^{Dylan Guenther sinks the Penguins less than a minute into overtime to cap an epic comeback}

Today, the Mammoth got their first taste of the perplexing Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena. Pittsburgh, expected to be sellers this year as the team looks to a rebuild, instead started the year out extremely strong, capturing and holding a secure playoff spot for the first months of the season. However, they’ve hit a rough patch the past few games, one which Utah could be able to take advantage of and extend their win streak to 2.

The Penguins, on a second game of a back to back, lost in overtime to the San Jose Sharks yesterday. They blew a 5-1 lead in the third period before giving up the ghost in the bonus frame. Surely, the Penguins wouldn’t repeat that sort of collapse.

FIRST PERIOD:
While Utah had a good opening shift, the Penguins struck first when they caught Utah off-guard. Rutger McGroarty picked off a lazy pass by Mikhail Sergachev that Ben Kindel picked up at the blue line. Kindel fed Justin Brazeau who skated in deep, to the bottom of the dot; Brazeau’s back-door tap in pass to McGroarty never made it. It careened in off Nick Schmaltz’ skate and past Karel Vejmelka for an early goal. 48 seconds. Not as bad as Calgary but still a bad sign. Well, at least the first won’t be as slow as the Seattle game… 1-0 Pittsburgh

The goal looked to potentially be offside, but no challenge was made. Perhaps the concern of the Penguins power play loomed large, but either way Utah needed to counter. To that end, the Mammoth saw a writer from Nate Schmidt get knocked down in front, and the puck squirted in towards Sergei Murashov. He dropped to the ice with enough time to recover, stifling any chance the Mammoth had of the early equalizer.

3 minutes in, Dylan Guenther had an open look from a good pass by Lawson Crouse. Deep in the zone, below the dots, Guenther ripped a shot that Murashov was able to track and kick aside.

Ben Kindel would hook Nick Schmaltz during extended Utah zone time, giving the Mammoth an early advantage. However, Utah could not muster any shots, despite PP1 having good zone time for the first full minute, and the teams would return to even strength with no changes.

Nate Schmidt took a tripping penalty about 9 minutes in, and the Penguins got some 6 on 5 time with the delayed call to no avail. Utah’s PK unit would be tested against the best PP unit in the league – or it would have been had that unit even allowed a shot. Constant clears and sticks in lanes led to a block only, and the Mammoth successfully stopped the biggest threat they faced so far in the game.

With 6 and a half to go, JJ Peterka saw a chance to get the icebreaker for the Mammoth; his steal led to deep play by Schmaltz, and eventual feed by Clayton Keller from the goal mouth. His rip, from the mid-slot, got swallowed up by Murashov to deny Utah again.

With 5 minutes to go, another giveaway led to another Penguins goal. This time, off the face-off, Sergachev took the puck behind the net. As he was skating towards the near boards, pressure by Brian Rust caused him to make a rushed pass up to Michael Carcone. Carcone, also under pressure, tried to outlet to the slot where he had backup, but the puck hit a skate. Rust, desperately took a swipe at the puck, which hit an unexpecting Vejmelka, and somehow after hitting him high, it squirted under his arm and in. Suddenly, after a period of great Utah pressure, they were down by 2 late. 2-0 Pittsburgh

Immediately after, Lawson Crouse hit a post after the puck came to him at the side of the crease. Beating Murashov, but not the iron, the score remained.

Ian Cole got whistled for giving Sidney Crosby a little bump, and Utah would face the scary Penguins power play a second time. But, just like the first attempt, Utah would hold strong, allowing a shot but stopping every play as it developed, and keeping the Pens from further damage.

Neither team had much after that effort and they’d go to the locker rooms. Utah led the shot clock after 1, 8 to 6, but trailed where it really mattered, 2-0.

SECOND PERIOD:
The start of the period was uneventful, with only a sharp angle shot saved by Vejmelka occurring in the first 120 seconds, and little else. Despite some good pressure by Daniil But and the 3rd line, no shots were registered, and no eventful hockey took place for the first few minutes.

5 minutes into the period, the Penguins had a 2 on 1 develop between Crosby and Rickard Rakell. Crosby’s pass was deflected enough by Durzi to break up the play. However, Pittsburgh would survive a long counter-shift by Utah before exploiting blown coverage.

Somehow, Jack McBain and Olli Maatta tagged the same defensive assignment low in the zone, allowing Ryan Shea to hit Kindel at the red line. Kindel flew into the zone, with speed, and his breakaway was clean – he had nearly as much time and space that one would have in a shootout – and his forehand-backhand move against Vejmelka froze him just enough to open space to the blocker side above the pad. Want to guess where Kindel hit? 3-0 Pittsburgh

Utah, from here, suppressed shots and kept the Penguins from putting much rubber on Vejmelka for the rest of the period. The same could not be said for Murashov, who was under siege for the rest of the period.

11 minutes to go, Ville Koivunen got called for hooking Jack McBain, giving the Mammoth another man advantage. Utah saw one great opportunity at the end of the power play, with Carcone getting a cross-ice pass from Barrett Hayton, but his one-timer was turned aside as the penalty expired. Utah defended a 2 on 1 burst the other way, but that was the extent of that shift’s drama.

While both teams see-sawed with possession over the next few minutes, it was Utah that would again get a boost from a power play chance. Connor Clifton got called for interference on Schmaltz, giving Utah it’s third crack at a power play goal.

This power play was far better situated than the previous two, as Schmaltz shot a puck found off a deflection, with Peterka swiping at the rebound, but Murashov denied both opportunities. Schmaltz would then walk in from the slot and get a clean shot away, but Murashov stucked the puck up and out of play.

Schmaltz, again, had a golden opportunity in front saved, the puck cycled to Guenther who had an open look but missed wide, and the Mammoth got 5 registered shots, plus a few blocks and misses, for an exciting, but unfulfilling end to the advantage.

2 minutes to go, Sergachev with a big blast caused a rebound out front, but Utah had no net-front presence for the second attempt.

Utah pressured time and again, but no luck this period. Shots again favored Utah, 11 – 4 (and 19-10 for the game) but were in a 3-0 hole with just 20 minutes to play.

THIRD PERIOD:
A desperate Mammoth team came out flying in the 3rd. Whether a combination of fatigue or just being overmatched by Utah speed, the Penguins were under duress early. Zone pressure from Peterka saw his first shot denied, a second follow up shot also denied, but Nate Schmidt, at the near dot, fired a tough angle shot past Murashov. Suddenly, after 22 shots, Utah broke the ice and, perhaps, set a tone for the third. 3-1 Pittsburgh

Barely after the goal was announced, Carcone would cut the lead to 1. A heroic end-to-end effort, Carcone took the face-off from the defensive zone – a face-off that Utah had lost, incidentally, but Carcone beat the Penguins to the puck. Then, he beat the Penguins along the board. He rifled a shot that Murashov saved. While the puck was directed back to behind the goal line, Carcone’s either centering pass, or desperate toss, ended up hitting Murashov in the back. The puck, tantalizingly, rolled across the yawning goal mouth. The puck, seeming in slow motion, slowly snuck its way into the far post. Shockingly, the insurmountable Penguins lead evaporated in just 15 seconds – and the game was within striking distance with nearly the whole period to go. 3-2 Pittsburgh

It didn’t take a whole period, though. While Utah pushed for much of the frame, 5 and a half minutes in Sean Durzi would get on the board with his first of the year after a little bit of video review. Durzi would take a face-off win and dump the puck deep. After coming out to the point, Sergachev would give a light touch pass to Yamamoto. Kailer would feed over to Durzi at the far point; Durzi would walk in to the top of the dot and rifle a shot past Murashov’s shoulder.

A minute of review, though, as Stenlund was in the paint. However, after a failed challenge by Pittsburgh, the goal was confirmed and not only did Utah tie the game within 6 minutes, they’d also get a chance to go ahead with the man advantage. 3-3 Tied

On said power play, after 3 failed attempts, they would finally strike. After a PP1 shift that saw some pressure by Keller and Schmaltz, they were unable to convert and the second shift took over. And took over they did! On the face-off, But redirected a loose puck to Durzi at the line. A pass over back to But saw the Russian feed Hayton deep in the zone. Hayton, from behind the goal line, skated up just high enough to draw two Penguins defenders. Spotting an open Carcone, he dished across the crease, and Carcs didn’t hesitate to get his 2nd of the night. From down 3-0 after 40 frustrating minutes, 7 minutes in a productive third saw the Mammoth on top, 4-3. 4-3 Utah Congratulations to But for his first ever NHL point.

10 minutes to go, Utah had a major scare when Liam O’Brien threw a puck directly onto a Penguins’ stick in the slot. Koivunen’s wrister went high, bailing out the Mammoth with his blown golden opportunity.

Utah would be able to kill 2 more minutes off the clock – or pad the lead – when Rust got sent to the box for hooking Durzi. Did I say pad the lead? They almost lost the lead, actually, when Noel Acciari came in against Sergachev and wristed a shot that Vejmelka saved. His rebound went wide, but was snatched by Connor Dewar who was just inches away from tying the game.

The Mammoth had no real scoring opportunities for the power play, and extending the lead just fell short when Lawson Crouse missed a one-timer from the low dot on the now full-strength Penguins.

The Penguins pressure with 6 minutes to go eventually caused Utah to crack. A blocked shot by Kindel saw Parker Wotherspoon throw the puck in deep. Kindel, from behind the net, fed out Karlsson out at the blue line. Karlsson’s wrister was tipped in tight by Brazeau, beating Vejmelka and giving the Penguins life late. 4-4 Tied

Schmaltz with a shot after the goal from the high slot had no traffic or chance, but Utah made a statement that no Penguins pushes after the goal would try and derail the pain train that Utah brought to them in the 3rd. Guenther’s shot off a won draw with 3 minutes to go was kicked aside. The horn sounded… hey, bonus hockey!

OVERTIME:
While the Mammoth lose the all important face-off, a turnover by Kindel gives Utah the puck. Guenther, from his blue line, skated in and took a sneaky shot from the dot. Murashov got beat near side as Guenther nets another game winner. 5-4 Utah

For the second straight game, the Penguins lose after having a 90+% chance to win entering the third (stats from Moneypuck). Never tell me the odds.

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3 GOALS (THE GOOD):

Third is the word After 40 minutes of futility, the 3rd period was a clinic. Utah had 17 shots and desperate play the whole period, scoring 4 goals and erasing a daunting lead. Sure, they ended up giving a late goal in the last 5 minutes, but this is the NHL. You’re going to give up a goal sometimes – but the fact is, the Mammoth’s 4 goals may have changed the trajectory of their season.

The Don While he sounds like he’d fit in a Francis Ford Coppola movie, Michael Carcone was an assassin today. Singlehanded getting that momentum fully swinging Utah’s way, Carcone’s effort on that second goal was phenomenal. Add to that his second goal, on a PP2 unit that’s not been the most successful this year, and Carcone nearly had the game winner as well.

At just league minimum, Carcone is pushing hard for a contract, and it shows. He’s making a case for a long term stay here in Utah.

Dylan the Man with yet another game winner this season in overtime, Guenther is rapidly approaching the Captain Clutch moniker. Against Seattle 2 days ago he had the almost-winner, that was erased with a meaningless goal against. Over his past 4 games, he’s been lighting it up with 5 points – all goals 0 on 10 shots.

After a slow November, in which he had just 4 goals in 15 games and just an 8% shooting percentage, it’s a great sight to see Gunner get back his scoring touch. Since the calendar flipped, Guenther has 6 goals, 2 assists, for 8 points in 8 games.

14 game winning goals since the first ever Mammoth game leads the league in that span. 24 go ahead goals is second only to a little guy named Leon Draisaitl who plays with the best player in the world. Safe to say, Gunner’s the real deal.

3 CHIRPS (THE BAD):

Efense Mikhail Sergachev continues to struggle during major stretches of games. Known as an offensive defenseman, his D has been lacking much of his career. His offensive capabilities have more than carried his poor defensive stretches, though, and he’s been a net positive for years for Tampa Bay, as well as last year with the Utah Hockey Club.

Sergachev’s play today directly led to the first 2 Penguins goals against, and while he did get a secondary assist on the Durzi goal, his play wasn’t very positively impactful today.

Sergy remains on a poor trajectory this year. Just about 9 goals and 48ish points overall. Part of that is due to a poor PP1 performance cutting into his point production, and his 18 assists through today’s game are putting him close to on pace with last year’s totals, his -8 rating stings this year, and there’s still half a season left…

Slightly Wilted Let’s face it, the shot volume on Vejmelka today was light, and the ones he did see were… mediocre. Letting in a Rust swipe in the second was bad. The Schmaltz blade was impossible to predict and stop. The tip, in tight, was potentially misplayed with his angling as well, but that’s for a goalie coach to determine.

The breakaway in the 2nd, though, is one that an elite goaltender has to stop in order to steal games. With just 7 shots against at that point (and 2 goals given up), you’ve got to stand up and do all you can to keep the team in it.

Veggie has carried the team on his back the past few games, so he mostly gets a pass for a .750 save percentage game – but hopefully it’s one he can recover from quickly.

Vide-oh no The first goal of the game was offside, and the normally crack video team failed to alert the coaching staff about it. As I mentioned, perhaps the mammoth were afraid to face a 1-0 deficit AND the Pittsburgh power play, but why allow a team such a boost 45 seconds into the game?

With a team that had imploded a night before, taking away a goal from them in the opening seconds could have sent them on a spiral. Lose as badly as they did, then take an early lead for it to be erased immediately?

Instead, the Penguins lead stood, then grew, then grew. Who knows what that review would have done for later in the game, and a great comeback win for the Mammoth means we’re going to overlook this – but you can’t give goals to an opponent when they’re there to take off the board.

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Next up:

Boston on Tuesday for a rematch with the Bruins.