Tag: NHL

San Jose Sharks podcast Lincoln Juarez: Sharks no match for Flames Thursday

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

San Jose Sharks center Alex Wennberg (21) reaches for the puck against Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf (32) in the first period at SAP Center in San Jose on Thu Feb 26, 2026 (AP News photo)

San Jose Sharks podcast Lincoln Juarez:

#1 How did Calgary Flames forward Nazem Kadri’s performance impact the game, and what were the key moments in his two‑goal night against the Sharks?

#2 What did forward Tyler Toffoli’s early goal mean for the Sharks’ momentum, and why were the Sharks unable to capitalize after that initial lead?

#3 In what ways did Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf shape the game with his 34 saves, especially considering his history against the Sharks?

#4 Discuss how the Sharks’ defense, including San Jose goaltender Yaroslav Askarov in net and other defenders like Timothy Liljegren, handled the Flames’ offensive pressure in the third period.

#5 What role did secondary contributors like Connor Zary and Mikael Backlund play in Calgary’s 4‑1 comeback, and how did their plays swing momentum?

Join Lincoln Juarez for the San Jose Sharks podcasts Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sharks fail to win fifth in a row against the Flames in 4-1 loss

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Sharks players celebrate the lone goal of the night on Feb, 26 2026 at SAP Center in San Jose (San Jose Sharks Media photo)

By: Fernando Abarca

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The San Jose Sharks returned to action Thursday night after a two-week pause for the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, but their comeback fell short in a 4-1 loss to the Calgary Flames at SAP Center.

The Sharks entered the game looking to build momentum in the final stretch of the regular season and opened with strong energy against their Pacific Division rivals. Despite a scoreless first period, San Jose controlled possession and generated quality chances, outshooting Calgary and dictating the pace early.

Much of the attention leading into the matchup centered on rookie standout Macklin Celebrini, who returned from the Olympics after helping Team Canada capture a silver medal. Celebrini impressed on the international stage, further cementing his role as a foundational piece for the Sharks’ rebuild.

San Jose broke through early in the second period when its second line capitalized on sustained pressure in the offensive zone. After a shot from Misa created a rebound opportunity, Mario Ferraro and Misa combined to set up Tyler Toffoli, who beat the goaltender with a wrist shot to give the Sharks a 1-0 lead.

Calgary responded late in the period. Nazem Kadri found space in the slot and tied the game with a wrist shot past the Sharks’ netminder, shifting momentum heading into the third.

The final period belonged to the Flames.

Defensive breakdowns and turnovers plagued San Jose as Calgary took control. Connor Zary capitalized on a coverage lapse to give the Flames a 2-1 advantage. At the 11:56 mark of the third, Kadri struck again for his second goal of the night, extending the lead to 3-1.

The Sharks struggled with puck management and clean zone exits throughout the period, allowing Calgary to dictate play and limit high-danger opportunities. Mikael Backlund sealed the win with an empty-net goal in the closing minutes.

With the loss, San Jose continues to search for consistency as the regular season enters its decisive stretch. Despite flashes of offensive promise and the return of key contributors from international play, defensive miscues proved costly against a disciplined Calgary squad fighting for positioning in the Western Conference standings.

The Sharks are back in action this Saturday at home against the Edmonton Oilers.

San Jose Sharks podcast Len Shapiro: Sharks return from Olympic break faceoff against Calgary at SAP

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks leads his teammates in the second half of NHL action at SAP Center in San Jose against the Calgary Flames on Thu Feb 26, 2026 (AP file photo)

San Jose Sharks podcast Len Shapiro:

#1 How pivotal will Macklin Celebrini’s offensive performance be in this matchup, given his breakout 2025-26 season?

#2 What role might William Eklund play in generating chances for the Sharks, and how can the Flames match up against him?

#3 How important will the play of Sharks defensemen like John Klingberg and Dmitry Orlov be in limiting Calgary’s top forwards on the transition game?

#4 Will Sharks goaltender Yaroslav Askarov be able to hold off Calgary’s offensive pressure, and could his performance be the difference in a tightly contested game?

Len Shapiro does the San Jose Sharks podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Utah Mammoth game wrap: Mammoth Buried By Avalanche 4-2 In Return From Olympic Break

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Utah Mammoth Clayton Keller is a celebrated Olympian returning from the 2026 Winter Olympics to the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wed Feb 25, 2026 (photo by Tom Walker-Sports Radio Service)

By Tom Walker

SALT LAKE CITY–Utah Captain Clayton Keller was celebrated for his Team USA gold medal, but Colorado came out on top in return to NHL action. February 25, 2026 by Tom Walker

Three weeks ago the Utah Mammoth (30-23-4) wrapped up a trio of home games prior to the Olympic break with a dominating 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings, giving Utah a 12-4-1 record in the new year. With play resuming Wednesday night at Delta Center against the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche (37-9-9), the Mammoth hoped to revive their momentum for the back half of the monthlong homestand which will also include games against the Minnesota Wild on Friday and the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday. In a fluke of the schedule, Utah did not have a single road game the entire month of February.

One of the biggest questions entering Wednesday night’s contest was the impact on each team resulting from numerous players having recently returned from Olympic play in Milan. Mammoth captain Clayton Keller returned to Utah sporting gold for Team USA.

Olli Määttä brought home bronze for Finland, while JJ Peterka and Karel Vejmelka gained valuable experience while representing Germany and Czechia. Eight Avalanche players also participated in the 2026 Olympic games including gold medalist Brock Nelson, whose family has participated in each of the 3 Team USA gold medal squads going back to 1960 and 1980; Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Devon Toews who represented Canada in their silver medal effort; and Määttä’s Finnish teammates Mikko Rantanen, Artturi Lehkonen, and Joel Kiviranta. Gabriel Landeskog also competed for Sweden.

Returning to the ice for the Mammoth from Injured Reserve were Logan Cooley, who had been out since December 5, and Alexander Kerfoot. In 29 games prior to his injury, Cooley had recorded 14 goals and 9 assists for 23 points. During Cooley’s absence, Utah went 16-11-1.

Shortly before game time, an Avalanche team spokesman told the Denver Post that Nathan MacKinnon would be scratched because of “maintenance.” We can safely rule out a hangover following a Team Canada victory celebration.

During the first TV timeout in the opening period, the Mammoth showed a video tribute to their Olympians on the Jumbotron, concluding with the entire ice sheet turned into an American flag as Clayton Keller and Team USA were honored to the roar of the crowd and the sounds of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird.”

When play resumed, Colorado was able to put the puck past Vejmelka to seemingly take a 1-0 lead, but Utah successfully challenged for goaltender interference with the video replay clearly showing an Avalanche stick knocking the glove of Veggie just prior to the puck flying past him.

The Mammoth have been successful in 6 out of 7 coach’s challenges on the year. The first period ended in a scoreless draw as Vejmelka and Colorado netminder Scott Wedgewood each turned away eight shots.

The second period was anything but a scoreless draw. Colorado drew first blood at 3:26 on Parker Kelly’s 13th goal of the season, assisted by Brent Burns and Josh Manson. At 9:13, Victor Olofsson made it 2-0 with his 11th goal of the season, assisted by Sam Malinski and Kelly. Just past the halfway mark, Gabriel Landeskog was whistled for holding against Lawson Crouse which opened the door for Dylan Guenther to cut the deficit in half with his 26th goal of the season, a wicked one-timer top shelf blast over the right shoulder of Wedgewood, assisted by Mikhail Sergachev and Keller. 91 seconds later, Brock Nelson restored Colorado’s two-goal lead with his 30th of the season, assisted by Landeskog and Martin Nečas.

Exactly one minute later, Guenther went top shelf over the right shoulder of Wedgewood once again for his second of the game and 27th of the season, matching his career high which was set last season, courtesy of some great moves by Logan Cooley who brought the puck up the ice, with the further assist to Jack McBain, closing the gap to 3-2.

McBain gave the Avalanche a power play opportunity late in the period when he went to the sin bin for tripping Valeri Nichushkin, opening the door for Nečas to score his 23rd of the season on the power play, assisted by Cole Makar and Nichushkin, sending the teams to the locker room with Colorado leading 4-2.

If one missed the second period, one would never know that a goal had ever been scored because the third period was a replay of the first, with both netminders completely shutting down the opposition, albeit Wedgewood faced only three Mammoth shots compared with Vejmelka stopping 13 from the Avalanche.

With the win, Colorado takes the season series with Utah winning three of four. Each of the previous three matchups were decided by a single goal. Of the Olympians on the ice, the only points in the game came from Nelson with his goal, and Keller, Landeskog, and Makar each with an assist.

“I think no matter the result, we want to make sure that we get back to our game as quick as possible. I just don’t think that was us,” said Dylan Guenther in the locker room after the game. “I think just the little intangibles, the battles and stuff like that, but we actually did a better job in the third, but I think just getting back to how hard we have to work to win games.”

Asked about how it felt to be back on the ice after his long rehab, Cooley said, “Personally, it felt pretty good. It’s good to be back out there with the guys. It’s no fun sitting in the stands watching them, and it kind of felt like a long journey. There’s a lot of hard work that went into it, big thanks to the trainers and everyone, my family supported me coming back and it felt good to be back, but now it kind of shifts to the team and how we need to be better.” Coming off of the Olympic break, the Mammoth do not yet fully have their groove back. Cooley noted, “You could tell there was some rust out there, and I don’t think it was just small details. It was losing battles, not coming back quick enough, not defending in front, little things like that that are our identity and what makes us successful. And we didn’t do that tonight.” Talking about Guenther, Cooley said, “He’s a pure goal scorer, you know? He could score from anywhere. You just try to find him when you’re in the O-zone, and, like I said, he could score from anywhere. It’s so fun playing with him, so smart, and hopefully he can keep a few more coming here.”

Head coach André Tourigny began his post-game remarks by saying, “We played a good team, but I didn’t like our grind. I didn’t like our physicality. I thought we didn’t have the pace we should have in our zone and on the forecheck. I don’t think we were the fastest team tonight, and that’s what makes us special. We need to realize that and be much better next game. … There’s a lot of man-on-man, and you need to win those battles. If you don’t win those battles, you don’t possess the puck enough, and you obviously have to defend too much.” On Cooley’s return, Bear commented, “Like everybody else, I think I saw a lot of rust and tough decisions with the puck. Not playing fast at all with and without the puck.”

Utah (30-24-4) returns on Friday to face the Minnesota Wild (34-14-10) which sports a lineup including Matt Boldy, who scored the opening goal for Team USA in the gold medal match, and Quinn Hughes, who scored the game-winning overtime goal against Sweden in the Olympics quarterfinals.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: American Ice Hockey Olympic star awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Team USA goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) makes a save against Germany at the 2026 Winter Olympics on Sun Feb 15, 2026 in Milan Italy (AP News photo)

American Ice Hockey Olympic star awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

On July 7, 2022, President Joe Biden awarded Simone Biles the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her athletic achievements, winning the Gold Medal at the Olympics, the nation’s highest civilian honor. American Olympic stars who made the country proud are favorites for US Presidents to present this type of award, and it happens more often than most people think.

Most recently Connor Hellebuyck , the goalie for the gold medal-winning U.S. men’s hockey team at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, as announced to the nation by President Donald Trump during his State of the Union address, his first in his second term.

Hellebuyck made 41 saves to lead Team USA to a 2-1 overtime victory over Canada in the gold medal game of the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter The American team’s defense was key in their victory during the 2026 Winter Olympics. Hellebuyck’s performance was crucial in securing the U.S. men’s team’s first Olympic gold since 1980, stopping 41 of 42 shots.

The now world-famous goalie Hellebuyck (#37) is the primary starting goaltender for the Winnipeg Jets as of February 2026, known for his elite, award-winning play and recent Olympic participation. Hellebuyck is recognized as one of the top goalies in the NHL, having won multiple Vezina Trophies.

If you wonder why it is uncommon for a sitting US President to give an award to a US athlete, is this unusual? It is not, in fact, the previous US President, Joe Biden, who also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to US Olympic hero Simone Biles and others, such as world-famous chef José Andrés.

The President of the United States can award this medal to any American who contributes to the United States in any walk of life, for his/her contributions to the country. Although Hellebuyck plays professionally for the Winnipeg Jets of the NHL, he is an American who was born in Michigan.

The recipient of this award must be born in the US. Of the 32 National Hockey League teams (considered the premier professional league in this sport in the world), seven (7) are based in Canada. Hellebuycks’s Winnipeg Jets, Edmonton Oilers, Montréal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, and Calgary Flames.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com

Utah Mammoth report: Mammoth Captain Clayton Keller Wins Olympic Gold With Team USA

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Utah Mammoth head coach Andre Tourigny addresses the media. Tourigny is Clayton Keller’s head coach Keller who played for Team USA at the Olympics in Milan Italy (Utah Mammoth photo)

By Tom Walker

Winnipeg goaltender Connor Hellebuyck denies Canada while Minnesota forward Matt Boldy and toothless New Jersey forward Jack Hughes score in historic 2-1 victory in Milan.

Utah Mammoth captain Clayton Keller played limited minutes for Team USA in Sunday’s gold medal win against Canada, but is nevertheless etched in American hockey history as a member of the first US team since the 1980 Miracle On Ice squad to claim the sport’s highest international prize, the third American team overall to win Olympic gold.

Team USA took a 1-0 lead at exactly six minutes into the first period when Matt Boldy (Minnesota Wild) split Canadian defenders Devon Toews and Cale Makar, both of the Colorado Avalanche, driving through them like Moses parting the Red Sea on his way to beating Jordan Binnington (St. Louis Blues) in net for his second goal of the tournament. Boldy was assisted on the play by Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs) and Wild teammate Quinn Hughes.

Makar and Toews atoned for their defensive lapse with less than two minutes remaining in the second period when Makar beat Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets), assisted by Toews, to draw even at 1-1. The third period was largely dominated by Team Canada who had multiple opportunities to take the lead but couldn’t put the puck past Hellebuyck, whose highlight reel stick save against Toews at 1:24 of the frame will go down as one of the greatest stops in Olympic history.

Team USA had a prime chance to take the lead at 13:26 of the third when Sam Bennett went to the sin bin for minutes for high sticking to the mouth of Jack Hughes (New Jersey Devils) who lost two teeth and some blood in the exchange, but the Americans not only failed to score, but Jack Hughes – who naturally remained in the game with his bloodied mouth – took a high sticking penalty himself to give Canada a late power play in the game. Team USA killed the penalty, sending the game to a 3-on-3 overtime.

Mirroring the overtime success of the American women against Canada in their gold medal match last week, Jack Hughes found the back of Binnington’s net at 1:41 of bonus time, his fourth goal of the tournament, assisted by Zach Werenski (Columbus Blue Jackets) and winning goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to seal the match and send helmets and sticks flying as Team USA mobbed Hughes on the ice to complete the American sweep of Olympic hockey gold. Hellebuyck stopped 41 of 42 shots in the win.

In one of the most emotional and touching moments of the Olympic games, Dylan Larkin (Detroit Red Wings) and Werenski went into the stands to bring Johnny Gaudreau’s two oldest children, three-year-old Noa, and Johnny Jr. who celebrated his second birthday on Sunday, onto the ice to participate in the team photo as teammates held up Gaudreau’s jersey #13, with wife Meredith looking on. Their youngest son, Carter, was born last April only seven months after Johnny and his brother Matthew were killed by a suspected drunk driver in 2024.

Just a couple of hours later, an ocean and a continent away, the Utah Mammoth practiced at their new facility in Sandy, Utah, which was just opened to the public over the weekend for all manner of hockey and other ice activities. The America-born players on the squad were visibly excited for the success of their country, and the rest of the team joined them in expressing congratulations to their captain, Clayton Keller, who brings home the gold as play resumes this week, along with defenseman Olli Määta who returns with a bronze medal following Finland’s victory over Slovakia on Saturday. Karel Vejmelka (Czechia) and JJ Peterka (Germany) had already returned from Milan and joined Sunday morning’s practice.

Utah defenseman Nate Schmidt of St. Cloud, Minnesota, woke up early to watch the game. When asked his reaction, the first thing he thought of was “that Jack Hughes photo of him after the game will be iconic for a long time, with his mouth all messed up, it’s amazing.” When asked further about the memories he would take from the game by Brogan Houston of the Deseret News, Schmidt continued, “How well Helly played, and just the reaction, the celebration. I have a couple of buddies in town who might not have made their flight because they stuck around to watch the end of the game with us at home, so it was fun celebration at home too, fun for Kels, fun for everybody. It was a great game.” Cole Bagley of KSL-TV asked how the win defines USA hockey, and Schmidt responded, “They talked a lot during the broadcast how the 80 team inspired a generation of players, me included. Hopefully – it gives me goosebumps – they will inspire the next generation of kids. This is what the pinnacle looks like. I got goosebumps. It was so amazing.” I asked him what he’s expecting from three angry silver medalists on Wednesday when the Mammoth return to action against a Colorado Avalanche team featuring Toews, Makar, and Nathan MacKinnon, to which Schmidt responded, “I can only imagine, that we better be ready to rock. … It was already going to be a great game, but there will be a little extra jam in their step.” Briefly talking about how his family spent the first part of the Olympic break, Schmidt said that they visited Disneyland but otherwise stuck around the Salt Lake area doing things as a family that they normally don’t have time to do during the season, with his son doing some skiing and his daughter having fun tobogganing.

German Olympian JJ Peterka said that he enjoyed “competing with my buddies from Germany, for our country, just soaking up the whole Olympic feeling” while they were in Milan. “Being around those guys, especially the guys who play overseas as well, playing on the same team for once in awhile, but obviously super excited to be back now.” Asked how it felt to score in the Olympics, Peterka responded, “Obviously it felt good. I think overall, there were ups and downs teamwise as well. Would have wished we would have done a little bit better, but I feel like we progressed as the tournament went on.” With the Mammoth facing three divisional opponents coming back from the break, Peterka said, “We know it’s a tough schedule until the end. We’re super excited for it to start and gain some momentum right away and get going.”

Utah forward Dylan Guenther, talking about the matchup with Colorado and how the team’s silver medalists may be fired up for the game, said, “[they are] some of the best players in the league, so maybe a little extra incentive, but we’ll be trying to shut them down anyways.” Guenther said he spent part of the break down in Mexico working on his tan with Barrett Hayton and Jack McBain, while Alexander Kerfoot, seated next to him in the locker room, spent a couple of days in California but otherwise stuck around Salt Lake with his young family.

Fresh off the plane from Milan, Vejmelka said, “It was a great experience. I would say a lifetime experience. I enjoyed every moment.” Asked about the next Olympics in France, Vejmelka said he’d love to return. Looking toward the Avalanche, the Czech netminder said, “Obviously one of the best teams so far this season, so we have to get ready for them, be ready for a big challenge, we need every point. I think we had a great break. We practiced today and yesterday, so we have so much energy and we are rested, and I’m excited to get back on the ice with the guys and play good hockey for our fans.”

The Mammoth player who perhaps is looking more forward to getting back on the ice is young phenom Logan Cooley, who has been out of action since suffering a lower-body injury colliding with a goal post on December 5, 2025, against the Canucks in Vancouver. His return will shake up a roster which had been hot with a 12-4-1 record in the new year. Cooley was excited for his fellow Americans, saying of Team USA’s victory, “It’s super special. I think it’s great for the US having had a couple of tough bounces there at Four Nations. I thought it was unbelievable. That game was so much fun to watch, so many skilled players. That’s probably one of the fastest games that I’ve watched. Heck of a shot by Hughes there to cap it off, and just congrats to Kels.” Asked how the victory embodies what USA Hockey is all about, Cooley responded, “It’s awesome. Just like all the players were saying after they won, the brotherhood, it seems like they came together so close, they way they battled for each other, it was cool to see and unbelievable to cap it off with a gold medal.” Of his captain, Cooley said, “I’m so happy for him. He’s earned it. He’s had the right to be on that team. He’s worked his tail off. I see it every day. Just the experience that he has now and moving forward with upcoming Olympics, what he can take into the next one, it’s really good for him and the whole team too. It’s awesome to see, and hopefully he can bring that experience and help us.” Four years from now, one could see Cooley joining Keller on the Olympic roster in France. To that, Cooley said, “Those are the games you want to be in. As a competitor you want to be in those big games, you want to be representing your country on the world stage like that. It’s so fun watching, but I couldn’t imagine being able to play in a gold medal game for the Olympics, so that’s something that I’m striving to do. I’m going to work as hard as I can to eventually make that team.” Reacting to the team photo with the Gaudreau children, the Mammoth forward said, “That was one of the more cooler moments that I have seen. Just like it goes back to the brotherhood I think that the US has, and how close everyone in USA hockey is, to have them share that moment with them, it’s special.”

“What a game, eh?!” a jovial head coach André Tourigny said to begin his post-practice interview. “That was unbelievable. I think that was the best thing that could happen to our game, to our league I think, having the two best teams and the way it went, the overtime and everything. That’s a great day for hockey.” Asked what it felt as a coach to see two of his players earning medals at the Olympics, Bear responded, “There are two teams which won their last game. I think that’s great. We all would love to have a gold medal or a bronze medal at the Olympics. I think it’s great to have two of our four guys coming back with a medal, and four of them coming back with unforgettable memories and souvenirs. Good for them. I’m really happy. I’ve said many times how valuable and hard those experiences – when you play elimination games, when you’ve been there, you see the team, the feeling of belonging and all of it. I’m proud of them and for them.” Asked how Keller and Määta winning medals helps to grow the game in Utah, Tourigny said, “Everything happening in the last year and a half, from those guys showing up at Delta Center and being involved in the community and having exposed our young fans to our beautiful game and to our players in the community, plus those Olympics where you have the chance to see the big stage of hockey, to see the best, and you have a guy who just won the gold and the other one just won the bronze who will be at the Delta Center in a couple of days, so I think that means a lot I’m sure for our fans and means a lot for us to be able to showcase our game like that.” Responding to the question of what to expect from Colorado’s silver medalists on Wednesday, Tourigny said, “I don’t know. That can go either way, I guess. but I’ll let them deal with that and I will deal with our guys.”

The Mammoth (30-23-4) return to action at home on Wednesday against the NHL-best Colorado Avalanche (37-9-9) followed by games against the Minnesota Wild and Chicago Blackhawks before heading out on the road for five games beginning with the Washington Capitals.

Olympic Hockey podcast Lincoln Juarez: Canada jumps right in with 5-0 win over Czechia; plus more Hockey Olympic news

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Canada’s Bo Horvat scores the third goal against the Czech Republic’s goaltender Lukas Dostal in the prelimary round match of the men’s hockey at the 2026 Olympics on Thu Feb 12, 2026 in Milan Italy (AP News photo0

Olympic Hockey podcast Lincoln Juarez:

#1 Can Team Canada sustain its Olympic momentum after a dominant 5-0 win over Czechia? — Canada’s NHL-loaded roster delivered a statement performance in their Olympic opener, led by goaltender Jordan Binnington’s shutout and strong contributions from stars like Macklin Celebrini.

#2 How will fans and teams react to the controversial overturned goals in the USA-Latvia game? — The U.S. rallied for a 5-1 victory, but two early goals were wiped off, sparking debate about officiating in Olympic hockey.

#3 Who gets the nod in key Olympic goalie and lineup decisions? — Team USA announced Connor Hellebuyck as its starting goalie, marking a big strategic choice for America’s Olympic campaign.

#4 What is the status of NHL access and media content at the Olympics? — NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman says the league is getting broader access to Olympic hockey content in Milan and hopes for even more in future Games.

#5 Which international rivalries or matchups are shaping up next at the Olympics? — Teams like Finland and Sweden are renewing historic rivalries as the Olympic hockey tournament continues.

Join Lincoln Juarez for the 2026 Olympics Hockey podcasts Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Utah Mammoth game wrap: Mammoth Clips Wings 4-1, Improves to 30-23-4 At Olympic Break

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Utah Mammoth center Nick Schmaltz (8) grabs the puck as the Detroit Red Wings defenseman Ben Chiarot (8) defends in the first period at the Delta Center on Wed Feb 4, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Tom Walker

SALT LAKE CITY– Detroit Red Wing goaltender Karel Vejmelka delivers inspired performance in honor of his uncle as Utah dominated Detroit 4-1 on both ends of the ice.

The Utah Mammoth (29-23-4) took to the ice Wednesday night for the final home game prior to the Olympic break against the Detroit Red Wings (33-18-6).  Prior to the game, Utah paid tribute to its four Olympians who will depart this week for Milan, Italy: Clayton Keller (USA), JJ Peterka (Germany), Karel Vejmelka (Czechia), and Olli Määttä (Finland).  Keller makes his Olympics debut after captaining Team USA to a gold medal at the 2025 IIHF World Championships, its first in 92 years.

Peterka is also making his Olympics debut, having previously won a silver medal at the 2023 IIHF World Championships, Germany’s first medal in 70 years.  Vejmelka is the third Mammoth player making his Olympic debut in Italy, having previously represented Czechia in the past four IIHF World Championships where he won the gold medal in Prague in 2024.

Lastly, Määttä makes his second Olympic appearance, having won the bronze medal for Finland at Sochi in 2014. Three members of the Detroit Red Wings are also traveling to Milan this week: Dylan Larkin (USA), Moritz Seider (Germany), and Lucas Raymond (Sweden).

Breaking from the team’s recent trend of slow starts, the Mammoth hit the scoreboard just 57 seconds into the contest when Detroit forward Andrew Copp attempted to clear the puck from behind his net to linemate Alex DeBrincat who fanned on the puck allowing Sean Durzi to one-time a snap shot from the dasher boards past John Gibson for his 5th goal of the season unassisted. 

Utah went on the power play at 7:50 when Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin went to the sin bin for slashing against Lawson Crouse. Nick Schmaltz, who has been on a hot streak of late, cashed it in just 21 seconds later for his 23rd of the season, tying his career-best high of 2021-2022 with the Coyotes, assisted by Barrett Hayton and Keller. His five power play goals this season tie him with Dylan Guenther for the team lead. 

During a TV timeout, Utah recognized future Hall of Fame forward Patrick Kane, who passed Mike Modano last week Thursday to become the highest-scoring United States-born player in NHL history with his 1,375th point on an assist against the Capitals. Kane was shown acknowledging the crowd on the Jumbotron as players from both teams tapped their sticks and fans saluted him with a standing ovation.

The 37-year-old flashed some slick moves in the first period, but Vejmelka kept him off the scoresheet. The opening frame concluded with the Mammoth leading 2-0.  Gibson stopped 7 of 9 in the first, while Vejmelka turned away all 6 Red Wings shots on goal.

The second period was all defense, with Gibson denying 9 Mammoth shots on goal, while Vejmelka stopped 11 including some world class saves on the penalty kill.

Dylan Guenther, who leads all Mammoth players in goals on the season, gave Utah some additional breathing room at 4:40 of the third period when he won a puck battle at the blue line and then powered his way to the front of the net to put a wrist shot past Gibson for his 25th unassisted. 

Down 3-0 and with Nick DeSimone in the penalty box for a puck over the glass infraction, Detroit pulled its goalie for a 6-on-4 man advantage which succeeded in killing Vejmelka’s shutout when Dylan Larkin found the back of the net for his 26th of the season, assisted by James van Riemsdyk  and Moritz Seider. 

With fresh memories of surrendering 3 goals in 89 seconds against Carolina six days earlier, the Mammoth shut the Red Wings down the rest of the way, with Olympian Clayton Keller picking up his 17th goal of the season into an empty net at 17:42, assisted by Schmaltz and Crouse, sending dozens of fans wearing red sweaters to the exits.  Utah held on to win 4-1 and are now 12-4-1 since New Year’s Day.

The box score on Utah’s Olympians: Keller finished with a goal and an assist, Peterka played a solid game but was scoreless, and Vejmelka stopped 29 of 30 shots for his league-leading 27th victory.

Vejmelka had extra motivation to perform well in tribute to his uncle who just passed away. “Yeah, he was a big, big, sport. You know, he played tennis very well for a long time, so he taught me a lot. He was a great human being. This game was for him and I obviously performed for him tonight.” As Utah heads into the break, Veggie said, “I think we are moving in the right direction. We are hitting the right way and we need to keep that same mindset for the rest of the season. With using this break to rest our minds, but have that same mindset when we get back here.” With regard to the Olympics, Vejmelka added, “I believe I should try to keep the same mindset, obviously the ring will be the same size, maybe even a little smaller. So I don’t think it’s gonna be a big difference. I just try to focus on the next game, but this was a huge moment for us to get this win tonight.”

Dylan Guenther, speaking of the team’s overall confidence heading into the break, said, “It’s great. I think heading into the break while getting a couple wins, makes you feel good. It lets you relax a little bit. It’s not in the back of your head. So I’m just happy we got those two wins. And it’s nice to take the time off.” When asked about maintaining the team’s momentum when they return from the break, Guenther said, “I think just go have a good break, but stay in shape, while also taking advantage of this time. We played well coming back last year, but not good enough. St. Louis was hot, and a lot of teams are going to come out flying. So we need to make sure that we’re ready to go in the first game.”

Head Coach André Tourigny’s first words at the microphone after greeting the media following the game: “It was a solid game by our special teams. Our goalie was rock solid. It was a huge win for us. Hell yeah!”  The scoring was spread out throughout the lineup on Wednesday night, and Tourigny remarked, “You talk about the scoring, no doubt. But as well, I think everybody contributed. I think our fourth line was key tonight in the third period, especially. Big fight by (Brandon Tanev). In the third period, every time they were on the ice they got on the forecheck, they got the puck deep…I think they gave us some energy. That was really good. That’s one of our strengths that we have them (fourth line).” On the team’s best penalty killer in the crease, Tourigny said of Vejmelka, “It helps you win games, no doubt about it. I think he’s been on a good stretch, played a lot of hockey and is going to the Olympics. I’m happy for him. You never know how those guys going to the Olympics will be able to stay in the present. The three (Olympians) who played, they were rock solid today. JJ (Peterka) was really good. (Clayton Keller) was really good. And (Vejmelka) was really good. I’m proud of them and our team needed them. We all know the standings. But more importantly, we challenged ourselves to say ‘hey, you win that game, you finish before the break in a playoff spot. You lose, you may not.’ That was an important one for us.”

A reporter for KSL-TV asked Bear about the team’s recent results despite several key injuries including Logan Cooley and Alexander Kerfoot. He responded, “That’s a good question and deserves a good long answer. But the big thing is, we have depth. But we have guys that are really good in their own ways. If you look at, for example, Jack McBain, he’s a really good player in his own style. If you look across the league to get a guy who plays with that kind of pace, that kind of drive, who can make plays with the puck, who can win big draws, play on special teams and stuff like that. That’s an example. It’s the same thing for Barrett Hayton, or if we go with (Kailer Yamamoto) who’s depth; but he can play at any moment in our top six or our top nine and generate offense and win battles. If I went throughout our lineup like that, we have that in our lineup. We don’t have guys who are just OK at a little bit of everything. They all have something that they bring; energy, physicality…Kevin Stenlund is one of the best (penalty kill) players in the league, so on and so forth. All of them, they have something (that is) really good…NHL good. That’s why we’re capable of being successful even if we’re missing very good players.”  Up in the press box I asked Cooley if he was good to go when play resumes at the end of the month and he gave a thumbs up.

For Utah’s players without travel plans during the Olympic break, they will have been able to spend the entire month of February without leaving home thanks to a schedule which resumes for three games at Delta Center beginning February 25th against the top team in the NHL, the Colorado Avalanche, which is also projected to mark the return of star forward Cooley (14g, 9a, 23pts in 29 games) from the Injured Reserved list. Utah went 16-11-1 during Cooley’s absence.

Utah Mammoth game wrap: Schmaltz Smokes Canucks In 6-2 Mammoth Victory

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Utah Mammoth center Nick Schmaltz (8) falls against the Vancouver Canucks right wing Jonathan Lekkerimaki (23) in the first period at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Mon Feb 2, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Tom Walker

SALT LAKE CITY–Utah forward Nick Schmaltz recorded a hat trick and an assist as the Mammoth dominated the hapless Vancouver Canucks 6-2.

The Utah Mammoth (28-23-4) hosted the Vancouver Canucks (18-31-6) on Monday night for the second of three home games prior to the Olympic break. Utah hoped to bounce back from Saturday’s 3-2 loss to the Dallas Stars while Vancouver hoped to bounce back from the entirety of 2026 where they have lost 14 of 16 since the ball drop on New Year’s Eve.

Repeating the opening miscues from Saturday night, the Mammoth took an early too many men on the ice penalty at 1:24 of the first period to give the Canucks a quick man advantage. Not repeating from Saturday night, Utah killed the penalty, and as Jack McBain was sprung from the box the Mammoth had an odd-man rush as Nick Schmaltz netted his 20th goal of the season ten seconds later on a wrist shot, with John Marino and Barrett Hayton picking up the assists. Schmaltz has now tallied 20 or more goals for five consecutive seasons and for the sixth time overall in his career.

At 7:04 Vancouver tied things up with Liam Öhgren’s fourth goal of the season, assisted by Conor Garland and Teddy Blueger. The PA announcer barely mentioned Öhgren’s goal when 33 seconds later Schmaltz picked up his second goal of the night and 21st on the season to put Utah up 2-1, assisted by Sean Durzi. Kevin Lankinen stopped 7 of 9 shots in the frame, while Karel Vejmelka turned away 5 of 6.

Vancouver gave Utah a power play opportunity at 8:29 of the second period when Evander Kane went to the sin bin for tripping against Jack McBain. 16 seconds later, Mammoth defenseman Mikhail Sergachev launched one of his signature blasts from the blue line past Lankinen for his ninth goal of the season, assisted by Schmaltz and Dylan Guenther, to make it 3-1.

Utah forward Lawson Crouse made it 4-1 for Utah when a shot by John Marino deflected off of him, then off the skate of Elias Pettersson, and into the Canucks goal. The goal, which was originally credited to Lawson Crouse, and then credited to Marino before being restored to Crouse, was his 14th of the season, with Marino and Clayton Keller picking up the assists.

With just under four minutes to play in the period, Utah forward JJ Peterka got into the action with a slap shot which got past Lankinen for his 20th of the season, assisted by Kailer Yamamoto and Marino, to give the Mammoth a commanding 5-1 lead. Peterka joins Guenther and Schmaltz with 20 or more goals on the season which is tied for the most among NHL teams.

Marino’s three assists were the third time in his career that he has registered a three-point game, and with Monday night’s points he now has a new career high of 28 points on the season, surpassing his rookie point total with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2019-2020. Teddy Blueger got one back for Vancouver with 71 seconds left in the frame, his fifth goal of the season, assisted by Garland and Marcus Pettersson, to end the period with a score of 5-2.

Nick Schmaltz, who already had two goals and an assist heading into the third period, his second assist of the night having been taken away when the Crouse goal was restored from Marino, made it a four point night with a hat trick at 12:22 for his 22nd goal of the season, assisted by Keller and Crouse.

Schmaltz previously registered a three-goal, one-assist night on October 17 against the San Jose Sharks. Vejmelka stopped 21 of 23 shots in recording his league-leading 26th victory. Veggie is 8-1-0 in his last nine starts at home. Vancouver has now lost 15 of 17 in 2026.

“I think there were a lot of great plays by some guys finding me,” said Schmaltz in the locker room following the game. “There was a fortunate bounce on one of them. But I was super excited to get a hat trick and help the team win.” Of Marino, who assisted on Schmaltz’s first goal, he added, “He’s a great player. I think he’s very underrated. He’s got a lot of poise with the puck. He wades off defenders and makes a lot of good plays in the middle of the ice. Super great player and I’m very happy to see him having success.” Schmaltz also noted how many different guys are contributing from game to game. “It’s awesome to see. That’s a good sign of a good team. I think that (in) depth scoring, guys are going to step up on different nights. You’ve got to do that in this league. Eighty-two games is a lot of games and you’re not going to have your best every night. So you’ve got to have a deep team that can step up and guys (that) can make plays when it matters.”

Defenseman Mikhail Sergachev praised Schmaltz’s dominant night. “It’s obviously great to see when Schmaltzy gets five.” [One of the assists was later removed.] “It’s a big night, and we’re all happy for him. And Johnny too, I think he got three points. Tonight was big and it shows that guys can make plays, create and finish. So we need more of that for sure.” Speaking of the previous two losses, Sergachev said, “The first one against Carolina, we obviously lost that game in the last three minutes. And then for Dallas, we didn’t have a good start, and that’s what left a bad taste. But tonight we had a better start, and played better overall.” On his laser beam shot from the blue line, he said, “yeah, I just took the shot. There was no screen, which was not great, but it went in. It was kind of lucky, but it was a big goal for a power play that made us confident we could shoot and go get rebounds to score.”

Head Coach André Tourigny opened his post-game remarks saying, “A big night for our special teams. I liked our PK a lot, obviously our power play as well. Even on the first power play, the way we attacked. We had the intensity. We recovered loose pucks. I liked our special teams. We were really opportunistic. We found a way to score a big goal at a key moment early in the game and throughout the game. That’s what I think of the game.” On his two offensive stars of the game, he added, “I think Schmaltzy was really good everywhere. He was good defensively, stripped pucks, and his body position was good. I liked his game a lot. Marin’s as well. I think Marin was solid in his game. His puck decision was good and made really good plays, produced, all of it.” What was different from the previous couple of contests? “I think we played well at the beginning of the game. I think we played solid. When we scored a few goals, I’ll be honest, not sure we played as well. From four minutes left in the second, we had a tough time finishing the period, and had a tough start to the third. Afterwards, we played well. Most of the game we played well. It’s just we had little spots. I think we were confident offensively, and like I said, we scored big goals at key moments. We didn’t have a lot of volume, but we had quality chances.”

Utah (29-23-4) has a shot at winning 30 games before the Olympic break when they wrap up the three-game homestand on Wednesday night against the Detroit Red Wings (33-18-6)

Defensive Dereliction Dooms Mammoth In 3-2 Loss To Dallas

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Utah Mammoth Mikhail Sergachev and the Mammoth lost a close contest to the Dallas Stars on Sat Jan 31, 2026 (photo from the Utah Mammoth X)

By Tom Walker

SALT LAKE CITY–Kailer Yamamoto was a bright spot with two goals, but the Dallas Stars (31-14-9) capitalized on Utah (28-22-4) penalties to defeat the Mammoth 3-2 to open the last pre-Olympics homestand on Saturday night.

The Mammoth returned to Delta Center on Saturday night to face the Stars for the first of three games at home prior to the Olympic break. Utah began the 2026 portion of the season with an 8-1-1 record prior to embarking upon a four game Southeast road trip which saw a few streaks snapped for better and worse.

Opening the road trip with a 5-2 victory over the Nashville Predators, Mammoth netminder Karel Vejmelka won his NHL-leading 25th game of the season while winning his 5th consecutive start. Two days later, Vejmelka’s win streak would come to an end in Tampa Bay where the Lightning shut Utah out 2-0.

The next day against the Florida Panthers, backup goalie Vítek Vaněček snapped a 10-game losing streak in a 5-4 victory. Vaněček’s previous victory had been October 26 against the Winnipeg Jets. Vejmelka returned to the net on Thursday against the Carolina Hurricanes where the Mammoth enjoyed a 4-2 lead with 1:59 remaining in the third period when Veggie surrendered three goals in 89 seconds to give Carolina a shocking 5-4 regulation win, sending Utah home with a split of the four games on the road.

The Mammoth put themselves in an early hole in the first period, with Sean Durzi and Jack McBain each taking delay of game penalties for putting the puck over the glass, and Dallas converting both power play opportunities for goals by Thomas Harley (his fourth) and Wyatt Johnston (his 29th).

Utah got one back at 10:23 of the first on Kailer Yamamoto’s eighth goal of the season, assisted by JJ Peterka and John Marino. The goal was challenged by the Stars for goaltender interference, but the call on the ice stood as the Mammoth halved the Dallas lead 2-1.

On the assist, Peterka registered his 100th career assist. With a little more than three minutes remaining in the frame, the Stars regained their two-goal lead on Matt Duchene’s ninth goal of the season, assisted by Jamie Benn and Sam Steel. The squads headed to the locker room with Casey DeSmith stopping 5 of 6 Mammoth shots and Vejmelka turning away 7 of 10.

Whereas the opening period resulted in four goals, the second period was a hard-fought scoreless draw, with DeSmith stopping 5 shots and Vejmelka turning away 11 as the score remained 3-1 in favor of the Stars.

Kailer Yamamoto gave Utah some life with his second goal of the game and fourth in the past two games with his 9th of the season at 6:41 of the third period, assisted by Peterka and Barrett Hayton, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the early defensive miscues as the Mammoth went on to lose 3-2. Vejmelka stopped 29 of 32 shots while registering his third consecutive loss.

Utah forward JJ Peterka said in the locker room after the game, “I feel like throughout the whole game, they made really good plays; they put a lot of pressure on us, especially D-zone draws for us. We had trouble executing and getting out of that zone. You have to give them credit for that.”

Yamamoto, who now has seven points in his last five games (5g, 2a), has been getting more ice time recently after having been a healthy scratch for a number of contests. He said, “I think just getting back into the lineup, obviously, is a huge confidence (boost). I haven’t played too many games here. Playing with JJ and Hayts, they’re amazing players too. They make plays with the best of them. They are very easy to read off and stuff like that. They were both fine to me.”

Head Coach André Tourigny, speaking of the performance of Barrett Hayton’s line, said, “Well, I think they work really hard and they simplify their game. I don’t think they did anything complicated. A big topic for us in the last month or so is to play the game that is in front of you. There’s some nights where there’s plays to be made. There’s some other nights, where there’s no play to be made. There was nothing tonight. There was no seam or easy possession. They played really well. So in those situations, you need to go with broken plays, with quick attacks from the forecheck or shot volume and bodies on the net. We had a little bit of stubbornness in ourselves tonight, of trying to play the game we wanted to play instead of playing the game that’s in front of us. I’m not blaming our guys, in the sense of Dallas played a hell of a game. They didn’t give us anything, but we need to learn and on those nights where maybe you don’t have your A game, you don’t have your execution, and the opponent plays well, we need to find a way to simplify and get the dirty goals.”

Tourigny acknowledged the team’s bad start, saying “We didn’t play well from the beginning in terms of, we’re not skating, if you look at those two pucks, we have time and space, so why are we not moving our feet and playing with pace. That just kind of illustrates our start and and even on the PK, we’re playing well. They have two shots and three goals on their first two power plays. It’s not like it was a shooting gallery with a lot of opportunities. They’re really good at the way they score and that’s the way they scored. They get tips and sticks on rebounds and stuff like that. We knew it, and they’re the second best power play in the league, for a reason, we need to stay out of the box in any way, shape or form. We need to find a way.”

On his team’s current anemic power play, Tourigny commented, “No doubt about it, I don’t think we have any swagger. I don’t think we have any kind of execution. At some point in this league, if you feel sorry for yourself, everybody will step in your throat, and nobody will let you get back up. So there’s no feeling sorry for yourself. You’re the best players on the team. You have an opportunity to be a difference maker, and you need to do it, and you need to hone your confidence, and you need to hone your play, and we need to be better in those situations. I think there’s a lot to be thought, to be brainstormed, maybe about that, but we need to find a way, because our five on five game is top five in the league, and right now we’re fighting for our life. We need to get our special teams, special situations, up to par.”

Next up for Utah (28-23-4) are the Vancouver Canucks (18-31-6) on Monday followed by the Detroit Red Wings (32-18-6) on Wednesday, after which the Mammoth will begin their Olympic break. When the break concludes, Utah will resume action on February 25 with another 3-game homestand, meaning they will not have played a single road game in the entire month of February with the exception of the team’s Olympians who will have been on the road in Italy.