Utah’s first real stretch of home ice is finally on the horizon, but not before the Mammoth finish one more road game and then dive into a three-game week that includes a back-to-back. They enter the week at 10-7-1 and have gone 4-5-1 over their last 10, a run that still included some useful work on the road.
The Mammoth came back from a five-game trip back east with a 2-2-1 mark, banking five of a possible 10 points. The wins came against Pittsburgh, 4-3 in overtime, and Toronto, 3-2 in regulation. Utah also picked up an overtime loss in Montréal, 5-4, while the two setbacks were at Philadelphia, 6-3, and Ottawa, 4-2.
One thing Utah has already done a lot of this season: travel. The Mammoth are tied with Florida and Minnesota for the most road games played in the league with 12. Wednesday’s matchup is the last of six straight away from the Delta Center.
The offense has been carrying plenty of the load. Logan Cooley has scored in four of his last six games and piled up 10 points in that span, with eight goals and two assists.
He also posted two hat tricks on the road trip. Clayton Keller is riding a five-game points streak with one goal and eight assists, and he has points in all but three of Utah’s first 18 games.
Mikhail Sergachev has also been a steady source of production, with points in all but four of those first 18 games, though his nine-game points streak ended in Ottawa.
Special teams have been a major edge, too. Utah’s power play is second in the NHL at 37.1 percent, and the team has scored 23 goals with the man advantage. Nick Schmaltz leads the club with seven power-play goals.
Here’s what’s ahead for Utah this week.
Wednesday brings the first meeting of the season with Vegas, and the first of two games at T-Mobile Arena. The Golden Knights are 12-5-2 and have gone 5-3-2 over their last 10. They just finished a four-game East Coast trip, opening with a 3-2 shootout loss to Boston before winning three straight over Pittsburgh, Detroit, and Buffalo.
Vegas has also spent plenty of time away from home early on, with 10 road games through its first 19. Tomas Hertl is on a four-game points streak with four goals and two assists, and he scored twice in the Golden Knights’ most recent game. Mitch Marner has points in four of his last five games with one goal and six assists, and after a two-point night in that latest game, he became the fastest player to reach 100 points on the team in franchise history, according to the Golden Knights.
Defensively, Vegas has been stingy, allowing the fifth-lowest goals-against average in the NHL at 2.63. Its power play is also clicking at 26.3 percent, good for ninth in the league. The Golden Knights will open a five-game homestand against Utah.
On Thursday, Utah returns home to face St. Louis in the first of four divisional meetings this season and the first of two at the Delta Center.
The Blues are 7-8-2 and have gone 4-5-1 over their last 10. They’re coming off a four-game road trip that started with a 5-4 win in Detroit, then turned with three straight losses to the Rangers, Devils, and Predators.
St. Louis has played 10 road games and seven at home so far, and those 10 away games are tied for seventh-most in the NHL.
Philip Broberg has points in four of his last five games, collecting two goals and five assists in that stretch. His nine assists are tied for the team lead, and his 13 points are the most on the Blues.
Jimmy Snuggerud has scored three goals in his last five games, the most on the team over that span, and his nine goals lead St. Louis.
The Blues have also been sharp on the penalty kill, ranking eighth in the NHL at 84.4 percent. Over their first three games this month, they’ve killed eight of nine penalties. When they come to Salt Lake City, it will be the second of their three games this week and their only road game.
Saturday closes the week with San Jose at the Delta Center, the first of three meetings between the teams this season and the first of two in Salt Lake City. The Sharks are 7-11-1 and have dropped seven of their last 10. They return home after a three-game road trip and four total games last week, but they’ve lost their first four games in November to Calgary, Los Angeles, Minnesota, and Dallas.
San Jose has already logged 11 road games, tied for fourth-most in the NHL and just one fewer than Utah. Macklin Celebrini has five points in his last five games with two goals and three assists, and he’s on a three-game points streak. His seven goals are tied for the team lead, while his 14 assists and 21 points are both team highs.
The Sharks have a busy week of their own with four games, including a weekend back-to-back. Six of their next seven are at home, with the lone road game coming Saturday night in Salt Lake City.
In Other News...
Utah Mammoth Add A New Teammate With A Bigger Purpose
The Utah Mammoth have added a new teammate with a purpose far beyond the rink, introducing Bryce as the organizations second future service dog through a partnership with America First Credit Union and Americas VetDogs. Bryce will begin the long training process to become a service dog for veterans or first responders with disabilities, and the pup will also make the rounds at community events and select home games as part of the teams outreach efforts.
For a franchise still building its identity in Utah, the program gives fans another way to connect with the club while supporting a cause with real impact. Bryce will be a familiar face around the team in the months ahead, and his first public appearance for supporters is set for Military Appreciation Night on Nov. 12, when the Mammoth plan to spotlight the work behind the initiative. [Read more 🡒]
Utah Makes A Defensive Move Arizona Fans Will Want To Track
The Utah Mammoth have brought up defenseman Zac Jones from their AHL affiliate in Tucson, a move that gives Arizona fans one more name to watch closely down the road. It is Jones first call-up of the season, and it comes after he recently signed a two-year, two-way contract with Utah, a sign the organization still sees a place for him in its defensive picture.
Jones has plenty of experience at both the AHL and NHL levels, and his time with the Roadrunners has kept him on the radar in the desert. He has produced well in Tucson and has been one of the more productive defensemen on that blue line, which makes this recall worth tracking even if it does not immediately change the picture in Arizona. [Read more 🡒]