That consistent belief and confidence in this team will keep the Mammoth in tight games and help them pick up points not only this season, but in the future as well. It also speaks to the pride and identity this team has.

“It’s important,” Guenther said. “I think showing that drive throughout the full 60 (minutes) is huge and it speaks to our character. You can’t win them all, but it was a solid game.”

Guenther’s goal opened the scoring in the first two minutes of the game. It was the result of hard work and making quick plays. After Guenther couldn’t connect with Peterka’s shot for a tip-in, the forward went to the weak side. Durzi recovered the puck and quickly passed to Guenther, whose one-timer soared to the back of the net. The tally was Guenther’s 34^th of the year.

“It was a nice play, even in his own end,” Guenther said of Durzi. “I think he got the puck out, we got a three-on-two, and Durzi is really good with the puck. He is really smart, and he is always looking for other guys. I was over there on the weak side, and he made a good, hard pass. It is good to start the game that way.”

The Mammoth will have an opportunity to rest and recover after a tough back-to-back against the two of the top teams in the Pacific Division. On Sunday, Utah will play its third game in four nights against a team chasing them in the standings, the Los Angeles Kings. In addition to bringing the effort and fight Utah did tonight, the Mammoth will look to finish on more of their chances after the team scored one goal on 30 shots.

“I think our push was great; we just didn’t finish,” Sergachev explained. “We had a lot of chances, a couple of breakaways, a couple going against the goal in front of the net, and we didn’t finish. That was the difference in the game.”

“Solid effort, back-to-back, they had a good push, we had a good push, and we just got to bear down a little bit more on some plays,” Guenther shared. “I mean, it’s right there, so I think there’s some positives.”

Additional Notes from Tonight (per Mammoth PR)

• Guenther has scored six goals in his last eight games. He has also tallied 22 points over his last 22 contests (13G, 9A).

• Jack McBain continued to bring a high level of physicality tonight. He dropped the gloves with Jeffrey Viel in the second period, earning his sixth fighting major of the season and 22^nd of his NHL career. 

• The Mammoth closed the 10^th of their 11 back-to-back sets in 2025-26. They have now earned a 4-4-2 record in the first game and a 3-6-1 record in the second game of back-to-backs this season.

• Utah’s penalty kill went 5-for-5 and are now 172-for-218 this season which is a 78.9% success rate.

The Mammoth continue their four-game homestand with a game against the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday. Tickets are available here!

Upcoming Schedule

CEDAR CITY — The discovery of child sex dolls in a southern Utah landfill led to the arrest of a man police say had more of the illegal dolls in his home.

Shane Alexander Larson, 54, of Cedar City, was arrested Thursday and charged Friday in 5th District Court with six counts of distributing or purchasing a child sex doll, a third-degree felony; and six counts of possession of a child sex doll, a class A misdemeanor.

The investigation began a week ago when Iron County sheriff’s deputies were called to the county landfill, where an employee, while conducting “routine checks of the dumpsters for anything that is not supposed to be put in the dumpster to prevent fire hazards,” found two such dolls, according to a police booking affidavit.

“The box that the sex dolls were in had the shipping label on it, an attempt to black out the label with a Sharpie marker, but the shipping label was still legible,” the affidavit states.

The box and shipping label were traced back to Larson’s home and investigators obtained a search warrant for the residence. At the home, detectives found additional dolls, the affidavit states.

When questioned, Larson admitted that those found at the landfill were his and that he discarded them “because they appeared to look too young,” according to the arrest report.

Larson was arrested at the conclusion of the interview.

In 2023, HB108, which bans the possession, distribution or purchase of sex dolls made to look like children, and was sponsored by Rep. Matthew Gwynn, R-Farr West — who is also chief of the Roy Police Department — sailed through both chambers of the Legislature without a single lawmaker opposing it. The bill was then signed into law by the governor.

“I just tried to help the team to get points as much as I can, and it’s a big team win tonight,” Vejmelka shared. “We need every point now. It’s a huge two points.”

After Vegas opened the game with five shots in the first 1:45, Captain Clayton Keller’s goal a minute later shifted momentum to the visitors. 3:18 after his first goal, Keller added his second of the game and doubled the Mammoth’s lead. Keller has found the scoresheet in six of the team’s last seven road games in March (3G, 5A).

“He was ready, his line played really good, especially in the first period,” Tourigny said of Keller. “I’m not saying they fade down after, I’m just saying they were more dynamic in the first. I think it was great to have that offensive production and like I said, three great goals in the first that give us a good lead.”

“Just being around the net,” Keller said of his goals. “Heck of a play by (John Marino) on one, and (a) fortunate bounce. I think when you’re around the net, (the) puck’s going to find you eventually. I think I’ve had a lot of chances lately and just bearing down and it’s good to see them go in.”

Two minutes after the Captain put Utah up 2-0, Jack McBain scored his eighth of the season and increased the Mammoth’s lead to 3-0. McBain has scored in two straight games and continued to bring a high level of physicality with a team-leading seven hits. Tourigny complimented McBain’s line with Barrett Hayton and Michael Carcone.

“I think that line is playing rock solid,” Tourigny shared. “I think it’s night after night. They grind, they compete, they play both sides of the puck. They make plays with the puck, but they make safe plays as well. Really like what they bring.”

The Mammoth picked up all four possible points on this two-game road trip and will continue to push for a post-season berth. However, it’s a quick turnaround as the team travels back to Salt Lake City to host the Anaheim Ducks Friday night. 

“We know the schedule, so every game matters now,” Vejmelka said. “We have another big challenge tomorrow. We need to reset pretty quick and get ready for tomorrow.”

Additional Notes from Tonight (per Mammoth PR)

• This marks Utah’s second straight shutout win at T-Mobile Arena, after earning a 6-0 victory in the second road matchup with Vegas in 2024-25.

• Mikhail Sergachev has now earned points in four of his last five games (1G, 3A).

• Keller’s two goals came over the opening 6:05 of regulation, marking the second-fastest two goals by any player from the start of a game in franchise history.