for your buddy who’s hitting a milestone like this,” Lightning captain Victor Hedman said.

The Lightning made it a special night for McDonagh with some surprise guests. McDonagh’s three children — Falan, Murphy and Nola — came into the Lightning dressing room before the game to announce the starting lineup, and McDonagh’s father, Sean, presented a game puck to his son following a two-assist game.

Just 90 seconds in, McDonagh was on the scoresheet, getting the secondary assist on the first of Jake Guentzel’s two goals on the night. Hedman put the Lightning up by two at the 4:20 mark in the first period. The Lightning never looked back from there.

The Lightning stuck to a simple game plan of extending offensive zone time with strong puck retrieval, and when Utah did possess the puck, they protected the middle of the ice in the defensive zone. The Lightning blocked 23 shots as a team, something they lacked five days ago in the teams’ first meeting, a 6-4 Utah win in Salt Lake City.

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“Just the effort the guys had, all throughout the lineup, all throughout the whole game, from start to finish, doing the little things, blocking shots, taking hits to make plays, finishing on our chances,” said McDonagh, who leads all NHL defensemen with a plus-39 ratio.

“We’re capable of some special things when we’re committed like that. You remember your first game and you remember your 1,000th game. A big win like that helps for sure.”

Sour ending for Sergachev

Fans packed the boards for pregame warmups Thursday night to welcome back Sergachev, pressing signs up against the glass. Sergachev received a huge ovation when his name was announced to participate in the ceremonial puck drop before the game, and at center ice, his bro hug with longtime mentor Hedman was anything but ordinary.

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During a first-period break in play, Sergachev intensely watched a tribute video package and went over the boards and skated a lap, lifting his stick to acknowledge the Amalie Arena crowd, tapping his heart with his left hand, then pointing to the Lightning bench with his stick to acknowledge them.

“Sergy always just seems like a young kid to me, and the fact he’s played seven or eight years here, it’s mind boggling to me,” Cooper said. “But he’s got his fingerprints all over our Stanley Cups and the growth and progression of this organization. He should be extremely proud.”

The night didn’t end well for Sergachev with a minus-3 ratio and a loss that dropped Utah 10 points back of the final playoff spot in the west with 10 games left.

“It’s tough to talk about it honestly after a game like that,” Sergachev said of the reception. “But I really appreciate it, and it was great. Thanks for the warm reception. The fans are great. Everybody’s great. That was supposed to be a special night.”

Up next

vs. Islanders, 2 Saturday, Amalie Arena TV/radio: FanDuel Sports Sun; 102.5-FM

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