3 takeaways from the Mammoths’ 3-1 win over the Flames – Hockey Writer – Utah Mammoths
The Utah Mammoths return to the Delta Center on Wednesday for Salt Lake City’s first regular season game since April. This is a return full of expectations and surprises.
The crowd’s enthusiasm was predictably as high as ever. The Mammoths also revealed their new mascot, although it might not be what everyone was expecting. JJ Peterka continued a good start to the season as the Mammoths defeated the Calgary Flames.
And then there were the unexpected things, like the Mammoths not scoring on one of their six power-play chances, or the two teams combining for 38 penalty minutes. There’s also the fact that the Mammoths dominated the game and the shots in the first two quarters, but the Flames came back in the third quarter.
It was a strange and interesting game for the Mammoths, a win they couldn’t repeat. Here are some takeaways from the Mammoths’ 3-1 win on Wednesday.
Powerless power play
The biggest takeaway from the game is that Mammoth’s powerful attacks always fail. Although they had six man-based opportunities in Wednesday’s game, they were held scoreless. The team had 16 chances throughout the season, but only scored once.
Mammoth’s power play seems overly complicated. They were in good form and kept up the pressure. They move the puck and eventually get it to the right player for a score, but the last pass or shot fails.
Head coach Andre Turini joked about the numerous opportunities but wasn’t entirely disappointed with the Mammoths’ efforts on the power play.
“We had six million chances,” Turini said. “We had a breakout. We had a one-time slot machine. I do that every night. If we continue to do the same thing we did tonight for the remaining 78 games, I’m not worried about our power play at all.”
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Suffice it to say, most of the power play this season has been good. However, the problem remains. The Mammoths didn’t get enough shots in their opportunities, and at times they got too cute and made moves that ultimately meant nothing.
“There were a lot of looks that didn’t work out, or there were broken sticks, but there were also a lot of great performances,” Peterka said. “I think we need to review it and stick to what we’ve been doing. I think we have to keep filming.”
The Mammoths really need to take more shots on the power play. They could pass it all day, but they seemed to really mess up the final pass. What if they shoot and score or rebound before that happens? The team has discussed achieving more ambitious goals. Taking photos online can help.
In the penalty shootout, the Mammoths performed well. They allowed the Flames to score once in four chances. They shot 81.3% from the field this season, which isn’t terrible, but definitely needs improvement.
There is definitely something to work on in practice. The penalty kill and power play both need to be at the top of the improvement list.
JJ Peterka shows off his speed
If you didn’t know Peterka’s speed before Wednesday’s game, you probably do now. The German striker showed off his pace and scored the winning goal in front of a sold-out crowd at the Delta Centre.
Midway through the second period, Brayden Pachar tried to pass the puck to his partner Zayn Parekh, but the puck ended up on Peterka’s stick. He used his speed to get past Parekh and grind down Devin Cooley on his own. Peterka then put the ball over the goalkeeper to take the lead and celebrated in front of everyone but owner Ryan Smith.
In this family we love JJ Peterka 🩵
2-1, Mammoth! pic.twitter.com/yRG5cpk81V
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) October 16, 2025
Peterka has to be one of the fastest players on the Mammoth roster. It’s an asset we’ve seen him use to score before, but not like this, at least in Utah.
“I think that’s been a huge strength for me, with the help of the defense,” Peterka said. “I hope that continues here.”
Peterka was eventually named the game’s first star for his contributions. He brings more than just goals. He had multiple good chances to score, and despite the team’s poor performance, he was still an important part of the team.
In Peterka’s four games with the Mammoths, Turini has seen the young forward continue to improve with each game. It wasn’t just his offensive performance, either. It’s his two-way game, too.
“Honestly, he’s getting better every game, both offensively and defensively,” Turini said. “I liked the last two games; he was more involved in the battle up front. He was better again today, even better in the forward defense, but also better at getting into the offensive zone and creating space for his teammates and everyone getting to the net.”
When the forward arrived from the Buffalo Sabers, he didn’t automatically resonate with the team. While it may not seem like it on the surface, the newest Mammoths have struggled at times during the preseason.
Now, it feels like he’s been with the Mammoths forever, throwing unreal passes to Dylan Guenther and Logan Cooley.
“Preseason is a little different,” Peterka said. “I think as the season has started, I’ve been ready. It’s nice not having to think too much on the ice anymore. I just try to play instinctively.”
a risky victory
As mentioned, this victory should not be repeated. A win is a win, but the way the Mammoths achieved it was sloppy.
The power play was brutal, the Mammoths still struggled in the faceoff circle, and the third quarter was forgettable. Not to mention, the team made a lot of mistakes in the last 20 minutes.
“In the third, I thought they pushed really well,” Turini said. “I liked the way we defended without the puck, but when we were protecting the lead, we turned the puck over a little bit. We were a little too safe, and just like our game, when it comes to physicality, balanced hitting, but trying not to take free throws.”
Fortunately, Karel Vejmelka came to their rescue again, making 19 saves, including 12 in the third period. It’s not good to have your goalie make minimal saves in the final 20 minutes, only to change the script and throw him back into the fire. However, Vermelka will still play as usual on Wednesday.
“It’s not easy,” Vimelka said. “We dominated those guys in the first two periods, but they had more pressure in the third period and we played really well defensively. I needed to make a couple good saves. It was a great team win.”
To win a hockey game, you need to be consistent for the entire 60 minutes, and this cannot be emphasized enough. In the past, the Mammoths have had poor second quarters, sandwiched between good first and third quarters. On Wednesday, it looked good for the first 40 minutes but fell apart in the third minute.
Turini, however, didn’t feel any panic. Kevin Stenlund’s empty-net goal in the final minute played a role. However, that was mostly due to the way Vermelka played, combined with the Mammoth’s solid defense on the blue line.
“We dominated two periods and then when you get to the third period, they’re going to attack,” Turini said. “I didn’t feel any panic. I felt like the guys were trying to do the right things and it wasn’t necessarily going to work out, but they were doing the right things and we defended very hard. So it was hard for them to get to our net, but when they did, Veggie was strong.”
It’s a very dangerous game for the Mammoths, and they can’t ever escape. Relying on Vermelka will eventually be exposed by a better team, which is what happened last season.
However, a win is a win, and the Mammoths are back to .500. It was also the first game back at the Delta Center, where the Mammoths went 2-0-0 in their home opener. Players like Peterka are also getting the Utah treatment, which makes them very happy.
“The crowd was incredible the whole game,” Peterka said. “It starts with the national anthem in warm-ups. And then, throughout the game, when we need energy, we definitely get it from the crowd.”
It was another successful home opener for the Mammoths. While there’s still a lot to change and fix in the coming days, this is a win, and a win in front of the Mammoth faithful. You can’t complain about that.
Finals: Mammoths: 3, Flames: 1. It’s not a pretty win. It’s not the type of game that wins most games, but the Mammoths got the win and ultimately that’s all that matters right now. There’s a lot to improve on, especially the power play, but a win is a win.
Sauger: 32-20 UTA#tusksupward pic.twitter.com/E7Qr0n98WK
— Chase Beardsley (@ChaseBeardsley_) October 16, 2025
“It’s always fun to play again in front of our fans,” Vimelka said. “It’s been so much fun. I’ve enjoyed every minute of being on the ice. It’s really special to be back home and I really appreciate all the support.”
The Mammoths next face the San Jose Sharks on Friday. The Sharks are 0-1-2 on the season and lost 5-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes. The two teams met three times last season, with the Mammoths achieving a 2-0-1 record, winning their most recent game 2-1 in January.
