Tag: Utah Mammoth

Utah Mammoth game wrap: Mammoth Unleash Six Goal Stampede, Bomb Maple Leafs To The Stone Age 6-1

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Utah Mammoth center Barrett Hayton (27) takes a shot against Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Dennis Hildeby (35) in the third period at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Tue Jan 13, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Tom Walker

SALT LAKE CITY–Utah Mammoth scored early and often in rout of Toronto Maple Leafs 6-1 to improve to 5-1-1 in January.

The Mammoth (22-20-4) squared off against the Maple Leafs (23-15-7) on Tuesday night for the fourth game of seven in the current homestand.  Making his Delta Center debut in a Maple Leafs sweater was former Utah forward Matias Maccelli who has seven goals and ten assists in 34 games so far this season for Toronto, one goal and point shy of his 2024-2025 season totals in 55 games.

The Mammoth took an early lead at 3:22 of the first period when forward Michael Carcone, who wasn’t expecting to return to Utah this season but ultimately re-signed with the team in July, put the puck past Maple Leafs netminder

Dennis Hildeby for his ninth of the season, assisted by Nate Schmidt and John Marino. Carcone, who grew up about 30 miles outside of Toronto, has scored the opening goal both times Utah has faced the Maple Leafs this season as well as their most recent matchup last season. 

The Ajax, Ontario forward is enjoying a bounce-back season after scoring just seven goals in 53 games last year.  The remainder of the opening period was scoreless, with Hildeby stopping 11 of 12 shots and Mammoth goalie Karel Vejmelka turning away all 6 shots on goal from Toronto.

Utah forward Dylan Guenther doubled the Mammoth lead at 5:26 of the second period with his team-leading 22nd of the year, assisted by Jack McBain and Ian Cole.  Barely a minute later, Guenther lit the lamp again with a laser beam over the shoulder of Hildeby for his 23rd of the season, assisted again by McBain.

Guenther’s two goals in a 78-second span are now the fastest two goals by the same player in franchise history, surpassing the previous record of 110 seconds by Logan Cooley last October against St. Louis.  At 15:25 of the frame, German Olympian and Utah forward JJ Peterka got in on the action scoring his 16th of the season, assisted by Daniil But and Cole, much to the delight of a large group of German tourists who are attending NHL games in Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles over the coming days.  The Mammoth took their 4-0 lead to the locker room, with Vejmelka stopping all 9 shots he faced in the period.

Toronto forward Calle Järnkrok spoiled Vejmelka’s shutout bid with his 6th goal of the season at 3:30 of the third, assisted by Oliver Ekman-Larsson, narrowing Utah’s lead to 4-1, but that would be the lone goal for the Maple Leafs as Utah continued to step on the gas.

At 13:29 of the final frame, Mammoth forward Jack McBain tipped in his 6th goal of the season, assisted by Guenther and Carcone, to restore Utah’s four-goal cushion.  McBain, a Toronto native, earned three points on the night against his hometown team, and now has seven points (4g, 3a) in eight career games against them.

  With three minutes remaining in the game, Daniil But put an exclamation mark on the Mammoth victory with his third goal of his rookie season, assisted by Barrett Hayton and Peterka, as Utah won its third game of the homestand 6-1 and improve to 5-1-1 in the new year.

Vejmelka stopped 19 of 20 shots in his winning effort, and leads the NHL with 21 victories this season.  Guenther’s first goal in the second period turned out to be the game-winner, his sixth on the season, just one game-winning goal shy of NHL leader Steven Stamkos who has seven. 

Defenseman Ian Cole, who recorded two assists in the game, spoke of the team’s killer attitude in his locker room interview.  “It’s more of a mindset for us, and sticking with that mindset regardless of what happens, whether we go up, whether we go down, whether it’s tied. Regardless of what the situation is, sticking with that and keeping that mindset. I think we’re getting better as we go here, but we have to keep building. That’s a good team to beat, but it’s not going to matter two days from now, so we have to do it again.” Talking about Utah’s defensive effort, which limited Toronto to 20 shots on the night, Cole said, “That’s a highly skilled team, so we want to take away time and space. You want to make sure that those skill guys have a tough time getting shots off and making plays. I think we did a pretty good job of that. It’s the right mindset, and it wasn’t just our D, It was our forwards too. We can keep good gaps, but if they don’t track back, it’s gonna be odd-man rushes all night. So they did a great job.” On the Mammoth having earned points in five straight games, Cole added, “It’s great. Accruing points is kind of the name of the game. We’re disappointed in how we let some points slip away early in the year, but as of right now, it’s kind of do or die. If we wait to find our game or we wait to turn this corner, we’re going to run out of time. There’s only eighty-two games in the season. We need to play well and play well right now. I think we’re making some great strides there.” 

Dylan Guenther added praise for the play of Michael Carcone in the game. “Yeah, he’s a really good player. I think he’s had success at every level, and he’s produced at every level. He’s worked for everything. So he’s a great guy to play with, and super fast. He’s a really big part of our team.” As for the hot start in the new year, Guenther said, “Yeah, it’s been a good stretch. I think we’ve talked about this stretch for a little bit, and have been looking forward to getting a little bit of time at home. So it’s nice to be getting points, and we play a really good team next game, so just make sure that we’re ready to go after a win like tonight.” For Utah, which fell just short of a playoff spot last season, continuing to press at this stage of the year is critical. “Yeah, I think that’s the big picture,” said Guenther. “I think we’re fighting, and every game’s a fight. So I think if we play like that every game, then, there’s a really good chance.”

A happy head coach, André Tourigny, opened his postgame remarks by saying, “Obviously, a really good game. We liked the pace of our game; the speed we had offensively and defensively. I think we attacked every shift with a lot of speed through the neutral zone and a lot of pace, a lot of pressure on their D. We knew (Toronto) was on the back-to-back; they played a big game yesterday. After the game against Columbus, I talked to you about the mindset. I said it’s not about focus, it’s not about execution. It’s the mindset we had in that game and the way we tried to play the game tonight. Obviously, we’ll take the result, but it’s more than that.” Bear talked about some of the line changes, including how McBain’s line performed as a unit. “I think they played hard and fast. They were really fast in everything they did. They never slowed down. They were coming really fast. That’s three good skaters. I think it clicked. Sometimes, it’s tough to explain why; it just happens. I think (Dylan Guenther) and (Michael Carcone) had success last year when they played together. Same thing with (Guenther) and (Jack McBain)–they had success when they played together last year. That was the rationale behind it. We were hoping (Daniil But) and JJ (Peterka) and (Barrett Hayton) would click as well. It is what it is.”  The “killer instinct” comment came up again in the interview with Tourigny, who responded, “We gave up five shots in the third. I think we kept the pace defensively. I feel, in a sense, (Toronto was) trying more plays and stuff like that. So they had a little bit more possession. Still, we played the right way. We put pucks behind; we were on them. They had no easy possessions. We were on them a lot.”

Next up for Utah (23-20-4) on Thursday are the Dallas Stars (27-11-9), who lost 3-1 to the Ducks in Anaheim on Tuesday night.

Utah Mammoth game wrap:Keller Has McBain’s Back, But Mammoth Fall To Blue Jackets 3-2 In Overtime

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Klayton Keller (9) of the Utah Mammoth had two assists against the Columbus Blue Jackets at the Delta Center on Sun Jan 11, 2026 (Fox 2 News Salt Lake City file photo)

By Tom Walker

SALT LAKE CITY–Clayton Keller’s first period shot went wide of the net, but bounced off McBain’s back and into the goal in first period of the Utah Mammoth’s first home ice loss of 2026 to the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2 in overtime.

The Mammoth (22-20-3) welcomed the Blue Jackets (19-18-7) to Delta Center on Sunday afternoon for the third of seven games on the current homestand. Struggling backup goaltender Vítek Vaněček, entering the game at 2-9-1 on the season, got the start in place of Czechia Olympian Karel Vejmelka.

Not quite three minutes into the game, Columbus hit the scoreboard first on Mikael Pyythia’s first goal of the season, a wicked shot that was in and out of the net so fast that one could barely tell it was a goal at all, assisted by Danton Heinen and Ivan Provorov.

With just a few minutes remaining in the first period, Utah tied things up on a fluke goal when Clayton Keller sent the puck wide of the net and off the back of linemate Jack McBain into the Blue Jackets net. Keller has now registered assists in five consecutive home games which ties his own franchise record.

Whether it was an errant shot attempt or a mysterious pass, it resulted in McBain’s 5th goal of the season with the additional assist going to Nick DeSimone. This one is worth finding a replay on the internet to watch. Columbus netminder Jet Greaves finished the period stopping six of seven shots, while Vaněček turned away eleven of twelve for the Mammoth.

Utah started off the second period quickly at 1:02 when defenseman Mikhail Sergachev fired a bullet from the center of the blue line past everyone between him and the net for his 7th goal of the season, assisted by Keller and Nick Schmaltz, to give the Mammoth its first lead of the game.

With two and a half minutes left in the frame, McBain went to the sin bin for holding against Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski, and Columbus made Utah pay for it a minute later when Charlie Coyle shot the puck off the near goalpost and then passed the rebound to Adam Fantilli in front of the net.

Vaněček stopped Fantilli, but Coyle finished the job for his seventh of the season, with the additional assist credited to Kirill Marchenko. The two squads completed the period knotted up at two apiece, with Greaves stopping seven of eight and Vaněček turning away twelve of thirteen.

The Mammoth and Blue Jackets were scoreless in the third period, but Daniil But put Utah at a disadvantage in overtime when he tripped Fantilli with 24 seconds left in regulation. Benefitting from the 4-on-3 overtime power play, Columbus dominated the 61 seconds necessary for Dmitri Voronkov to record his 16th goal of the season to put Utah away, assisted by Zach Werenski and Marchenko.

Despite saving 33 of 36 shots in the game, Vaněček’s losing streak increased to ten games, his last victory coming against the Winnipeg Jets on October 26. In the locker room after the game, Mikhail Sergachev expressed support for Vaněček “He was amazing. He held the ground for us. We gave up a little too much. He was big for us tonight. We just couldn’t get it done for him.” When asked about defending defending 4-on-3 in overtime, Sergachev said, “It is hard, but it’s easier than 5-on-3. … Pucks were flying around; high sticks everywhere; we just didn’t get to set up in our formation and didn’t get to defend that well. (Columbus) attacked right away–good on them.”

Jack McBain, who initiated the scoring with perhaps the most unusual goal of his career, said, “It wasn’t our best game, for sure. Everybody knows that. We gave up too many chances. I think we tried to overcomplicate the game. We got a little away from our identity there.” Asked about staying strong late in the third period, McBain added, “Every point matters. The kill did a good job to get it into overtime. It was unfortunate that (Columbus) was on the 4-on-3, that’s tough. But every point matters all the way through the rest of the season. … We got a point out of (tonight). It wasn’t our best game, but we’ll learn from it and move on. We have to learn…to win, how to close out games. Not our best, but we’re on to the next one.”

Utah Mammoth Head Coach André Tourigny began his postgame remarks by saying, “I think I’m disappointed about the way we process that game, the way our thought process, mindset, our play with the puck, our play without the puck. I think V gave us an opportunity to get a point, which is a big point, which is important. I thought against St Louis, Vej bailed us out. So I was expecting definitely better from today.” When asked how the team can improve, Bear responded, “First of all, you need to sting a little bit. It’s not just about moving on. It’s about learning from it. I think there’s a lesson to learn from that game. Like I said, it’s not a matter of execution or effort. It was a matter of mindset, be ready to play the game the way it should have been played, and our decision with the puck. There’s many things that were not on par.” Tourigny was visually disappointed for Vaněček, and said of his performance, “Really good, I think. Tough situation, he didn’t play for a little bit, and came in and the guys did not play their A game in front of him, and he kept us there. I think he did a great job.”

Utah (22-20-4) returns to the ice on Tuesday for their fourth game of the homestand against the Toronto Maple Leafs (22-15-7).

NHL Note: Ten years ago today (January 11, 2016), Washington Capitals forward and future unanimous first ballot Hall of Famer Alex Ovechkin passed the 500 career goals mark. Now at the age of 40, Ovi has 19 goals in the current season, and 916 for his record breaking career, 24 more than the previous record holder, Wayne Gretzky, who retired with 894 career goals.

Ovechkin also has 77 career playoff goals for good measure, which means he is 7 away from 1000 combined career regular season and playoff goals, still behind Gretzky whose combined regular season and playoff goal mark is 1016, still very much in reach for Ovechkin who continues to be productive while most of his contemporaries have been long retired.

Utah Mammoth game wrap: St. Louis Sings the Blues as Schmaltz Scores Twice in 4-2 Mammoth Victory

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The Utah Mammoth Nick Schmaltz (8) takes the puck up ice against the Ottawa Senators at the Delta Center on Wed Jan 7, 2026. Schmaltz scored two goals for the Mammoth against the visiting St Louis Blues on Fri Jan 9, 2026 in Salt Lake City. (AP News photo)

By Tom Walker

SALT LAKE CITY–Utah Mammoth netminder Karel Vejmelka held the St. Louis Blues to two goals and becomes first in the league to pick up 20 wins in a 4-2 Mammoth win at the Delta Center.

The Mammoth (21-20-3) laced up on Friday night for the second of seven games on the current homestand against the visiting Blues (17-19-8). The Mammoth, coming off of a 3-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday, are enjoying a positive start to the new year entering the game having won three of four contests.

Utah struck first late in the first period on Nick Schmaltz’s 15th goal of the season, banging in a snap shot rebound off a shot by Clayton Keller with the additional assist to Mikhail Sergachev. Karel Vejmelka was perfect in net for the Mammoth as Utah carried a 1-0 lead into the locker room after one.

At 7:45 of the second period, Mammoth forward Lawson Crouse increased Utah’s lead to 2-0 with his 11th goal of the season from the top of the left faceoff circle, assisted by Keller and John Marino. But St. Louis got one back just ten seconds later when Iskar Sundqvist put the puck past Vejmelka for his 3rd of the season, assisted by Nathan Walker, before the arena announcer could even finish announcing the Crouse goal.

Less than four minutes later, however, Mammoth forward Schmaltz passed a rebound across the ice to the stick of defenseman Sean Durzi who one-timed a shot past Joel Hofer of the blues to regain Utah’s two-goal lead with his 3rd goal on the year, with the additional assist to Crouse.

With three and a half minutes remaining in the second period, the Blues cut their deficit to one goal as Pavel Buchnevich netted his 8th of the season with an extra attacker on the ice due to a delayed penalty call against Utah, assisted by Jimmy Snuggerud and Robert Thomas.

Seven minutes into the third period, with Snuggerud in the sin bin for high-sticking against Keller, JJ Peterka sent a pass from the right goal post up the middle in front of the crease to Schmaltz who struck again for the Mammoth with his 16th of the season, with Keller picking up the additional assist.

As reported by the Utah stat crew, Schmaltz and Keller have now factored on the same goal for the 199th time for the highest total by a pair of U.S.-born teammates in NHL history. That would be all Utah would need to go 4-1-0 in the new year, with Vejmelka stopping 26 of 28 on the night en route to becoming the first goaltender to reach 20 victories this season.

In the locker room, Nick Schmaltz talked about winning tight games. “It’s great, we’ve talked about it the last little bit here, about maintaining pressure when we’re up. I thought earlier in the year, we gave up some leads and kind of sat back and watched teams kind of dictate the play. I thought tonight was another big win. We kind of shut it down and scored a big goal, and it mattered. So it shows a lot about this group, and we got to keep it going. … I think we’re making more plays. We’re hitting each other’s tape instead of just kind of flicking it and standing around, not moving our feet. I think we’re being assertive. We’re making plays when it’s there, and when it’s not we’re putting pucks in good areas and making sure we’re putting our teammates in good spots.” With regard to his record with Keller for America-born players, Schmaltz said, “Yeah, it’s great. It feels like we’ve been playing with each other for a long time. We know where each other are at all times on the ice and we’re always looking for each other. It’s been a heck of a ride playing with him, and hopefully we have many more great memories ahead.”

Netminder Karel Vejmelka, when asked about the Mammoth being more comfortable in tight games responded, “I think so. Usually it’s all about focus and being in the right place. So, it’s the same for everybody. And we played a huge game last game. We played another big game tonight. Those one-goal games are really important for the rest of the season.” The penalty kill was big for Vejmelka, who said, “I think it’s huge for me, they cover like other guys on the rebounds. So I just need to focus on the guy who got it by. So it’s kind of easy for me and again, I just focus on what’s going to happen next.” So how does it feel to become only the second Czech native to be the NHL’s first goaltender to reach the 20-win mark in a season? “It’s a big accomplishment. Hašek is one of the best goalies in NHL history. It’s an honor, and I’m glad about it and happy for it.”

Head Coach André Tourigny began his post-game remarks by saying, “A very good game early, but Veggie made key saves. They obviously played hard, and they knew how important that division game is and everything. … Schmaltzy was possessed. He was really, really good. He won battles, the speed he had defensively, his face off, his PK, everything. I liked our power play and the movement. Obviously, our PK came up big at a key moment. But I think the answer from Jack McBain, and what happened in the last game. I think that’s probably the highlight of the night for the Bear,” referring to himself. When asked about maintaining composure down the stretch, Tourigny responded, “It’s important to stay even-keeled, to stay humble, and to play the game the right way. … You cannot get carried away, you cannot get complacent, but you have to be honest. We had a level of confidence in our play defensively. And that doesn’t mean the other team cannot score, cannot have a great scoring chance, or cannot get lucky at some point. I’m not saying they need to get lucky to have a scoring chance; it can be good as well. My point is, I had the feeling we weren’t going to beat ourselves, and they will need to beat us; they will need to do the right things to beat us. And when we made some mistakes, Veggie came up big. So we expect to play good, we want to play good, and trust in each other’s stuff to win. Our opponent tonight showed up, and they played hard, but (I’m) proud of our group.”

Next up for the Mammoth (22-20-3) are the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday.

Mammoth Defeats Senators 3-1 As NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman Reveals Utah To Host 2027 Winter Classic

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The Utah Mammoth will host the 2027 Winter Classic at Rice-Eccles Stadium, home of the University of Utah Utes football team (AP News photo)

By Tom Walker

SALT LAKE CITY–The Utah Mammoth got all the offense it would need in the first eight minutes and shut the Ottawa Senators down in the final two periods en route to 3-1 victory in first home game of 2026.

The Utah Mammoth (20-20-3) returned to Delta Center on Wednesday night, following a Big Apple road trip to kick off 2026 where they won two of three, to face the Ottawa Senators (20-16-5) for the first of a season-high seven-game homestand which ties a franchise record.

Earlier in the day, Mammoth owners Ryan and Ashley Smith held a press conference with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to announce that Utah will host the 2027 Winter Classic at Rice-Eccles Stadium, home of the University of Utah Utes football team. The Mammoth are the only NHL team which has never played an outdoor game. The only other two teams never to host one are the Montreal Canadiens and Anaheim Ducks.

Prior to the puck drop, Utah recognized its four players who have been selected to represent their respective countries in February’s Winter Olympics: Clayton Keller (USA), JJ Peterka (Germany), Karel Vejmelka (Czechia), and Olli Määttä (Finland)..

Lawson Crouse put the Mammoth on the scoreboard at 3:59 of the first period when Clayton Keller skated the puck behind the net and then out front where he found the stick of Crouse who banged it in for his tenth goal of the season, with the additional assist going to Mikhail Sergachev.

Crouse has six points in his past seven games, and is now two goals shy of his total for the 2024-2025 season as well as two points ahead of last season’s overall total. Utah now has six different players with 10 or more goals which ties them for the most in the NHL.

At 7:20, the captain picked up his second assist of the night, feeding a pass to defenseman John Marino who put the puck past Ottawa netminder Leevi Meriläinen for his 3rd goal of the season and first in front of the home fans, with Nate Schmidt picking up the additional assist on the play.

The Senators would claw one back at 17:41 of the period when Ridly Greig beat Karel Vejmelka for his sixth of the season, assisted by Artem Zub and Jake Sanderson. Utah carried the 2-1 lead to the locker room, with Meriläinen stopping 7 of 9 and Vejmelka turning away 6 of 7.

Ottawa applied a lot more pressure in the second period, peppering Vejmelka with 15 shots to no avail. Utah managed only 5 shots in the frame as the score remained 2-1 after two.

At 5:41 of the third period, the Mammoth regained their two-goal lead as a pile of bodies stacked up in front of the Senators goaltender and somehow forward Daniil But pushed the puck over the line for his 2nd goal of the season, assisted by Jack McBain and Brandon Tanev.

Ottawa challenged the goal citing goaltender interference, but the decision on the ice was upheld upon video review. Utah’s defense proved stingy throughout the final frame and never gave the Senators an opening to close the gap. Vejmelka saved 32 of 33 on the night. With the 3-1 victory, the Mammoth are now 3-1-0 in the new year.

Following the game, Utah forward Lawson Crouse said, “It took a lot of grind” to win tonight’s game. “That pressure kept coming from them,” he said, “and we did a good job. We found a way to close it out and that’s what’s important. … There were ups and downs throughout the game, just like there’s gonna be in any game, but like I said earlier, we found a way to close it out and get a big point.” Crouse praised the contributions of Utah defensemen Sergachev, Marino, and Schmidt who each found the scoresheet. “It’s huge. We wouldn’t be here without our D and they contribute all over the ice, defensively and offensively. It’s great to see Johnny get one. He’s obviously a great guy and really good with the puck, and makes some solid plays. It’s nice to see him get rewarded.” Talking about Daniil But’s performance, Crouse added, “He’s got a lot of chances, and I think he had a few more tonight that probably could have gone in and it’s just weird, that’s the one that goes in. But credit to that line, they go to the net hard. It’s nice to see them get rewarded.”

Mammoth defenseman John Marino spoke of the team’s effort in the win. “We got those first two goals early, and we had a big push there in the first. They played well, and they out worked us at times, probably overall in the whole game but we snuck away with that one. I think the way we were able to sustain pressure, at least, and just limit their grade A chances.”

Marino credited Olympian Karel Vejmelka’s performance as well. “Yeah, he’s been great for us all year making those big saves. He definitely bailed us out so many times today. We want to help him out more, but when he plays like that we are a tough team to play against.”

Head Coach André Tourigny began his postgame remarks by saying, “First of all, they’re a good team. They play hard, tough to play against, and I give them a lot of credit. Second, we played very hard, especially at the end of the game.

Even when we took the lead early on, there was a little bit of an adjustment for us in the third. I really think when the game is on the line, when push comes to shove, we really raise our game. We raised our urgency, were really stingy, and we had composure. So, I like the way we closed out the game. When it was 2-1, there was no panic, no stress in our game, just urgency and focus.”

When asked his thoughts about the Winter Classic announcement, Tourigny said, “For the entire organization, [for] the fans, to have the opportunity to experience that – for us coaches and players and our families – to have that opportunity to be in that environment will be absolutely special and will be magical. I think that’s unbelievable. I think for you, for our fans, for everybody, I think that’s a unique opportunity. I’ve never had the opportunity in the NHL. … It’s a huge privilege, as much as you can watch on TV – there’s a few every year – but there’s 32 teams in the league. Not everybody has that opportunity so I think we’re fortunate. I really appreciate the league giving us that opportunity, and that’s a testimony for me to the confidence they have in Ryan and Ashley Smith – the job that they did here with SEG since the team arrived – so I’m grateful for all of it.”

The Mammoth (21-20-3) will face the St. Louis Blues (17-19-8) on Friday for the second contest of their seven-game homestand.

Utah Mammoth game wrap: Stamkos Sparks Predators 4-3 Comeback Win Over Mammoth

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Alex Kerfoot (15) and the Utah Mammoth played a tight game against the Nashville Predators but couldn’t seal the deal in a one goal loss at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City (Utah Mammoth X photo)

By Tom Walker

SALT LAKE CITY–Utah began the scoring in each of the three periods, but Nashville drew even each time before taking the only lead they would need with a 4-3 win.

The Utah Mammoth (18-18-3) closed out 2025 at home on Monday night against the visiting Nashville Predators (16-17-4). Prior to the Christmas break, Utah lost a tough road game in Colorado in which backup goaltender Vítek Vaněček, who unexpectedly started in place of Karel Vejmelka who injured himself earlier in the morning, held the Avalanche to a single goal, but the Mammoth offense was completely shut down by the Colorado defense in the 1-0 loss.

Making history for the Mammoth in that game was the signing of Emergency Backup Goalie (EBUG) Colten McIntyre to a professional tryout contract. McIntyre is the first Utah-born and raised player to suit up for the franchise and sit on the team bench in the event that Vaněček should also go down.

Though his services weren’t required in the game, it was a memorable experience for the 21-year-old Park City native who won three state championships playing for Park City High School. Prior to the puck drop in Colorado, the Mammoth had McIntyre skate a lap around the rink in recognition of his roster appearance.

As a full-time practice goalie for Utah, McIntyre is already well acquainted with facing NHL-level shots on goal, and his teammates and coaching staff gave him tons of encouragement and support heading into the game. After Monday morning’s practice, McIntyre told the media that he had been kicking back in the bathtub of his Denver hotel room, watching “Scooby Doo,” when he received word that he would be suiting up. He quickly got ready, caught an Uber to Ball Arena, and signed his professional tryout agreement which permitted him to don the Mammoth jersey and join the team.

Nashville provided Utah with an early power play opportunity in the first period when Nicolas Hague went to the sin bin for high-sticking against Barrett Hayton at 4:56. The Mammoth cashed it in with Clayton Keller sending the puck to Dylan Guenther near the goal crease, who immediately passed it across to the opposite side of the net where JJ Peterka’s stick was waiting to bang the puck in for his 15th of the season.

The Predators would even things up by the halfway mark of the period on Roman Josi’s 4th goal of the season, assisted by Filip Forsberg and Steven Stamkos. The two squads finished the period knotted up at 1-1, with Juuse Saros stopping 10 of 11 shots for Nashville, and Vaněček turning away 6 of 7.

At 3:41 of the second period, Utah defenseman Mikhail Sergachev smashed a trademark laser line drive from the blue line past Saros for his 5th goal of the season, assisted by Nick Schmaltz and Sean Durzi, to put the Mammoth ahead 2-1.

That lead didn’t last long, with Predators forward Luke Evangelista finding the back of the net four minutes later with his 6th goal of the season, assisted by Tyson Jost and Nick Blankenburg. Once again, both teams went to the locker room at the period break with a tie score. Saros stopped 9 of 10 Utah shots, while Vaněček turned away 8 of 9.

Just over four minutes into the third period, Dylan Guenther continued the succession of early goals in a period with his 17th of the season, a sweet backhand past the outstretched arms of Saros to put the Mammoth ahead 3-2, assisted by Lawson Crouse and Barrett Hayton.

Nashville, in turn, continued their succession of responding to Utah’s offensive efforts with a goal of their own. With Utah forward Kevin Stenlund in the penalty box for slashing against Forsberg, future Hall of Famer Steven Stamkos netted his 16th of the season with just over eight minutes remaining the game, assisted by Ryan O’Reilly and Evangelista.

Barely a minute and a half later, Stamkos struck again at short range to beat Vaněček with his 17th, assisted again by O’Reilly as well as Nick Perbix, to give the Predators their first lead of the game at 4-3. Nashville opened the door for a potential Mammoth comeback committing two penalties in the closing minutes, but Utah was unable to convert the opportunities as Saros stood tall in net for the Predators. With the loss, Vaněček’s record in the crease falls to 2-9-1.

In the Mammoth locker room, Mikhail Sergachev said, “I thought we played better for most of the game. We were sloppy on the PK, and the last goal there cost us the game I think. We’ve got to be more focused in those crucial moments in the game.” Sergachev, known for being a fierce competitor, said that the team needs more fight. “We were in the fight,” Sergachev opined. “I feel like we got down on ourselves because we gave up a goal. We were up, and we thought we were going to win. Just got a little too high and didn’t defend twice there and you know, the puck (got) in the back of the net.” Talking about how to put teams away when defending a 3rd period lead, Sergachev said, “you have to learn from your mistakes and not repeat them. That’s what we got to do. We know what the problem is. We just have to work through it. There’s gonna be some lapses and stuff, but we gotta get into it and play much better there in the crucial last 10 minutes of the game.”

Responding to the question of what he wants to see from the team moving forward, said, “I think just execution. Honestly, I thought we outplayed them. They had a little bit of a push there when we went out. But I think just execution all over the ice. When you get a chance, score, pass on the tape, and just bear down. … I know we had a few days off or whatever, but I feel like there’s not that much time to waste. Every game is important, so (we need to) make sure that we’re bearing down.”

A somber Utah Mammoth Head Coach André Tourigny opened his remarks to the media by saying, “A tough, tough result. Frustrating. We played really well for the long stretch of the game at five-on-five, on our power play, even on our PK. Our one mistake, a big mistake on the PK there, the broken stick was four-on-four. We should have been more aggressive, and we gave an opportunity for them to have a clean look from the slot, so that’s unfortunate. Other than that, five-on-five, I think we did a really good job defensively, but we need to find a way in key situations and key moments and when push comes to shove, to be better.” Pointing to the positive aspects of the game, Bear commented, “We doubled them in scoring chances, so we did a lot of good. I think it would be nitpicking if I go and say ‘a little bit more of this, a little bit more of that.’ At the end of the day, I guess we doubled them at five-on-five and special teams. There’s a matter of getting opportunistic, scoring big goals in key moments. I think in the third, we gave them two chances at five-on-five, one or two. They were opportunistic, and they found a way to get the two points. We need to learn from them.” While praising the team’s overall defense, Tourigny made no mention of the elephant in the room – the goaltender situation. If Vejmelka remains out of the lineup for any extended period of time, the Mammoth will need more victories from Vaněček or look into alternatives.

The Mammoth will ring in the new year in the Big Apple with a January 1st game against the New York Islanders followed by matches against the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers before returning to Delta Center to open a season-long seven game homestand beginning January 7 against the Ottawa Senators.

Utah Mammoth game wrap:Utah Activates Afterburners, Shooting Down Jets 4-3 In Overtime 

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Winnipeg Jets center Cole Pefetti (91) battles for the puck against the Utah Mammoth defenseman John Marino (6) in the second period at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Sun Dec 21, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Tom Walker

SALT LAKE CITY–Utah Mammoth Alexander Kerfoot scores in second appearance following return, and Clayton Keller gets the OT game-winner in final home game before Christmas in 4-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets.

The Mammoth (17-17-3) wrapped up their brief two-game homestand on Sunday evening, their final home game before Christmas, against division rival Jets (15-17-2).

At 5:17 of the first period, Mammoth forward Dylan Guenther lined a bullet just wide right of the Winnipeg net which ricocheted off the rear dasher boards and past the left side of the net to linemate Lawson Crouse who put the puck past Connor Hellebuyck for his 9th goal of the season, with the additional assist going to Barrett Hayton. 

Crouse is now just three goals shy of his 2024-2025 scoring mark.  A little more than four minutes later, Utah captain Clayton Keller found JJ Peterka in front of the net and wired a perfect lateral pass from behind the goal line and onto Peterka’s stick who knocked the puck in for his 14th goal of the season, with Nick Schmaltz picking up the additional assist, increasing the Mammoth lead to 2-0.

Peterka now trails only Dylan Guenther for the team in goals. In an opening period with very few shots on goal, Hellebuyck turned away 5 of 7 while Utah netminder Karel Vejmelka stopped all four shots by the Jets.

Three minutes into the second period, a series of crisp tic-tac-toe passes from the Mammoth offense concluded with Kerfoot, playing in just his second game of the season since returning from injury, blasting a slap shot past Hellebuyck, who was screened by Liam O’Brien, for his first goal of the year, assisted by Sean Durzi and Mikhail Sergachev to make it 3-0 Utah. 

It was Kerfoot’s first goal since last March 30 at Chicago. Shortly past the halfway mark of the period, O’Brien went to the sin bin for interference against Neal Pionk, and Winnipeg forward Kyle Connor cashed in the power play goal for his 16th of the season, assisted by Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi, narrowing the gap to 3-1.  Shots on goal remained on the low side in the second period, with each netminder turning away 7 of 8.

With less than 5 minutes remaining in the 3rd period, the Jets scored 2 goals in 25 seconds to suddenly even the score at 3-3 with 4:12 to play.  First, Kyle Connor scored his second of the game with a slap shot for his 17th on the season, assisted by Josh Morrissey and Mark Scheifele. Then Morgan Barron netted his 7th of the season on a snap shot, assisted by Tanner Pearson.  The remainder of the period, both teams played not to lose rather than making any aggressive moves which might backfire.

The Mammoth wasted no time in the overtime period, with Keller scoring the game-winner just 13 seconds into the frame, the fastest overtime goal in franchise history, assisted by Dylan Guenther and Mikhail Sergachev. 

Keller’s 12 goal of the season, and third game-winner, improved Utah’s home record to 9-6-1, and 18-17-3 overall.  He leads the Mammoth with ten multi-point games this season.  Vejmelka is tied for the NHL lead with 15 wins.

During his postgame remarks, Lawson Crouse talked about the final five minutes of the game.  “Yeah, we made it interesting for ourselves,” Crouse began. “Obviously I feel like Gunner has been clutching in OT all season long. Incredible pass, incredible shot by Kells. Definitely not the way we wanted the third period to go. But credit to our group. That’s not easy. They scored two right away and then right into OT pretty much so credit to the group for having the right mindset and being able to get the win.” Crouse described the team’s biggest asset as “the way that we play in unison with each other. I think when we’re playing at our best, we’re getting pucks in deep and we’re taking away time and space of the opponent. We just have to get to that and stick to that for 60 minutes.” He was particularly happy for Kerfoot to get his first goal of the season.  “We’re so happy and proud to have him back in our lineup. He fills a big hole for our group as a leader. Just super proud and happy for him.”

Captain Clayton Keller said that the third period was “obviously not great.” He continued, “We still have to make plays, even if we’re winning. Whatever the score is, they’re gonna make a push. That’s something that we’ve talked about and tried to get better at. I think just learning from it. You’d rather mess up and try to do the right thing than just be safe and see what happens. I think that’s something that we have to learn from and do moving forward.” He was also happy to have Kerfoot back in the lineup.  “He’s such a great player. He can play anywhere in the lineup. He’s a great leader, someone that we missed when he was out. Just all the little things that he does on the bench, during the game, in the locker room. I can’t say enough great things about Kerf and how good of a person he is and player as well. It’s awesome getting him back. We definitely have had more juice since he’s been back.”

Utah Mammoth Head Coach André Tourigny’s opened his postgame comments by saying, “There is quite a bit to unpack from that game. That was a huge and important game against a division rival. They found a way to win and get the two points. We had a two-goal lead in the third. I would’ve loved to close that game right there. I think they got a little bit nervous and lost their composure with the puck. Like I often say, there are two important things when you’re protecting a lead: it is having poise with the puck… Having poise with the puck doesn’t mean being slow; it means being fast, keeping your feet moving, moving the puck, and having a lot of pace defensively, which is our strength. They had one scoring chance in the first 13 minutes of the third because we had pace, because we’re on them. Then, we became a little too conservative, and they were able to come back. Without spending too much time on that, we need to retain them when they tie the game. How we responded was taking the momentum back. We went, we forechecked, we had good opportunities and possession in their zone, and from there, they had nothing. That was a good response. There are many teaching moments in that game, and many things we can do better. But there are things we can build on. We played 53 minutes of really good hockey, and we deserve to have the lead by two goals. We stumbled for a little while, and we need to learn from it, get better, and take that seriously. At the same time, we can also be proud of when adversity was there, we responded right away, and we were really strong in our finish and found a way to get the two points. We had a little bit of everything today.”

Talking about the first two periods, Bear said, “Well, I will say four lines contributed. The line that did not score was absolutely elite at shutting down one of the best lines in the league, and they played a hell of a game. They scored a goal as well, but I am really proud of the way Hays, Gunner, and Crosser handled it. Sometimes, the way I match lines, I am not a hard match line guy, which causes them a little bit of ice time. It is a big pill to swallow for them, but they do it for the benefit of the team. I always want to make sure the line is playing against the top line, and the other side is fresh. I don’t want a tired line. Sometimes, as I said, it causes them a little bit of ice time. But they manage it like pros, and they did a really good job. I am really proud of them, no doubt about it. We talked about a little bit of adjustment we wanted in the O-zone and it paid off. The boys did a good job. We scored a goal under those kinds of restrictions; we still score in the blue paint. We won a lot of battles, so there were a lot of positives against the team to defend really well.”

Tourigny acknowledged that the game had its flaws. “Well, I can’t say that today was a Picasso, to be honest. We were nervous with the puck in our zone, but we were at the offensive blue line, turning the puck over. That is a teaching moment. The intention was right, but we still have to grow, understand it, and buy in 100%. They opened the door, they came in, and that could have hurt us big time. Every point is important. We have one more game before Christmas, and it will be a good test. It is the best team in the league, and we need to manage the game the right way.”

The Mammoth will play the Avalanche on Tuesday in Colorado, and then return to Delta Center for a single game against the Nashville Predators following the Christmas break before ringing in the new year in the greater New York area with a January 1st game against the Islanders followed by contests against the Devils and Rangers before returning home for a season-long 7-game homestand beginning January 7 against the Ottawa Senators.

Utah Mammoth game wrap: But Dials Up First NHL Goal In 2-1 Mammoth Loss To Devils

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The New Jersey Devils right wing Stefan Noesen (11) scores a goal past Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) in the third period at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Fri Dec 19, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Tom Walker

SALT LAKE CITY–Daniil But scored his first NHL goal in his tenth career game, but New Jersey comes from behind to defeat Utah 2-1.

Having won two out of three on their recent road trip, the Utah Mammoth (17-16-3) returned to Delta Center on Friday night for the first of two games on a brief homestand, squaring off against the New Jersey Devils (19-14-1) who have lost seven of their last ten contests.

Making his season debut for Utah was forward Alexander Kerfoot, originally a Devils fifth round draft pick in 2012, who returned after missing 36 games following a procedure to repair a core muscle injury. In the Mammoth net was Karel Vejmelka, who entered the game leading the NHL with 15 victories.

At 9:35 of the first period, 6’5″ 20-year old Russian rookie Daniil But, who was recently called up from the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL, scored his first career NHL goal with a highlight-reel backhand in front of the Devils net, assisted by defenseman Sean Durzi, giving Utah a 1-0 lead.

As But celebrated his first goal, fans erupted into cheers which sounded like boos, because But’s last name is pronounced like “boot.” Among his teammates, however, But is known as “Cheeks,” a nickname bestowed by defenseman Nate Schmidt.

Utah selected But 12th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft. Last season he skated in 54 games with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in the KHL where he scored 9 goals and 19 assists in 54 games en route to his team winning the league’s Gagarin Cup. The Mammoth took the one-goal lead into the locker room after 20 minutes, with Vejmelka having stopped all 9 New Jersey shots.

The Devils tied things up at 11:21 of the second period when winger Connor Brown put a snap shot past Vejmelka for his ninth goal of the season, assisted by Nico Hischier and Dougie Hamilton. Other than that, both goaltenders held down their respective nets for the balance of the period. Through two periods of play, New Jersey goalie Jacob Markstrom saved 23 of 24 shots, and Vejmelka turned away 14 of 15.

Utah defenseman Mikhail Sergachev gave the Devils a power play at 3:11 of the third period for tripping against Jesper Bratt. A little more than a minute into the penalty, New Jersey forward Stefan Noesen cashed it in for his 3rd goal of the season, assisted by Hischier and Luke Hughes, to give the Devils their first lead of the game, 2-1. That goal would stand up as the game-winner as both goaltenders shut down the opposition the rest of the way.

In the Mammoth locker room, Kerfoot gave his first post-game interview of the season. “Yeah, it’s a tight game. One play kind of makes a difference, and when we score a power play goal, they score a power play goal,” Kerfoot said. “We had some looks there six-on-five to tie it up, but I thought overall, it was a pretty good hockey game, but they just made one more play than we did.” Asked how he felt in his first game back, Kerfoot said, “I’ve never gone through an injury like this. This season, I feel like more than ever, because the schedule is so condensed, we haven’t had practice time really at all. I haven’t gotten into a practice. So, my first couple shifts, it was just feeling, trying to keep it short. But overall, the game felt fast, but I felt good and felt like my touches were good when I was out there, and just got to keep building.” With regard to Daniil But’s first NHL goal, Kerfoot remarked, “Yeah, it’s great to see. Awesome moment for him. He’s a young kid who’s going to score lots of goals in this league. He’s had some looks, so it was nice for him to see one go in, and hopefully the floodgates open for him. I’ve thought that he’s been around the puck around the net, and it was just a matter of time before he got one.”

Daniil But’s excitement over his goal carried over from the ice and into the locker room. “I am not going to lie, it felt good when I scored,” But said, “but the most important thing is winning, and we lost today.” When asked what the team needs to do better moving forward, But’s answer was concise and to the point, “maybe more shots and guys in front of the net.”

Utah Mammoth Head Coach André Tourigny opened his postgame comments by saying, “We did a lot of good stuff. Dominated scoring, chances, shots, things like that. But, at the same time, they scored a big goal on their power play, then made a mistake, and on the rebound, we had an opportunity to put the game away when we had the lead and could not score the big goal or take advantage of our opportunity. In the third, they did a good job. Give them credit. At the same time, we need to find a way to put pucks in the net, to find seams, and to create more chaos, but we could not find a way to find seams and put pucks in the net.” Talking about the goal by Cheeks, Tourigny added, “It was a matter of time. He is playing good hockey, and there was no doubt it was coming. I am happy for him; it was an important goal for us.”

Utah (17-17-3) will play the Winnipeg Jets (15-17-2) at the Delta Center on Sunday afternoon before traveling to Colorado for their last game prior to the Christmas break on Tuesday.

Mammoth Slays The Kraken 5-3

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Utah Mammoth center Nick Schmaltz takes a shot on goal before their game against the Montreal Canadiens at the Delta Center on Fri Dec 12, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Tom Walker

SALT LAKE CITY–Nick Schmaltz had a goal and two assists as the Utah Mammoth goes back on the win column to close out homestand with a win over the Seattle Kraken 5-3.

Fresh off the news that team-leading goal scorer Logan Cooley is expected to miss the next 8 weeks with a lower body injury, the Utah Mammoth (14-15-3) took to the ice on Friday night against the visiting Seattle Kraken (12-10-6) hoping to overcome a stretch in which they have lost seven of nine.

Seattle hasn’t fared much better of late, having lost seven of their last seven. Returning to the ice for Utah was defenseman Olli Määttä who had sat out the previous eight games with an upper-body injury.

Neither team was able to get on the scoreboard in the opening period, with each side failing to score on the power play. Kraken netminder Philipp Grubauer stopped all 11 Mammoth shots, and Utah goaltender Karel Vejmelka turned away all nine shots by Seattle.

Kraken forward Mason Marchment got Seattle going at 3:35 of the second period with his third goal of the season, assisted by Freddy Gaudreau and Chandler Stephenson. At 8:09 of the frame Mammoth forward Nick Schmaltz snagged a loose puck in the Utah defensive zone and went the distance on a breakaway to even things up with his 12th goal of the season, unassisted.

At 13:24, a shot by Mammoth forward Kailer Yamamoto which got past Grubauer was waived off for goaltender interference by Liam O’Brien. Fans in the arena were vocal as the in-house replay showed O’Brien outside the crease and not engaging in any particular physical contact with Grubauer.

Utah head coach André Tourigny challenged the call, and the replay officials agreed with him to overturn the referee on the ice to the roaring approval of the Mammoth faithful. Yamamoto’s goal was his 4th of the season, assisted by O’Brien and Kevin Stenlund.

Utah has won five of six coach’s challenges so far this season, most in the NHL. Utah took the 2-1 lead to the locker room, with Vejmelka having stopped 14 of 15 Seattle shots while Grubauer turned away 11 of 13.

The Mammoth put themselves in a tight spot at 5:13 of the third period when defenseman John Marino took a slashing penalty against Jordan Eberle followed 18 seconds later with a delay of game penalty by defenseman Ian Cole who shot the puck over the glass from the defensive zone.

Utah’s penalty killing unit fought off the minute and 42 seconds 5-on-3, with Vejmelka making four great saves in addition to the defensive efforts of his teammates. A couple of minutes later, however, Mason Marchment struck again for the Kraken to double his season goal total at four, assisted by Ryan Lindgren and Brandon Montour, evening the score again at two apiece.

Lindgren gave the Mammoth a man-advantage opportunity at 12:34 when he took a trip to the sin bin for cross-checking against John Marino. The struggling Utah power play unit capitalized on the penalty with Dylan Guenther drilling a slap shot past Grubauer for his 14th goal of the season, tying him for the team lead, assisted by Schmaltz and Mikhail Sergachev putting the Mammoth ahead 3-2.

With Grubauer pulled for an extra attacker with a little more than two minutes to play, Utah forward JJ Peterka took a short pass from deep in the Mammoth defensive zone and flew down the ice, dodging four different Seattle skaters as he drove coast-to-coast and backhanded a shot while diving to the ice into the empty net to ice the game 4-2.

Peterka’s goal was his 13th on the season, assisted by Kevin Stenlund. With Grubauer still sitting on the bench for an extra attacker, Lawson Crouse made it 5-2 with 62 seconds left, launching his 8th goal of the season into the empty net, assisted by Schmaltz and Kevin Stenlund.

With 43 seconds remaining in the game, Kraken forward Ben Meyers flung a wrist shot past Vejmelka to make the score 5-3, but that would be the end of the Seattle threat as Utah finished the homestand on a winning note, sporting a 8-5-1 home record so far this season.

After the game, Nick Schmaltz talked about the “it” factor for the team in playing a complete game. “When we’re moving our feet, making plays, using our transition game against teams…We knew they weren’t as good off the rush and so we wanted to exploit that. I thought we did a good job tonight. Whether they scored or we scored, I thought we managed our emotions pretty well and kept fighting. It was a big two points.” Commenting on the mindset of playing with a lead in the third period, Schmaltz remarked, “I feel like we’ve been on the wrong side of a lot of one-goal games lately. It’s huge for our confidence to be able to (win one). Even though they tied it up, we get one on the power play and the power play wins it for us. That’s huge for our team and for the power play…We’ve got to be better, myself included. That was huge.” Schmaltz invoked the word “huge” again when talking about the 5-on-3 penalty kill. “That’s huge. 5-on-3 for a minute and 40 seconds is no joke. It’s usually your goalie that’s your best penalty killer in those situations, and (Karel Vejmelka) was great. He made some crazy saves with guys ringing one-timers off his head and whatnot. He was great.”

“(Everyone) was really good. It’s tough when you’re out there for a minute and 30 seconds. You get tired,” said forward Dylan Guenther. “They hung in there and they blocked shots. (The PK) was a big part of that win.” When asked about his power play goal, Guenther explained, “We’ve talked about loose puck recoveries. We did a really good job getting (the puck) back. When (Nick Schmaltz) got in the middle there, it was a tough play for them. He made a really nice pass.” With Logan Cooley out of commission through the Olympic break, Guenther said, “I think everyone has to step up. It’s not like one player is going to fill that space. That’s a huge role to fill. We just need a little bit better from everybody.”

Head Coach André Tourigny began his post-game remarks by saying, “I liked the result, that’s an easy one. I liked the way we went at the net, and we generated offense against a super stingy team. They are a little bit like Florida and LA. I think we keep improving offensively. I liked that part. There are things to clean up for us defensively, but I think we’re progressing offensively. We play with a lot of energy around the net, and now we break down teams with more shot volume and net presence. I like the fact that we have more weapons for us.” Special teams came up big for the Mammoth when it mattered most. Bear commented, “It’s not just producing, it’s producing when you need a goal. It’s when it’s a key opportunity. That they did on the power play. On the flip side, the PK was unreal. Five-on-three like that, when you lead by one, lose the lead after, but we’re leading by one at the moment. That was huge. Veg (Karel Vjemelka) was rock solid, but the entire PK unit was rock solid. There were block shots, good reads, good sticks, and good clearings. There was a lot of good stuff.” When asked about Schmaltz who recorded 3 points on the night, Tourigny said, “He works so hard. Sometimes it goes under the radar. He’s always at the net offensively. He drives that line, no doubt about it, in the sense that he is at the net all the time. He does all the dirty work, and he’s elite defensively. He’s always the first guy back, and he’s playing down low. He will sleep well tonight, and I guarantee that. He works really hard.” Tourigny also credited the video team for recommending the challenge to Yamamoto’s goal. “I think Hunter Cherni and Alec Rippetoe (video coaches) did very well. What you have to understand is the follow-up of daily calls in the NHL, and to stay on top of the rules and how every call goes. When I saw that, I’m not studying as much as them. When I saw the play, I said we need to make sure. He was really adamant about it. There was no doubt in his head. Really good job, and it was a key call at a key time, and that turned the game around a little bit.”

Utah (15-15-3) now hits the road for a trio of games against Pittsburgh, Boston, and Detroit before returning to Delta Center next Friday to face the New Jersey Devils.

Utah Mammoth game wrap: Florida Foils Utah 4-3 In Final Minute

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Utah Mammoth lost a close on to the visiting Florida Panthers at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wed Dec 10, 2025 (Utah Mammoth X photo)

By Tom Walker

SALT LAKE CITY–The Mammoth surrendered goals in the final minute of both the first and third period in loss to the Panthers 4-3.

The Utah Mammoth (14-14-3) took to the ice Wednesday night at Delta Center against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers (14-12-2) for the second game of a three game homestand. Utah fell to the Los Angeles Kings on Monday and are desperate to put some wins together after dropping 15 of their last 21.

The Mammoth caught a break at 11:17 of the opening period when a shot by Florida forward A. J. Greer banked off the goal post to Utah defenseman John Marino who rifled the puck to a wide open Dylan Guenther who beat netminder Sergei Bobrovsky on the breakaway for his 12th goal of the season to give the Mammoth a 1-0 lead. With just under a minute left in the frame, however, Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe beat Karel Vejmelka on the other end to tie things up with his 9th of the year, assisted by Aaron Ekblad and Sam Bennett. Barrett Hayton set a Utah franchise record with 6 shots on goal in the first period, but went to the locker room with nothing to show for it.

Florida took its first lead of the game at just a minute and forty seconds into the second period when Sam Bennett put a snap shot into the back of the net for his 8th of the season, assisted by Evan Rodrigues and Niko Mikkola. Less than two minutes later Bennett would strike again with a wrist shot to put the Panthers up 3-1, assisted by Verhaeghe.

Florida’s two-goal lead would last just 13 seconds as Guenther matched Bennett with his own second goal of the game, a backhand that beat Bobrovsky for his 13th of the season assisted by Lawson Crouse and John Marino, to bring Utah back within one.

Only Logan Cooley, who is currently sidelined with a lower-body injury, has more goals for the Mammoth with 14. At 14:37 of the second, Utah forward Jack McBain went down on his knees while knocking in a backhand for his third of the season to tie things up at three apiece, with Sean Durzi and Ian Cole picking up the assists.

Though the two teams were scoreless through 19 minutes of the third period, there was nothing even handed about the final frame. The Panthers, bolstered by two power play opportunities, spent most of the period in their offensive zone, outshooting Utah 19-4 as Vejmelka repeatedly bailed out the defense from the onslaught.

With 57 seconds remaining in the game, Florida’s Anton Lundell won a faceoff against Barrett Hayton, and then five seconds later put the Panthers ahead for good on a wrist shot assisted by Eetu Luostarinen and Sam Reinhart.

“I think we did a pretty good job getting to the net,” said Utah forward Jack McBain in the locker room after the game. “I think not only bodies, but we also had pucks there. I think we were pretty stingy for most of the game. I think obviously we need to learn from it, move on and try to be better.” When asked about how the Mammoth can get on the winning side of one-goal games, McBain responded, “Yeah, you have to find ways to win. I think, when you look around the league, good teams find ways to win hockey games, even when they don’t have their best or they’re close games. That’s something as a group, we got to figure out. Obviously, it’s been a challenging stretch. We know we have it in this group and in the locker room, so we are just trying to figure it out.”

“I thought we played pretty well, and even in the third, I thought we managed it well,” said Mammoth forward Dylan Guenther. “They played really well, and we were on our heels too much, probably just a few more pucks in deep, and a few more offensive zone drives.” Guenther lamented the team’s inability to get Vejmelka the win in the hard fought contest. “He played really well. I feel for him; we want to get that win for him. He kept us in it, especially in the end. I think they had like 19 shots in the third, that comes with power plays, but still too many.” When asked the same question about coming out ahead in one-goal games, Guenther remarked, “I think (we need to) shoot a few more pucks. Be comfortable in those situations. When the game is tied, I don’t think we have to get on our heels. Just keep pressing, keep attacking them. It’s unfortunate, but we play again in two nights, so make sure we get one to close it out.”

Head Coach André Tourigny was disappointed in the outcome, but not necessarily his team’s effort. “Obviously, a tough pill to swallow with the way that happened,” he began. “(Karel Vejmelka) was really good. I think we showed a lot of character being down by two goals; (to) come back in the game and give ourselves a chance. Like I said, it’s really frustrating to lose in that fashion. I think in the third period, we got in trouble. We got in the box; that’s how (Florida) got their momentum. I think that 5-on-5, we played good. A little too much on our heels, but mostly from our penalties. I thought we defended well until the last minute.” Looking at positives, Tourigny spoke of the team’s strong start in the opening period. “I was happy about that. We were focused, we were urgent. Obviously, (Florida) is a good team. I think we did a lot of good stuff…We didn’t play bad; we made two mistakes and they capitalized on those two mistakes. It’s not what you want, but at some point I’m (also) not expecting to play a perfect game. The second (goal) was unforced–that, I didn’t like. But other than that, it wasn’t like we were not playing well. We were playing well and made individual mistakes. Then, we showed a lot of character to come back in the game and tie the game. We had good momentum, we applied a lot of pressure; we did a lot of good stuff. Like I said about the third period, that’s unfortunate.” Bear’s frustration was evident, feeling his team deserved a better outcome. “Nobody will convince me that our guys are not resilient…You saw how they react during the game, the prep for the game, the way we start the game, et cetera, et cetera. I think that our guys are digging deep. I think last week was a really demanding schedule, and I felt the guys did everything they could to manage the rest the right way. Today, we had energy. We were not a tired team. We learned that as a young team. (We) will have a lot of teaching moments in (tonight’s) game. It is one thing to be a good NHL player; there’s another thing to play a brand of hockey like Florida plays; the physicality and everything. There will be a lot of good teaching opportunities for us.”

The Mammoth (14-15-3) hope to salvage the final game of the homestand on Friday against the Seattle Kraken (12-10-6) before embarking on a 3-game swing through Pittsburgh, Boston, and Detroit.

Kings Double Up Mammoth 4-2 To Open Homestand

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Utah Mammoth Daniil (19) battles with the Los Angeles Kings Cody Ceci (5) at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Mon Dec 8, 2025 (Utah Mammoth photo)

By Tom Walker

SALT LAKE CITY–Los Angeles struck twice in the first period and never looked back while defeating deflated Utah.

The Utah Mammoth (14-13-3) returned to Delta Center on Monday night to face the Los Angeles Kings (13-8-7)  following a six game road trip in which the team went 2-4-0. The road trip began on a tragic note when the father of Mammoth captain Clayton Keller passed away unexpectedly Thanksgiving night. Keller played the following day in a tough 4-3 loss at Dallas, and then again the following night in his hometown of St. Louis where the Mammoth fell 1-0 to the Blues.

Utah would go on to lose their fourth consecutive game in San Jose, 6-3, before breaking out with a 7-0 shellacking of the Pacific Division leading Anaheim Ducks.  Following a 4-1 victory against the Canucks in Vancouver, the road trip concluded in Calgary where the Flames shut out the Mammoth 2-0. 

Adding injury to insult, Utah forward Logan Cooley, who leads the Mammoth with 14 goals and is 3rd in points with 23, sustained a lower-body injury in Vancouver which will keep him out of the lineup indefinitely.

When the puck dropped in the first period, Utah radio play-by-play announcer Matt McConnell officially registered his 2000th NHL game behind the microphone.  His 29-season broadcasting career began in 1993 with the expansion Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and then continued with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Atlanta Thrashers, Minnesota Wild, and in 2011 he landed with the Phoenix Coyotes which were renamed the Arizona Coyotes before the 2014-2015 season.

When the assets of the Coyotes were sold and the team relocated to Salt Lake City, McConnell remained behind the mic for the new franchise.

Kings forward Adrian Kempe gave Los Angeles the first lead of the game with a backhand shot at 7:50 of the first period for his 10th goal of the season, assisted by Kevin Fiala.  Just over two minutes later, Fiala assisted on a breakaway goal by Joel Armia, his 6th on the year, to put the Kings up 2-0. 

At 11:05 of the frame, Mammoth forward Brandon Tanev had a breakaway of his own which he put into the back of the net, however the replay showed he was unquestioningly offside and L.A. held onto its two-goal lead heading into the locker room. Kings netminder Darcy Kuemper turned away all 7 Utah shots in the period, and Mammoth goalie Karel Vejmelka stopped 10 of 12.

Utah began the 2nd period on the power play, courtesy of an interference penalty by Andrei Kuzmenko against Dylan Guenther which carried over from the first period.  Just 34 seconds into the period, as fans were still settling into their seats, Clayton Keller fed Guenther a perfect pass which he one-timed into the Kings net for his 11th goal of the season to bring the Mammoth to within one, with defenseman Mikhail Sergachev picking up the second assist.

The goal is the fastest to begin a period so far this season for Utah.  Guenther’s 3rd power play goal of the season ties him for the team lead with Nick Schmaltz and Logan Cooley.  His 7th one-timer goal of the season also ranks third-most in the NHL.  The period would end with Kuemper stopping 5 of 6 shots, and Vejmelka turning away all 7 attempts by L.A.

In the 3rd, Kings captain Anze Kopitar put a backhand shot past Vejmelka for his 6th goal of the season at 3:27, assisted by Kempe and Joel Edmundson, to restore L.A.’s two-goal advantage.  At 12:15 of the third, Clayton Keller brought Utah back to within a goal with a beautiful backhand top shelf shot which Kuemper had absolutely no chance to save.

Keller’s 10th of the season was assisted by Nick Schmaltz and JJ Peterka who joined the top line in place of the injured Cooley. With Vejmelka pulled for the extra attacker, Kings forward Joel Armia scored his second goal of the game into an empty net, unassisted, to put the game away 4-2.

Utah Mammoth forward Brandon Tanev addressed the media after the game.  “Disappointed we didn’t get the two points. That’s a team that likes to play stingy through the neutral zone, and to generate offense, you’ve got to be simple with the puck. Get pucks to the net and ultimately create traffic. I think we did a little bit of that, but we didn’t do enough at the end of the day.” Talking about what the team needs to do moving forward, Tanev said, “I think we understood that wasn’t our best tonight, even though we fought and clawed at the end there. That’s a good hockey team. At the end of the day, we need to understand what makes us successful. Work on that in practice, and then we’ve got to get back here for the next one.”

Captain Clayton Keller commented, “Not a great first from us. They’re an experienced team. They’re structured. They defend really hard, and they made it tough on us in the first. We were able to kind of bounce back in the second. That’s one of our best second periods of the year in terms of everything. Game management and trying to outchange them and use our speed. It sucks to have that little push there and not be able to get it done.” Weighing in on what needs to be better, Keller stated bluntly, “Starting on time is obviously a big one. We’re a tough team to play against, and I think that’s the main thing from us. We know what we have to do each night. The coaches do a great job telling us how we have to play and how we can break them down and have success. Our execution was a little sloppy tonight, but as the game went on, it got a little bit better.” Talking about the third period he added, “There’s never any quit in this room. Guys play for one another. It sucks to not get the win. We did kind of push there. There are moments where we have a chance to score on the six-on-five, and we have to find a way to do it. Teams have done it to us, and that’s something over the last two years that we haven’t been able to do. That’s something that we can take away from it. Really dial that in. Practice it. Watch video. Our coaches do a great job, and it’s on us to execute and go out there and do it.”

Head Coach André Tourigny began his post-game remarks by saying, “We obviously didn’t have the start we were hoping for, and we needed to. Against that kind of team, it is tough to create offense. I like the way we played in the second and third. I thought we competed really hard, and our effort was there; the focus was there. Unfortunately, when you have that kind of a start, I often repeat in front of you, it’s a one-goal game all the time, so you cannot give any free opportunities to your opponent. I didn’t like our start, and, like I said, a really good second and third.”  Bear continued, “I think what LA does really well is counterattack. If you mismanage the puck or if you force play, they counterattack. In the first period, we definitely gave them too much space. We let them take the middle on the rush, so they had too many entries. I think after the guys adjusted well and did a really good job at it. But they’re number one in the league at certain things, for a reason, and I think by giving them the lead, it made them play in their strength even more so that was the unfortunate part of the night, because I think the effort, as I said, was good in the second and the third.”  During morning practice one of the players commented that the team was playing too much on the perimeter. Tourigny agreed.  “I think tonight we did. But I think tonight you could see in the third and the second we went in there, in the dirty area, and we got a few tips and a few rebounds. And I think the effort from the guys was definitely there.”

When a reporter for KSL.com noted that fans at Monday night’s game gathered to write letters to Keller after the unexpected passing of his father, Tourigny responded, “The community has a heart in the right place, there is no doubt about it.  We saw it last year when Ingram was going through a tough time, and again now they rally [for] Kells. I think when we often talk about home, how important are our fans, and how much we care and how much they care for us. I think I often talk about a relationship, I think always in tough moments you see who you can rely on.”  

The Mammoth (14-14-3) return to the ice Wednesday for the second game of three on this homestand against the Florida Panthers (14-12-2), followed by the Seattle Kraken on Friday.