Utah kept rolling Saturday night, and Columbus kept paying for its mistakes.
The Mammoth scored three times on the power play and beat the Blue Jackets 4-1 to move to 2-0 on the season. Nick Schmaltz led the way with two goals, including the one that pushed him to 500 career NHL points.
Mikhail Sergachev started the scoring at 11:55 of the first period, stepping into space near the blue line and driving a shot through traffic past Jet Greaves. Less than five minutes later, Schmaltz made it 2-0 and put Utah in control early.
Columbus got a quick response to open the second. Just 90 seconds into the period, Kent Johnson broke free and beat Sebastian Cossa to trim the lead to one. That was the Blue Jackets’ only breakthrough.
Cossa, making his Utah debut, settled in after that goal and shut the door the rest of the way. He finished with 15 saves.
Utah put the game away in the third period. Dylan Guenther scored on the power play at 5:59, giving him three power-play goals through Utah’s first two games. Then Schmaltz struck again at 14:13 with the extra skater to make it 4-1 and reach the 500-point milestone.
Sergachev finished with a goal and an assist, while Guenther and Logan Cooley each picked up two assists. The Mammoth also opened a five-game road trip with the win, and they did it in the first half of a back-to-back.
Through two games, Utah is perfect at 2-0 and already has five power-play goals.
In Other News...
Mikhail Sergachev's Status Suddenly Matters A Lot For Utah's Defense
Utah left New Jersey with a 5-3 win and a useful reminder of how much different the defense looks when Mikhail Sergachev is driving the play. Nick Schmaltz scored his fifth goal of the season, Sergachev picked up three assists and the Mammoth had enough offense to outlast the Devils, a result that should have been more about the standings than the blue line.
Instead, the bigger concern came late in the second period, when Sergachev exited after absorbing a puck and his status was left uncertain. With other injuries already thinning Utahs defense, any absence from one of its most important puck movers would ripple quickly, and it is the kind of situation that naturally leads to questions about whether the team might need outside help if the timeline stretches out. [Read more 🡒]
Utahs Power Play Is Suddenly Making The Central Take Notice
Utah keeps looking like a team the Central Division may have to take seriously, and the latest proof came in a 5-3 win over the Devils that pushed the Mammoth to 3-1. Nick Schmaltz and Clayton Keller drove the offense again, but the more notable development for opponents has been how dangerous Utah has become with the man advantage, converting 8 of 13 power-play chances this season.
The night also brought mixed feelings around Mikhail Sergachev, who picked up a career milestone while the game was unfolding. He was involved in the offense before leaving after an injury, adding a reminder that Utahs early-season surge has come with at least a little concern attached as the club waits to see how its defenseman responds. [Read more 🡒]
Roadrunners Take Early Frustration Into A Defining First Road Test
The Tucson Roadrunners head into their first road games of the season this weekend with a chance to reset the early tone of their schedule, visiting the San Jose Barracuda on Friday and Saturday. After a stretch that has already given the team some early frustration, Tucson has also seen a few encouraging signs from its younger group, with rookies beginning to chip in and some of the familiar contributors from last season again carrying weight in the lineup.
San Jose should provide a stern test after a recent overtime win, especially with the Barracuda in the middle of a six-game homestand and looking to keep momentum at home. For Tucson, the question is less about survival on the road than whether this trip can start to reveal a clearer identity, one shaped by the blend of first-year players trying to find their footing and established pieces expected to set the pace. [Read more 🡒]