Utah Mammoth Can Now Say Its Officially Undefeated at the Newly Renovated Delta Center Technically, Utah didn’t play its first home game of the preseason tonight— its preseason loss to Los Angeles in …
On a stormy October day in Utah, there were two notable downpours in the area.
The first was outside, as Salt Lake City was drenched in rain and blanketed by gray clouds. The second? That was inside the Delta Center, where the Utah Mammoth poured on goals in a 6–4 shootout win over the San Jose Sharks.
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Both teams had stretches of dominance, starting with Utah, which scored four straight goals in the first period to build a 4–1 lead.
It was a fire sale for Utah, as four different players — Mikhail Sergachev, Dylan Guenther, Kailer Yamamoto, and Andrew Agozzino — each found the back of the net. The offense was moving and was a true team effort.
But the big lead Utah built in the first period quickly evaporated, as San Jose responded with three unanswered goals in the second.
Utah Mammoth Has Traded Connor Ingram to the Edmonton Oilers
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With the game tied 4–4 entering the third, it felt like whoever grabbed momentum first would take control.
Luckily for Mammoth fans, it was Utah that struck first. An early San Jose elbowing penalty gave the Mammoth a chance to regain possession and settle into the offensive zone.
Although Utah couldn’t convert on the power play, the team looked back in control — and it showed just minutes later when Clayton Keller scored Utah’s fifth goal, giving the Mammoth the lead for good.
All it took was a quick swing from Sean Durzi before Clayton Keller ripped a one-timer that hit teammate Jack McBain in the face and went into the net, giving Utah the lead once again.
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“We’ve gotten better each game and each day,” said Keller. “We had a lot of guys banged up so we had some different line combinations. But I think the last two games and getting most of our roster together, trying to get that chemistry to get your wind. I thought we did a good job tonight.”
A few minutes later, Branden Tanev extended the lead to 6–4, and San Jose couldn’t mount a second comeback, even after pulling its goalie with more than three minutes remaining.
“I obviously was really happy about the way we played for most of the game. I did not like the second period,” said coach André Tourigny. “I think it’s a good opportunity for us to learn. We were not as fast in the second period. We were not on our toes, and that cost us. I think we learned from there, and I really like the way we respond in the third.”
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Though this was still just a preseason game, Utah has to be happy with its best offensive performance coming in a matchup that featured most of its starting roster, albeit without Logan Cooley, Alexander Kerfoot, and Barrett Hayton.
Now all Utah Mammoth has left to do is to figure out who will be ready to go and who the team needs to keep on its active roster for its season opener against the Colorado Avalanche on Oct. 9.
Even though Utah’s first game is still a little ways off, the NHL season officially begins on Oct. 7 with a tripleheader that includes the LA Kings facing the Colorado Avalanche — a perfect matchup for Mammoth fans to watch, with Utah set to play Colorado soon after.
Utah Mammoth Can Now Say Its Officially Undefeated at the Newly Renovated Delta Center
Source: Utah News