The Utah Mammoth, riding a six-game win streak, face the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday in the second half of a back-to-back. Both teams sit high in the Central Division standings, with Utah at 7-2-0 and Winnipeg at 6-2-0. The matchup at Canada Life Centre marks the first of three meetings this season between the clubs.
The Mammoth enter the game atop the Central Division with 14 points, tied for the most in the NHL alongside the New Jersey Devils and Montreal Canadiens. Their recent 6-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday featured a three-goal first period and three-goal third, with Logan Cooley and Nick Schmaltz each scoring twice. JJ Peterka and John Marino (empty-net) also tallied, while starting goaltender Karel Vejmelka made 32 saves on 34 shots. Utah's offense has exploded for 29 goals in nine games, averaging 3.78 per game (third in the NHL), while holding opponents to 2.44 goals per game (eighth fewest) and 24.3 shots (tied for second fewest).
Schmaltz and Cooley lead the team with seven goals each, tying them for second in the NHL. Schmaltz tops Utah with 15 points, second league-wide behind Vegas' Jack Eichel. Captain Clayton Keller shares the assist lead with Schmaltz at eight. With the back-to-back schedule—the first of the season for Utah—Vítek Vaněček is expected to start in net. He has appeared in two games with a 2.01 goals-against average and .897 save percentage.
Facing the Jets
Winnipeg rebounded from a 3-0 loss to Seattle with a 5-3 win over Calgary on Friday, powered by a four-goal second period. Goals came from Kyle Connor, Jonathan Toews, Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iafallo and Vladislav Namestnikov, with two on the power play. Eric Comrie stopped 30 of 33 shots. The Jets rank third in the Central with 12 points, boasting the NHL's top penalty kill at 94.1 percent and a power play at 25.8 percent (eighth). They average 3.50 goals per game (ninth) and allow 2.38 (fourth fewest). Mark Scheifele leads with seven goals and 12 points, while Connor has six assists. Connor Hellebuyck holds a 4-2-0 record, 2.01 GAA and .932 save percentage.
Head coach André Tourigny highlighted Winnipeg's strengths: “Their key players are really good, but as well, their (defense) are holding on to pucks and making a lot of plays. They’re really good on their breakouts... Their goalie is top of the league.” Forward Brandon Tanev, who began his career in Winnipeg, added: “We know it’s not going to be an easy game tonight. They feed off the energy of their building. We got to keep our simplicity, get pucks to the net... It’s getting in his eyes, making things difficult in front of him.”
This is the third game of Utah's four-game road trip against Central foes and the final of Winnipeg's three-game homestand. Projected lineups include Keller centering Hayton and Schmaltz for Utah, and Connor with Scheifele and Vilardi for the Jets. Injuries for Utah: Sean Durzi (upper body), Alex Kerfoot (lower body). For Winnipeg: Cole Perfetti (ankle), Dylan Samberg (wrist), Adam Lowry (hip surgery, recovering).