UPDATE: The Utah Mammoth continue their impressive run, securing a 6-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild in St. Paul, Minnesota, on January 13, 2024. This marks their sixth consecutive win, with standout performances from Logan Cooley and Nick Schmaltz.
Cooley wasted no time, scoring just 56 seconds into the game, showcasing his remarkable skill by backhanding the puck out of midair past Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson. His second goal came on the power play at the 3:29 mark, putting the Mammoth ahead 2-0 early in the first period.
The Mammoth extended their lead to 3-0 less than two minutes later when Schmaltz netted his sixth goal of the season. However, the Wild fought back, with veteran Marcus Johansson scoring two goals to narrow the gap. Johansson’s first goal came with 4:21 left in the first period, cutting the deficit to 3-1.
“We showed resilience and kept pushing, but we fell short tonight,” Johansson stated post-game.
Johansson added another goal on the power play late in the second period, making it 3-2 with just 8 seconds remaining in the man advantage. Despite the Wild’s efforts, the Mammoth responded swiftly, with JJ Peterka scoring to extend the lead to 4-2 in the third period. Schmaltz sealed the game with his second goal, bringing his total to seven goals in the last five games.
Mammoth goalie Karel Vejmelka was instrumental in the victory, making 32 saves to keep Minnesota at bay. An empty-net goal from John Marino in the final moments confirmed the dominant win.
The Mammoth are set to extend their winning streak to seven when they face off against the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday. Fans are eagerly anticipating whether Cooley and Schmaltz can continue their scoring spree in what promises to be an exciting matchup.
