Fans flocked to the Delta Center on Friday with plenty of reasons to be excited about the Utah Mammoth. In just their second year of franchise history, the Mammoth were about to host their first playoff game against the Vegas Golden Knights. Commissioner Gary Bettman was in attendance and had just announced pregame that the Mammoth would host a Winter Classic on New Year’s Eve.
Their team certainly gave them something to cheer about. The Mammoth took a commanding lead halfway through the second period and held off a late Golden Knights push to secure a 4-2 win in their first home playoff game.
It took exactly 12:59 for the Mammoth to give the people what they wanted. After the Golden Knights lost a board battle, Keegan Kolesar disrupted a dangerous pass meant for Liam O’Brien. The puck came loose, and MacKenzie Weegar activated from the point and fired a clapper that hit Carter Hart in the mask, off his right pad, and into the net.
MacKenzie Weegar activates from the point, rips one home, and this place ERUPTS. 1-0, Mammoth pic.twitter.com/oxg2hKFZXl
The Mammoth doubled their lead on their only power play opportunity of the night at 17:45 in the first. Logan Cooley set Dylan Guenther up for a one-timer, which he blasted home from the far side.
The Utah power play has scored a goal. Really nice puck movement and Dylan Guenther unleashed a shot that actually might’ve been a bit slow for his standards. 2-0, Mammoth pic.twitter.com/bn0lwf1wa6
Hockey is a game of momentum, and a two-goal deficit is nothing for the 2026 Golden Knights. But things got away from them in the second period, and Lawson Crouse scored twice in a 5:42 span to hammer the nail into the coffin.
The first came 4:06 into the second. The Mammoth won a defensive zone face-off, and MacKenzie Weegar took it the other way and found Lawson Crouse at center ice. Crouse fed Nick Schmaltz; Schmaltz entered the zone and set Crouse up for his first goal of the postseason.
Utah’s top line this time. Lawson Crouse with a really great deflection. 3-0, Mammoth pic.twitter.com/vVzlsSjHgw
At 9:48 in the second, the Mammoth capitalized on another Golden Knights mistake. Clayton Keller intercepted a clearing attempt and found Lawson Crouse to keep the play alive. Crouse stepped into the slot and wristed a shot past Carter Hart for his second of the night.
That top line is really cooking now. Lawson Crouse with his second of the night. 4-0, Mammoth pic.twitter.com/JNRr1w0LpI
The Golden Knights finally solved Karel Vejmelka at 13:20 in the second. Mark Stone found Ivan Barbashev in front of the net, and Jack Eichel cleaned up the change.
Golden Knights get one back. Eichel’s first of the playoffs. 4-1, Mammoth pic.twitter.com/hEtObqafG5
The Golden Knights pushed in the third period, and, in addition to limiting the Mammoth to one shot on goal, scored again with 3:18 remaining in regulation. Cole Smith set up Nic Dowd for his second of the postseason to cut Utah’s lead to two.
Nic Dowd - Vegas Golden Knights (2)* pic.twitter.com/AUt1ciIQYx
Dowd’s goal gave them a new lease on life, and the Golden Knights pulled Carter Hart for the extra attacker. However, they didn’t register a shot on goal; despite an inability to hit the empty net, the Mammoth held on for a 4-2 win to take a 2-1 series lead.
1. Despite Friday marking the first home playoff game for the Utah Mammoth in franchise history, head coach John Tortorella wasn’t afraid of an energetic Delta Center. Instead, he saw it as something for his Golden Knights to feed off of.
“We loved coming to [T-Mobile Arena], because I think it helps the visiting team,” said Tortorella on Friday morning. “I think it’s a wash point, honestly. I think our players are entertainers. They love playing in front of people, and I’m sure it’s going to be very exciting here tonight for both teams.”
To Tortorella’s credit, the Golden Knights didn’t seem intimidated by the raucous crowd. By the end of the second period, shots were 23-11 in favor of Vegas. But some demons are hard to exorcise– once again, despite recording 32 shots and generating38 total scoring chances, they simply couldn’t do the only thing that matters in hockey: actually score the goals.
2. Tortorella is quick to change his lines, but he’s not considering making a change in goal.