Utah

Where do the Utah Jazz historically rank among all NBA Franchises?

Published

1 year ago

September 23, 2024

Where do the Utah Jazz historically rank among all NBA Franchises?

There is and will always be debate among Utah Jazz fans about how good the franchise is compared to other NBA franchises. There are many ways to rank and compare NBA franchises, like who has more total championships, a better total regular season win percentage, more amazing playoff moments, and so on. You can even consider whose all-time starting 5 would be better. Total championships is a flawed way to rank franchises, do people really think the Toronto Raptors are a better franchise than the Phoenix Suns, or that the Washington Wizards are better than the Utah Jazz? The Wizards have not been close to being a title contender for 40 years, success in the 70’s should not completely trump their failures from the 80s until now.

Today, I propose a new and I’ll be even so bold as to say, a better way to compare NBA franchises. Through statistics, emotions, and bias are not considered. While stats are not perfect, particularly this new one, they are better measuring sticks than opinions vs opinions.

True Franchise Success or TFS

Skip this paragraph if you don’t want to worry about the details of the statistics but want to see each franchise’s ranking.

Franchise Success explained. The purpose of the statistic is to consider each franchise’s success by measuring their amount of playoff appearances and how many rounds they advanced throughout their history. A Playoff Appearance per season is worth 1 point, 2nd round worth 2, 3rd Round worth 3, Finals Appearance worth 4, and Finals worth 5 points. Example. in 2024, the Celtics got 5 points, Mavericks 4, Pacers 3, Nuggets 2, Magic 1. In earlier NBA years, there were sometimes only 3 or 2 rounds. Points are kept by how many rounds they won (a finals appearance is always worth 4 points, and a championship is always worth 5 points). For example, in 1970, the Hawks got 2 points despite being in the semi-finals, but the Lakers got 4 points for a finals appearance and the Knicks got 5 points for the championship. Play-in or round-robin wins will not count, though winning those leads to a point for a playoff appearance. For example, in 2023, the Bulls did not get a point, but the Hawks got a point. Franchise Success or FS is the total number of points each franchise has. True Franchise Success or TFS is how many points each franchise has divided by how many seasons the franchise is active. Ties are broken by who has more championships, then finals appearances, and so forth. For example, in TFS, the Hawks outrank the Jazz despite their 1.12-point tie because the Hawks have a championship while the Jazz do not. Also, in FS, the Cavaliers outrank the Wizards despite their tie at 50 points and their championship amount tie because the Cavaliers also have 4 finals appearances compared to the Wizards 3. Not counting ABA stats until the NBA officially counts ABA stats. I recognize that TFS does not currently account for the strength of the conference or the number of franchises in the league for each season. For example, in TFS the Hawks outrank the Jazz, but the Hawks glory years were in the 50s compared to the Jazz in the 90s, and the 90s had harder competition than the 50s so the Jazz should be considered a more successful franchise compared to the Hawks. These statistical considerations and others will be introduced into later versions of TFS.

The Utah Jazz’s franchise data

So you can see an example, the Utah Jazz’s data goes like this. 50 Seasons, 31 Playoff Appearances, 14 First Round Exits, 11 2nd Round Exits, 4 3rd Round Exits, 2 Finals Appearances, 0 Championships. 14 + 11(2) + 4(3) + 2(4) + 0(5) = 56. That gives you a total of 56 points divided by 50 (how many Jazz seasons), which comes to 1.12.

True Franchise Success or TFS Ranking for each NBA Franchise

1. Los Angeles Lakers TFS 2.61

Was there ever a question? While the Celtics have 18 championships to the Lakers 17, the Lakers have 15 finals losses compared to the Celtics 5 final losses. TFS works well here, awarding the Lakers for having a whopping total of 32 finals appearances.

2. Boston Celtics TFS 2.29

Like the Lakers not being questioned as the best NBA franchise ever, the Celtics are clearly number 2. Their TFS is 2.29, considerably higher than the 3rd best franchise which is at 1.75.

3. San Antonio Spurs TFS 1.75

The Spurs were the model of success from the late 90s to the late 2010s. Their TFS will go up as Wembanyama has genuine GOAT potential.

4. Miami Heat TFS 1.61

Heat culture and great weather, which have been staples of the franchise’s success for the past 20 years have vaulted Miami to the number 4 spot.

5. Philadelphia 76ers TFS 1.44

While the 76ers have had some struggles over the past 30 years, their dominance in earlier NBA decades helps put them as 5th best franchise ever.

6. Chicago Bulls TFS 1.29

Utah Jazz vs Chicago Bulls, 1998 NBA Finals

Michael Jordan’s dominance in the ‘90s is the main reason the Bulls, a franchise with several years of mediocracy, is ranked as high as they are. While questionable officiating may have played a part in their win over the 1998 Jazz, they certainly still deserve this spot.

7. Golden State Warriors TFS 1.19

Utah Jazz vs Golden State Warriors, 2017 NBA Western Conference Semifinals

While the Warriors have the 3rd most championships ever at 7, their several years of being a bad team hinders their overall ranking.

8. New York Knicks TFS 1.18

The Knick’s dominance in the ‘70s and steadiness in the 50s, ‘80s, and ‘90s are big factors in their ranking, despite a rough 20-year patch before their current team.

9. Phoenix Suns TFS 1.16

1990 Japan Games: Utah Jazz v Phoenix Suns

The Suns are the greatest NBA team to never win a championship, while they have recently seen some bad years, they are historically a steady franchise.

10. Oklahoma City Thunder TFS 1.14

The Thunder will eventually give the Seattle Super Sonics back their franchise history when the Sonics come back to the NBA, which could happen soon. While the franchise’s championship came in a Sonics jersey, the Thunder have done quite well for themselves in their time in Oklahoma. Once the franchise history is only from Oklahoma, the franchise will likely jump into the top 5 for TFS among all NBA franchises.

11. Houston Rockets TFS 1.123

The Rockets TFS is bolstered by Olajuwon’s ability to raise his game in the playoffs. While the Jazz have their best franchise moment against them with 1997 game 6 of the WCF being won by Stockton’s 4th quarter brilliance and game-winner, the Rockets have won their share of the rivalry matchups too.

12. Atlanta Hawks TFS 1.12

The Hawks being ranked 12th is an example of a flaw in the current model of TFS. Their best years came in the 50s, they have not been as dominant from the ‘90s and on, when the NBA was closer to 30 teams and not 8.

13. Utah Jazz TFS 1.12

The Jazz may not be the greatest franchise, but their consistency through the Stockton to Malone years makes them the 2nd greatest franchise to not win a championship. If their finals were not against potentially the greatest dynasty in North American professional team sports in the ‘90s Bulls, the Jazz could have 1 or 2 championships.

14. Milwaukee Bucks TFS 1.11

Kareem, Giannis, and an underrated 80s squad were the Bucks’ driving factors in their TFS ranking.

15. Portland Trailblazers TFS 1.0925

The Blazers have been a consistently competitive franchise, with a minimal number of bad years when compared to other franchises.

16. Detroit Pistons TFS 1.0921

The Pistons are a franchise of extreme highs and lows. Their success in their Bad Boy and 2000s eras are the only reason they are not a top 5 worst franchise in NBA history. Ring counting would put them as an elite franchise but when considering their prolonged years of poor play, they come out as an average franchise.

17. Dallas Mavericks TFS

The Mavericks have been steadily good for 20 years but their struggles in the early 80s and 90s weigh them down.

18. Denver Nuggets TFS 1

The Nuggets should be ranked higher in few years as they have a strong team going forward for seasons to come.

19. Indiana Pacers TFS 1

The Pacers would be ranked much higher if their 3 championships were counted from their ABA days. The NBA should count ABA stats in their history.

20. Cleveland Cavaliers TFS 0.92

If not for LeBron James, the Cavaliers would be a top 3 worst franchise in NBA history.

21. Orlando Magic TFS 0.8

The Magic had 2 brief championship contender teams that have led to 2 finals appearances, perhaps Banchero and Wagner can lead them to other finals in the next few seasons.

22. Washington Wizards TFS 0.794

The Baltimore/DC franchise’s only glory years came in the ‘70s when they were the Bullets. The Wizards are tanking now so expect them to continue to drop down the list in the next seasons.

23. Toronto Raptors 0.793

The Raptors are the 2nd lowest-ranked team to win a championship. Their 90s and 2000s struggles bring their ranking down, along with relative non-playoff success in the 2010s other than their Leonard-led championship team in 2019.

24. Brooklyn Nets TFS 0.75

The Nets, like the Pacers, would benefit from their ABA statistical success being included in their NBA franchise. While they have had potential super teams, they never seem to put it together for a deep playoff run, except for when Jason Kidd led the team.

25. Memphis Grizzlies TFS 0.62

The Grizzlies have mostly been bad or average for their franchise existence. The Grit and Grind era saved them from being even lower on the list.

26. Sacramento Kings TFS 0.59

The Kings are the lowest rank team to have won a championship, which came more than 70 years ago. Since the 70s, the Kings have mainly been a non-playoff team.

27. Los Angeles Clippers TFS 0.48

The Clippers have only made the WCF once in franchise history, which came on the heels of the 2021 Jazz collapsing. The Clippers, like the Kings, have been mired in mediocracy for most of their long franchise history.

28. New Orleans Pelicans TFS 0.478

The Pelicans, which only constitutes New Orleans teams in their franchise history, have never been serious title contenders unless you consider the 08 Hornets better than they are usually considered.

29 Minnesota Timberwolves TFS 0.457

Other than 2 WCF appearances, the T-Wolves have not advanced beyond the first round of the playoffs. Their current team has the potential to continue making noise in the playoffs until the new salary cap rules eat into their core.

30. Charlotte Hornets

The worst current franchise in NBA history. They have never been title contenders, often miss the playoffs, and have never made it to the ECFs. Things need to change for the Hornets to course correct and rise in the franchise ranks.

Final Thoughts

The Jazz are an above-average franchise, despite never winning a championship and having multiple playoff collapses through the years. Their ranking might take a hit these next couple of seasons, but they are positioned to be a top Western Conference contender and potential champion throughout the late 2020s and 2030s. Sit back and enjoy the ride Jazz fans, winning a championship is the ultimate goal, but I’d never trade our franchise history for the Kings, Wizards or Raptors just because they have won it all once.

2024 NBA Salt Lake City Summer League - Memphis Grizzlies v Utah Jazz

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Utah

Snowstorms are headed to northern Utah, with a dusting possible in Salt Lake City. Here’s what we know.

Published

13 hours ago

November 28, 2025

Press Room

Snowstorms are headed to northern Utah, with a dusting possible in Salt Lake City. Here’s what we know.

The National Weather Service’s Salt Lake City office is predicting three snowstorms to hit northern Utah this week.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) The main village of Solitude Mountain Resort, pictured Tuesday, May 7, 2025. The Wasatch Mountains are expected to see snow this weekend, with some possible in the Salt Lake Valley, too.

Periods of heavy snowfall are expected across the Wasatch Mountains on Sunday, and meteorologists are urging post-Thanksgiving travelers to plan ahead.

That’s because three snowstorms are expected to hit northern Utah this weekend, bringing the possibility of a foot or more of snow in higher-elevation areas, the National Weather Service’s Salt Lake City office is predicting.

The Salt Lake Valley could get about an inch.

The first and mildest of the three systems is expected Friday evening, bringing a light dusting to the mountains, said meteorologist Joe Worster.

“On Sunday is when the fun really begins to happen,” Worster said. “We have a pretty decent system coming in from the Pacific Northwest.”

Snowfall is expected to begin in the morning and continue through early Monday, he said.

The system could leave 4-10 inches of accumulated snow in higher-elevation areas, particularly in Parley’s Canyon and along the Wasatch Back, Worster said.

Utahns planning to drive through those regions Sunday should take “appropriate precautions,” he said. That includes keeping a survival kit handy, inspecting vehicles beforehand and acknowledging one’s own “driving abilities,” Worster said.

Meteorologists are less certain about how much snow the valley will see early Sunday, but current projections show about an inch or less, Worster said.

However, by Sunday afternoon, temperatures in the valley will warm, transitioning that snow into rain, he said.

On the mountains, though, the snow is expected to stick around. It’s promising news for skiers, Worster said, especially as several Utah ski resorts have had to push back their opening dates due to lack of snow.

The mountains could also see another 4-10 inches next Wednesday as another system is predicted to roll in, Worster noted.

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‘Feels like family,’ Utah veterans honored with Thanksgiving dinner

Published

1 day ago

November 27, 2025

Press Room

‘Feels like family,’ Utah veterans honored with Thanksgiving dinner

CEDAR CITY, Utah — On the day of giving thanks, how do you thank those who served our country?

Eighty-six-year-old Jim Murphy started his time in the service by guarding nuclear missiles along the former Czechoslovakian border.

On Thursday, Murphy brought his family to a free Thanksgiving meal for veterans and their families hosted by the American Legion post and held at the First Baptist Church in Cedar City.

Dozens of volunteers cooked, served, and just helped.

Sit down with any of the veterans, and they have extraordinary stories to tell.

Local family partners with Salvation Army for annual Thanksgiving meal for those in need:

Local family partners with Salvation Army for annual Thanksgiving meal for those in need

People sitting nearby had no idea they were next to the first men’s track athlete in U.S. Air Force history to win a national championship.

Or someone on the splashdown recovery teams for the Gemini missions.

Or someone who was a sniper at the Berlin Wall during the Cold War.

Or a professional kickboxer.

Or a 24-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department.

Murphy was all five, but he says he doesn’t really bring it up unless someone asks.

“A lot of humility and not getting carried away with yourself,” he said. “You have to be humble.”

Air Force veteran David Williams started the free Thanksgiving for Veterans in 2021.

“I thought there must be other veterans like me who would like to eat Thanksgiving together,” Williams said. “It feels like family… some of us can’t go home, so this is like going home to family.”

Organizer Scotty Harville of American Legion Post 74 said this year’s free meal was opened up to other members of the community.

“Especially with the shutdown and the way the economy’s been going. So we just opened it up so that way, we can extend that out to the rest of the community,” Harville explained.

Vietnam veteran Scott Gerig of St. George showed off a jacket full of patches of his military accomplishments. But one patch stood out… the one that said Hug a Veteran.

“A lot of vets are lost,” Gerig shared. “It’s nice if someone gives you a hug.”

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Utah

Mammoth’s 3-goal 2nd period not enough in loss to Canadiens

Published

2 days ago

November 27, 2025

Press Room

Mammoth’s 3-goal 2nd period not enough in loss to Canadiens

The Utah Mammoth’s revenge tour came to a halt Wednesday night against the Montreal Canadiens.

They got the Vegas Golden Knights back last game after losing handily a few days prior. Their intent was to do the same with the Habs, who beat them 6-2 earlier in the month, but they just couldn’t get it done.

Here’s the story.

Quick catchup

Montreal Canadiens: 4

Utah Mammoth: 3

This one was a tale of three wildly different periods.

The Mammoth found themselves in a two-goal hole by the end of the first, but they took the lead in the second. The third went back-and-forth, but the Canadiens did enough to retake the lead and keep it.

Nine different players factored into the scoring on Utah’s goals.

Sean Durzi returned from an upper-body injury that he suffered in the second game of the season. He registered 21:34 of ice time — the second-most among Mammoth defensemen. His presence could bolster a roster that has needed help defensively.

Utah Mammoth defenseman Nate Schmidt (88) falls to the ice as he and Montréal Canadiens left wing Juraj Slafkovský (20) battle for the puck as the Utah Mammoth and the Montreal Canadiens compete in and NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

The puck gets past Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) as the Utah Mammoth and the Montreal Canadiens compete in and NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Utah Mammoth center Logan Cooley (92) brings the puck across as the Utah Mammoth and the Montreal Canadiens compete in and NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Utah Mammoth right wing Clayton Keller (9) controls the puck as the Utah Mammoth and the Montreal Canadiens compete in and NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Utah Mammoth center Barrett Hayton (27) reacts after receiving a high stick from Montréal Canadiens center Oliver Kapanen (91) as the Utah Mammoth and the Montreal Canadiens compete in and NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

A pair of Montréal Canadiens fans celebrate after a goal as the Utah Mammoth and the Montreal Canadiens compete in and NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Utah Mammoth right wing Clayton Keller (9) and Montréal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson (8) grapple for the puck as the Utah Mammoth and the Montreal Canadiens compete in and NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Montréal Canadiens right wing Brendan Gallagher (11) shoots the puck past Utah Mammoth defenseman Ian Cole (28) as the Utah Mammoth and the Montreal Canadiens compete in and NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Utah Mammoth left wing Brandon Tanev (13) looks for a passing lane as the Utah Mammoth and the Montreal Canadiens compete in and NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Utah Mammoth center Nick Schmaltz (8) takes a shot as the Utah Mammoth and the Montreal Canadiens compete in and NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Utah Mammoth center Kevin Stenlund (82) shoots and has his shot blocked by Montréal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) as the Utah Mammoth and the Montreal Canadiens compete in and NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

The puck bounces off the post on an open goal shot by the Montréal Canadiens as they and the Utah Mammoth compete in an NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Utah Mammoth right wing Kailer Yamamoto (56) takes the puck and looks down ice as the Utah Mammoth and the Montreal Canadiens compete in and NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) watches the puck as the Utah Mammoth and the Montreal Canadiens compete in and NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Utah Mammoth center Kevin Stenlund (82) gets checked into the glass by Montreal Canadiens center Jared Davidson (49) as they compete in an NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) watches the puck as the Utah Mammoth and the Montreal Canadiens compete in an NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Montreal Canadiens right wing Brendan Gallagher (11) shoots the puck past Utah Mammoth defenseman Ian Cole (28) as the Utah Mammoth and the Montreal Canadiens compete in an NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Utah Mammoth fans celebrate a score as the Utah Mammoth and the Montreal Canadiens compete in an NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Rob Harmon celebrates a Utah score as the Utah Mammoth and the Montreal Canadiens compete in an NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Utah Mammoth defenseman Nate Schmidt (88) gains control of the puck as the Utah Mammoth and the Montreal Canadiens compete in an NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Young Utah Mammoth fans celebrate a score as the Utah Mammoth and the Montreal Canadiens compete in an NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) goes after the puck as the Utah Mammoth and the Montreal Canadiens compete in an NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Utah Mammoth center Logan Cooley (92) races after the puck with Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jayden Struble (47) right behind as they compete in an NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Utah Mammoth left wing Lawson Crouse (67) shoots the puck toward the goal as the Utah Mammoth and the Montreal Canadiens compete in an NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

The puck zips around the corner past Utah Mammoth right wing Dylan Guenther (11) as the Utah Mammoth and the Montreal Canadiens compete in an NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Utah Mammoth center Logan Cooley (92) takes a shot as the Utah Mammoth and the Montreal Canadiens compete in an NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Utah Mammoth center Logan Cooley (92) looks around for a teammate to pass the puck to with Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jayden Struble (47) defending as they compete in an NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Utah Mammoth right wing Kailer Yamamoto (56) misses a shot on Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) in front of the goal as they compete in an NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Adam Engstrom (42) and Utah Mammoth center Jack McBain (22) battle for the puck as they compete in an NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Utah Mammoth center Nick Schmaltz (8) gets to the puck ahead of Montreal Canadiens right wing Josh Anderson (17) in the corner as they compete in an NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Utah Mammoth center Nick Schmaltz (8) sticks his stick out to disrupt Montreal Canadiens center Oliver Kapanen (91) as they compete in an NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Utah Mammoth center Jack McBain (22) falls to the ice behind Montreal Canadiens right wing Zack Bolduc (76) as they compete in an NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Utah Mammoth center Logan Cooley (92) works to control the puck with Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson (48) pressuring as they compete in an NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Tidbits and takeaways

Broken streaks

Going into this game, the Mammoth hadn’t scored a 5-on-4 goal since Oct. 26 — precisely a month. They also hadn’t allowed a goal at 5-on-4 since the same day.

Both of those streaks ended against the Canadiens.

Additionally, Barrett Hayton’s cold spell ended with his goal. He hadn’t gotten on the score sheet — goal or assist — since Oct. 28.

The penalty kill, which ranked sixth in the league when the team woke up Wednesday morning, allowed three goals, though one was disallowed due to an extremely close offside and an excellent coach’s challenge.

Head coach André Tourigny wasn’t too bothered, given the PK’s recent record.

“It’s once a month, we’ll live with that,” he said.

Better second period, worse first and third

How many Mammoth game recaps have pointed to the second period as their weakness? On Wednesday, the middle frame was their best.

Going into this game, they were net +7 in first-period goals, -10 in the second period and +6 in the third.

All three of their goals came within a span of 4:09 in the second period, though they allowed multiple goals against in both the first and third periods.

“Obviously, that was something we reviewed, something we had to be better at,” Hayton said of the second period. “Overall, game-wise, we need a second to reflect on exactly what it is.”

What’s going on with the goaltending?

Mammoth fans have seen both sides of Karel Vejmelka this season: the one that can steal a game and the one that can’t stop a beach ball.

They got the latter on Wednesday.

Looking at full-season stats, Vejmelka currently sits at the middle of the pack in the most telling stats. Out of the 38 goalies to play at least 10 games this season, he’s:

20th in goals-against average (2.84),
27th in save percentage (.886),
27th in goals saved above average (-5.62),
20th in high-danger save percentage (.814).

While he has shown that he’s capable of playing at an elite level, he hasn’t done it consistently enough to deserve the starter’s net every night.

In this game in particular, he struggled to track passes and rebounds, which led to a few goals that he could have otherwise saved.

Tourigny offered an explanation a few days prior, saying that when the team suppresses shots the way Utah does, it hurts the goaltenders’ stats. In a conversation with Vejmelka a few days later, he refused to blame it on the math.

Instead, he said he just needed to play better.

Vítek Vaněček hasn’t been great, either, so it’s hard to rely on him in Vejmelka’s stead. If Utah is going to make the playoffs, they either need one of these guys to step up or they need to bring in someone else that can get the job done.

Goal of the game

Yamamoto from Guenther and Cooley

Kailer Yamamoto did a good job to find open space, but the goal wouldn’t have happened without Logan Cooley’s hard work in the corner and Dylan Guenther’s brilliant pass.

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