Utah rolls into Montréal with a chance to keep something going that’s been hard to find this season: consecutive wins.
The Mammoth have answered every loss with a victory so far, but that next step is still sitting there waiting. After a 3-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, Utah now gets another test on the road, and head coach André Tourigny said the Toronto game can serve as the template.
“I think we need to have the start and mindset we had in Toronto,” Tourigny explained. “I think we played to our identity.
I liked the pace we had, I liked the focus we had. I think that's a good building block for us.”
Utah held a full morning skate before tonight’s game, and the spotlight also falls on captain Clayton Keller, who is set to play in his 700th career NHL game. Keller is the third-youngest active player to reach that mark and is in his 10th full NHL season.
Barrett Hayton, a longtime friend and teammate, spoke about what Keller brings every night.
“He’s such a passionate hockey player,” Hayton said. “He loves the game, he’s always working on his game, everyone sees that.
I think that just brings the best out of everyone. Obviously, at the same time, we see his competitiveness in the game, and the emotion and hunger he plays with and that’s infectious for sure.”
Utah comes in at 10-6-0 and sits second in the Central Division with 20 points. The win in Toronto came with goals from Dylan Guenther, Andrew Peeke and Nick Schmaltz, while Sebastian Cossa turned aside 27 of 29 shots for his fourth win of the season.
Schmaltz and Logan Cooley are tied for the team lead with eight goals apiece, while Keller leads Utah with 17 assists and 21 points. In net, Utah has leaned on Karel Vejmelka and Cossa.
Vejmelka is 6-5-0 with a 3.31 goals-against average, a .872 save percentage and one shutout. Cossa is 4-1-0 with a 2.95 goals-against average and a .875 save percentage.
The road trip continues after Montréal, with Utah set to finish the five-game swing Saturday in Ottawa. Next week, the Mammoth will wrap up six straight road games in Vegas.
Montréal, meanwhile, enters at 9-3-3 and has been rolling lately, going 7-1-2 over its last 10. The Canadiens are second in the Atlantic Division with 21 points, even after a 5-4 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets in their last outing.
Cole Caufield scored twice on the power play in that game, with Owen Beck and Josh Anderson also finding the net. Jacob Fowler stopped 42 of 47 shots.
Caufield leads Montréal with 10 goals, while Lane Hutson’s 11 assists are the team high. Caufield and Hutson are tied for the team lead with 14 points.
Fowler and Jakub Dobes are the Canadiens’ goaltending duo. Fowler is 7-1-1 with a 2.17 goals-against average, a .925 save percentage and two shutouts. Dobes is 2-2-2 with a 4.05 goals-against average and an .853 save percentage.
Tourigny also pointed to the challenge Montréal presents, especially with its pressure game and the way its defense joins the attack.
“They’re a really good forecheck team now,” Tourigny shared. “They’re (defensemen) put a lot of pucks on the net.
They’re one of the best teams in the league in tips, deflections and rebounds offensively. And obviously, they represent a challenge, their (defensemen) can skate, and they support the rush really well so we need to be aware of that.”
The numbers around Utah’s start help explain why this trip has felt dangerous. The Mammoth have scored 33 road goals, fifth-most in the NHL, and their power play is second in the league at 36.4%. Schmaltz’s six power play goals are tied for third-most in the NHL, and Guenther’s five are sixth.
Montréal has been stingy in the second period, allowing the second-fewest goals in that frame with 12. Fowler’s seven wins are tied for sixth-most in the NHL.
There are also a few milestones within reach for Utah players. Keller is one game away from 700 career NHL games.
Vincent Trocheck is two assists away from 400 career NHL assists. Hayton is two assists away from 100 career NHL assists.
Guenther is three assists away from 100 career NHL assists and three goals away from 100 career NHL goals. Kevin Stenlund is five points away from 100 career NHL points.
This is the first of two meetings between Utah and Montréal this season. The Canadiens will visit Utah later this month.
Utah’s next stop after tonight is Ottawa on Nov. 7, followed by a Nov. 11 home game against Vegas. Montréal heads to Toronto for a Saturday night matchup with the Maple Leafs.
In Other News...
Logan Cooley Gave Arizona Fans A Lot To Talk About Again
Logan Cooley was back in the spotlight Monday night, and Coyotes fans had every reason to keep one eye on what he was doing in Utah. In a 5-4 overtime loss to Montral, Cooley put together a four-point night that once again reminded people why his name still carries so much weight in Arizona circles, even after the franchises move. Sebastian Cossa turned aside 30 shots, but the Mammoth could not hold off the Canadiens in a game that stayed tight all the way to the finish.
For Arizona followers, Cooleys latest burst is the kind of development that keeps the old debate alive about what he can become and how quickly he is getting there. The night also came with a concern on the blue line, as Nate Schmidt left early with an upper-body injury and did not return, adding another layer of unease to a game that already had plenty of drama attached to it. [Read more 🡒]
Utah Let A Winnable Road Game Slip Away Again
The Utah Mammoth had a chance to make the final stop of a five-game road trip feel like a turning point, and for much of the night in Ottawa, it looked like they might leave with something to show for it. They outshot the Senators and stayed in the game with a generally competitive effort, but the margins were thin and the mistakes were costly in a 4-2 loss that felt very much like one that got away.
Karel Vejmelka showed some improvement in net, but he still allowed three goals as Utahs late-game issues surfaced again. Instead of heading home with momentum, the Mammoth are left sorting through another close defeat before a tougher test against the Vegas Golden Knights, a matchup that will say a lot about whether this group can turn decent play into points. [Read more 🡒]