The Utah Mammoth head into Boston tonight trying to string together a second straight win, and they’ll do it in the middle of a tough road stretch. This is the fourth game in a five-game trip, with puck drop set for Oct. 8 at 5:00 p.m. MT.
Boston has stumbled a bit after opening the season well, dropping two straight. The Bruins also made one of the offseason’s more notable moves when they traded for JJ Peterka from the Mammoth, adding another layer to this matchup between familiar faces.
Here’s the setup: Utah is 3-1-0, while Boston sits at 2-2-0. Fans can watch on ESPN+, Hulu, and Disney+.
The Bruins will be without Charlie McAvoy, who is out for this game. Outside of that, Boston is described as being in pretty good shape health-wise.
Utah’s injury picture is less settled. Maveric Lamoureux is still out after surgery last week, and that recovery is expected to keep him sidelined for 4-6 months.
Mikhail Sergachev’s status is still up in the air after getting hurt Tuesday night. He’s day-to-day and questionable for this one, with more clarity expected soon on whether this is a short-term issue or something that will keep him out longer.
On the ice, Utah has already shown some bite early in the season. The Mammoth have been sharp on the power play and have put up more than 30 shots in every game so far. Boston, meanwhile, has not been generating much offense over its last two losses, which makes this a tricky spot for the Bruins if Utah keeps pressing the pace.
The goaltending question is worth watching too. Sebastian Cossa could make his second start, or Karel Vejmelka could get his third in a row. Both have handled limited work well, and Cossa getting another chance would be a notable development.
In Other News...
Nick Schmaltz Is Making Arizona Fans Revisit A Familiar Question
Nick Schmaltz has been the kind of player Coyotes fans still remember well, the sort who made people wonder what might have been if the timeline had gone a little differently in Arizona. Now with Utah, he has drawn fresh attention early in the season while playing with the same intelligence and touch that made him such a valued piece in the first place, and head coach Andre Tourigny along with teammates have continued to talk up the details of his game.
The lingering part for Arizona followers is not the admiration, but the old familiar question it stirs up. Schmaltz has made a habit of turning heads again, and with the way he has started this season, it is impossible not to revisit how much of that player the Coyotes once had in their own building before he moved on. [Read more 🡒]
Coyotes Prospect Shuffle Starts Before Tucsons First Road Trip
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The wrinkle for the Coyotes pipeline is that none of the five had appeared in a game for Tucson this season, so the assignments are more about positioning than a demotion after a long run in the lineup. For a team that is always juggling development and depth, the next step for these prospects will be worth tracking once the Roadrunners get through their first road tests and the organizational picture starts to settle a little more. [Read more 🡒]
Mammoth May Have Avoided The Defensive Injury Fans Feared
Utahs 5-3 win over New Jersey gave the Mammoth a little history with their first franchise victory against the Devils, but the bigger concern was the sight of Mikhail Sergachev leaving with a head injury. Any time a top defenseman exits like that, the reaction is immediate, especially for a team still settling into its identity and trying to build on an early-season breakthrough.
Andre Tourigny offered a more reassuring update the next morning, and the timing matters with Sebastian Cossa lined up for his second start of the season after a strong first outing. For Utah, the result in New Jersey already checked an important box; now the attention shifts to whether Sergachev can stay in the lineup and keep the blue line intact as the schedule keeps moving. [Read more 🡒]