3 Takeaways From Mammoth’s 3-2 OT Win Over Predators

by

The first “Ice Age” matchup is officially in the books, and so is the Utah Mammoth’s first win of the season. In a thrilling game against their Central Division opponent, the Nashville Predators, the Mammoth pulled off a win that, at times throughout the game, they didn’t deserve to get.

The game was another showcase of why the Mammoth need to keep their foot on the pedal for the whole 60 minutes. Despite a great first period, a second-period lapse once again happened for the team. Luckily, their willingness to win kept this game close and eventually led to the win. Here are some takeaways from the Mammoth’s 3-2 overtime win on Saturday.

Karel Vejmelka’s 200th Game Exhibits How Important He Is to the Mammoth

Saturday’s game was a big one for the Mammoth’s starting goaltender. The game marked the 200th appearance for Karel Vejmelka in an NHL game. Coincidentally, it was against the team that drafted him all the way back in 2015.

Despite the monumental occasion, his old team didn’t hold back on him. Vejmelka was kept busy, especially with the number of penalties the Mammoth took. The Czech goaltender stood strong, making 20 saves and helping his team get its first win of the season.

“Having a guy like him back there is real confidence for us,” Jack McBain said. “He makes a lot of big saves in big-time moments. He keeps us in there and keeps us in the fight and gives us a chance.”

The players on the Mammoth have stated numerous times that the goal this season is to make the playoffs. If they want to do that, they need a good goaltender behind them. Vejmelka has been exactly that so far this season.

Despite losing against the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday, Vejmelka made a bunch of highlight-reel-worthy saves against players like Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar. It was no different on Saturday. Especially in the second and third periods, when the Predators started to outshoot the Mammoth, Vejmelka held strong to keep his team in it.

Related: Tucson Roadrunners Reveal New Jerseys for 10th Anniversary Season

“The goalie is such an important piece of your team,” Dylan Guenther said. “When he’s playing well, it gives us the confidence to take chances sometimes, and have trust in him back there. He’s a big part of our team, and if we’re going to make the playoffs, he’s our key player.”

It might be just his 200th NHL game, but Vejmelka has plenty more coming in the future, especially with the upward trajectory of the Mammoth. Winning his 200th game, though, had to be a special moment for him regardless, and it was a special moment for his team to help him get it as well.

Penalties Create a True Test for the Mammoth

In the first period, the Mammoth were playing some really good hockey. They outshot the Predators 11-6 and had multiple great power-play opportunities, including three shots in a row from Nick Schmaltz to end the period.

Then the second period happened. Dmitri Simashev took a high-sticking penalty. A couple of minutes later, Kevin Stenlund took a slashing penalty. It kept on going, to the point where the Mammoth had six penalties in the second period alone. By that time, the Predators outshot them 8-3 in the middle frame.

The Predators had a lot of good chances during their power-play opportunities as well. Roman Josi almost scored early in the third on the power play, but the Mammoth’s video coaches were able to wipe it out due to offsides.

The Mammoth also had a good penalty kill on their side. The unit killed off all five penalties, but taking that many penalties each game is something they can’t do. With that mindset, head coach André Tourigny was rightfully upset about the five penalties after the game.

“They are all frustrating,” Tourigny said. “Unless to deny a scoring chance, they’re frustrating. We’ll clean that up.”

Penalties were a huge topic in camp, which makes sense given the absurd amount the Mammoth took on Saturday. It’s a tough league, and teams like the Avalanche will capitalize on any mistake you give them. The Mammoth got lucky against the Predators. The players know that.

“Something we talked about in camp is staying out of the box and trying to give them fewer chances,” McBain said. “Guys are really good in this league; they’ll find ways to break down your penalty kill. You really have to try your best to stay out of there.”

Jack McBain Utah Hockey Club
Jack McBain, Utah Hockey Club (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

The multiple kills throughout the second period and early in the third did set up a chance for the Mammoth to show how well they can play with adversity and under pressure. Down 2-1, the team started fighting back, generating some good chances against Juuse Saros.

It was a little more than halfway through the period when McBain found the puck off a Nick Schmaltz tip and was able to jam the rebound home. It was somewhat of a reward for him after the numerous physical plays he had throughout the game. Tourigny saw him as a big standout and a reason why the Mammoth ultimately won the game.

“When we were in deep water, he really stood out for me,” Tourigny said. “You see his play, his intensity, his battle level. He was a difference maker for us.”

McBain was a big standout, eventually getting the second star of the game. His goal tied it all up and set up a certain budding star to win the game for his team.

Who Else But Dylan Guenther to Win It?

Once again, Guenther’s fingerprints were all over the Mammoth game, which eventually culminated in the game-winning goal.

It started in the first period when JJ Peterka fed Guenther the puck, which he later gave to Logan Cooley with a great backhanded pass. Cooley then immediately shot the puck into the back of the net to score the first goal of the game.

The speed of the line of Peterka, Guenther, and Cooley is one of the best in the league. It enables them to get past defenses like what they did with the Predators and to score some pretty goals. For Guenther, it’s the best attribute the team has.

“Speed is our biggest asset,” Guenther said. “As a team, and our line especially, we’re young, we’re fast, and we play the right way and don’t force it. We just play our game, and it’s going to be hard for other teams to stop us.”

It was a prelude to what the young forward did in overtime. While in the Predators’ zone, Mikhail Sergachev gave the puck to Guenther, who passed it to himself using the boards to break free of a defenseman. All alone, Guenther put on some nice moves to eventually put the puck past Saros on his backhand to win the game.

It was the fifth overtime winner that the 2021 first-round pick has scored in his short NHL career. He is now the fourth player in NHL history to score that many in his first 150 games, joining Cole Caufield, Kirill Kaprizov, and Punch Broadbent.

It’s worth mentioning that right before Guenther’s overtime winner, Sean Durzi was involved in a hit that made him fall to the ice on the same shoulder he had to get surgery on last season. He immediately left the ice in pain. Last season, he was out from October to February due to the injury. The Mammoth are really hoping it’s not a similar scenario.

Guenther’s overtime winner was what the Mammoth’s resilience and good play in the face of adversity led up to. It was a great overtime where they controlled the play. Their stars scored when it mattered most, and it showed that this Mammoth team isn’t one to give up when it’s looking rough and pucks aren’t going their way.

“I liked our resilience,” Tourigny said. “We talked about mental strength and being tough mentally. We got in the box a little bit too much in the second, and instead of folding, we bounced back and played better in the third. We had better battles, and we were resilient. I’m happy about that part of our game. It’s a good character for us, and that’s who we want to be as a team.”

The Mammoth made a mistake. They paid for it and nearly lost the game due to it. However, they continued fighting hard, and they found a way. That’s what playoff teams do. That’s the attitude you need to make it into the postseason. Doing whatever it takes, and that’s what the Mammoth did.

It might not have been the prettiest win on Saturday. There are certainly things Touringy and his team will need to work on, like reducing the number of penalties. However, it was a character win. It was a statement to other teams that this is a different Mammoth team from last season. It’s one now filled with speed, skill, and determination. 

Heading into their final game of the road trip against the Chicago Blackhawks, a complete 60-minute game for the Mammoth would be a great step forward for them. Hopefully, one filled with fewer penalties. Despite this, they’ll be heading to Illinois on a high note after getting their first win in a big way.

The Mammoth are now 1-1-0 to start the season. The Blackhawks, however, are on a three-game losing streak heading into Monday’s matchup, most recently losing 3-2 to the Montreal Canadiens. The two played each other four times last season. The Mammoth won three of those games, including the most recent matchup by a score of 5-2.

SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE TO OUR UTAH MAMMOTH SUBSTACK NEWSLETTER