Utah Mammoth fans can be both disappointed and encouraged from the team’s series thus far with the Vegas Golden Knights.
On one hand, the Mammoth face elimination as they return to Salt Lake City for Game 6 on Friday. On the other, they have never found themselves down and out in any playoff game.
To this point, every one of their playoff losses has been decided by a single goal (excluding an empty-netter in Game 1). And in each of their losses, they’ve held a lead in the third period.
Head coach André Tourigny touched on both sides of the issue during his off-day media availability at the team’s hotel in Las Vegas Thursday morning.
“We need to be a little bit better, (but) it’s not like we gave volume,” he said. “Yesterday in the third period, we gave (up) two scoring chances. So, it’s not like, OK, we gave up six (and) at some point, something has to go in. I think we did a lot of good stuff, but obviously the one we gave started with the puck on our breakout, so that’s an area I would like to clean.”
Forward Michael Carcone, who has goals in each of the last two games, expressed confidence in his team Thursday morning.
“We are a confident group,” he said. “We know Vegas is a good team, but so are we, so just playing our game. We obviously have a job here and we’ve got to take care of it.”
“... We’re playing good hockey, and at this time of year, it can go either way.”
Carcone is ready to get home, where he hopes to give the crowd a game to remember.
“You guys have seen it: The crowd’s unbelievable,” he said. “Obviously, does a lot for us, and we need to ride that wave and play a good, solid game.”
With the Mammoth’s entire season hinging on their next game, the weight is not lost on anyone in the organization. But at the same time, they recognize that playing the way they do is what got them to the playoffs in the first place.
“Just another day at the office, right?” Carcone said. “We’re fortunate enough to have another game this year and we’ve just got to go in and take care of business like usual.”
Mammoth vs. Golden Knights: Key stats
Here are some playoff numbers that have factored into the series thus far, which will certainly play into Game 6.
Hits
- Utah Mammoth: 212 (2nd)
- Vegas Golden Knights: 209 (3rd)
These are respectively the second- and third-most hits by any team in these playoffs. Part of that is due to how physically both teams have played, but it also has to do with how many extra periods of hockey they’ve played with three overtime periods.
Physicality has been a major part of the series, and for that reason, Utah might be best to put Liam O’Brien back in the lineup for Game 6.
Yes, Barrett Hayton, who came back from injury to replace O’Brien in Game 5, is the more skilled player. But in a double-overtime game, Hayton only played 13 minutes — and he struggled to make much of an impact during his time on the ice.
In virtually every game O’Brien plays, he brings energy and physicality without being a liability defensively, and sometimes those are the guys who get teams through the playoffs.
Save percentage
- Utah Mammoth/Karel Vejmelka: .892 (15th)
- Vegas Golden Knights/Carter Hart: .888 (16th)
Among the 21 goalies who have seen ice time in these playoffs, Carter Hart and Karel Vejmelka, respectively, have the sixth- and seventh-worst save percentages.
From a game planning perspective, both teams should see that as both a warning to limit opponents’ shots and a green light to put everything on net.
That’s how Kevin Stenlund scored in Game 1. Lawson Crouse has put a few pucks in the net on low-percentage shots from distance and Dylan Guenther seems to tickle the twine every time he gets a clean shot off.
That leads us into the next stat category: blocks.
Blocks
- Utah Mammoth: 93 (2nd)
- Vegas Golden Knights: 86 (6th)
Both teams seem to have put major emphasis on getting into shooting lanes. If you can prevent pucks from getting to the net in the first place, there’s no need to worry about whether your goalie will stop it.
On the power play in particular, the Mammoth have struggled to get shots through the traffic. Credit goes to the Golden Knights’ penalty killers for making it hard on them, but with just one goal on 14 power plays this series, Utah needs to find a way to make it happen.
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