Utah Mammoth Face Grueling Road Stretch with Four-Game Week Ahead
December is here, and for the Utah Mammoth, it’s arriving with a full schedule and a sense of urgency. The Mammoth are in the thick of a six-game road trip, with four matchups lined up this week as they look to snap a three-game skid and rediscover their rhythm.
Despite the recent losses, Utah has managed to stay competitive-earning points in six of their last 10 games. That resilience will be tested heavily in December, where the Mammoth are set to play 14 games, including 13 contests in just 23 days. Eight of those will be away from home, making this stretch a serious gut check for a team still carving out its identity.
Cooley Catching Fire
One bright spot for Utah has been the emergence of Logan Cooley. The forward has been on a tear lately, putting up five goals and seven points over his last five games.
That includes a four-goal explosion against the Vegas Golden Knights on November 24. Cooley now leads the team with 14 goals and is quickly becoming the offensive engine for this Mammoth squad.
After this week’s road gauntlet, Utah will finally return home for a three-game stand-much needed both physically and mentally.
But before that, here’s what’s on deck:
Game 1: Utah at San Jose
**Dec.
1 | 8:00 P.M. MT**
Watch: Utah16, Mammoth+
Listen: Utah Mammoth App, KSL Sports Zone, KSL Sports App, NHL App, NHL.com
This will mark the third and final meeting between Utah and San Jose this season-and the second straight game played in the Bay Area. The Mammoth are looking to avoid a season sweep, having dropped the first two matchups back in October and November.
Sharks on the Rise
San Jose is quietly putting together a solid stretch, winning four of their last seven. Five of those games were decided by a single goal, so this is a team that’s making opponents work for every inch.
The youth movement in San Jose is in full swing, led by Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith. Celebrini currently tops the team in goals, assists, and total points, while Smith sits right behind him in each category. These two are making a strong case for one of the most promising young duos in the league.
Special teams have been solid for the Sharks-they're middle-of-the-pack with the 14th-best penalty kill (81.1%) and the 18th-ranked power play (18.9%). San Jose sits fifth in the Pacific Division with 27 points and looks to keep climbing.
San Jose Injury Notes:
- F Jeff Skinner - lower-body
- F Michael Misa - lower-body
- D Vincent Desharnais - upper-body, IR
Game 2: Utah at Anaheim
**Dec.
3 | 8:00 P.M. MT**
Watch: TNT, truTV, HBO Max
Listen: Utah Mammoth App, KSL Sports Zone, KSL Sports App, NHL App, NHL.com
This is the second of three meetings between the Mammoth and Ducks this season-and the last one in Anaheim. Utah will host the final matchup in March.
Ducks Flying High
Anaheim has been one of the surprise stories of the early season. They enter the week atop the Pacific Division with 31 points and a 15-9-1 record. The Ducks are lighting up the scoreboard, averaging 3.60 goals per game-second-best in the league.
Their power play is clicking at a respectable 20%, good for 16th in the NHL. But it’s their young core that’s really turning heads.
Leo Carlsson is already up to 34 points (13 goals, 21 assists) in just 25 games, and Cutter Gauthier isn’t far behind with 30 points (15 goals, 15 assists). These two have been electric and are a big reason why Anaheim is off to such a strong start.
Anaheim Injury Notes:
- F Mikael Granlund - lower-body, IR
- G Lukas Dostal - upper-body, IR
- G Petr Mrazek - lower-body
Game 3: Utah at Vancouver
**Dec.
5 | 8:00 P.M. MT**
Watch: Utah16, Mammoth+
Listen: Utah Mammoth App, KSL Sports Zone, KSL Sports App, NHL App, NHL.com
This will be the first of three meetings between the Mammoth and Canucks this season-and the first of two in Vancouver. The teams will see each other again in February and April.
Canucks Looking to Regroup
Vancouver has struggled to find consistency, going 2-5-3 over their last 10 games. They’ve earned points in two of their last three, but at 10-13-3 overall, the Canucks are still trying to get back on track.
Their power play has been a relative bright spot, converting at 20.9%-15th in the league. But they’ll need more than special teams to climb out of seventh place in the Pacific Division, where they currently sit with 23 points.
Vancouver Injury Notes:
- F Nils Höglander - LTIR
- F Filip Chytil - IR
- F Jonathan Lekkerimäki - IR
- F Teddy Blueger - IR
- D Derek Forbort - IR
Game 4: Utah at Calgary
**Dec.
6 | 5:00 P.M. MT**
Watch: Utah16, Mammoth+
Listen: Utah Mammoth App, KSL Sports Zone, KSL Sports App, NHL App, NHL.com
This will be the second of three games between Utah and Calgary this season. The Mammoth hosted the Flames back in mid-October and will visit Calgary again in April.
Flames Heating Up
Calgary is starting to find a little rhythm, earning points in five of their last six games. They’ve gone 5-3-2 in their last 10 and enter the week with a 9-14-4 record.
Defensively, the Flames have been respectable. Their penalty kill ranks 10th in the league at 81.8%, and they’re allowing just under three goals per game (2.96), which puts them in the middle of the pack.
Still, they’re sitting in eighth place in the Pacific Division with 22 points and will be looking to gain ground during a four-game homestand that begins Thursday.
Calgary Injury Notes:
- F Sam Honzek - upper-body, out six months
- F Martin Pospisil - undisclosed
- D Zayne Parekh - upper-body
Injury Report - Utah Mammoth
- F Alexander Kerfoot - lower-body, IR
- D Juuso Valimaki - lower-body, injured non-roster
- D Olli Määttä - undisclosed, IR
- G Anson Thorton - lower-body, injured non-roster
The Road Ahead
This week is a pivotal one for the Mammoth. With four games in six nights, all on the road, Utah has a chance to right the ship-or risk falling further behind in a competitive Pacific Division.
The good news? Logan Cooley is heating up, and the team has shown flashes of resilience.
Now it’s about turning that grit into points. December’s schedule won’t cut them any slack-but if the Mammoth can weather this storm, they’ll come out stronger on the other side.