^{Utah takes on the red-hot Dallas Stars, who are challenging Colorado for best record in the NHL}

After a game which has me still angry nearly 48 hours later, the Mammoth hit the road. Facing the Dallas Stars, the Mammoth have to forget the travesty that was foisted on them last game, and regroup against the hottest team in the league.

Dallas has gotten points in every game since the Olympics break, with a sole loss in a shootout to Colorado last week. Tonight marks their final of a 6 game homestand, one where Dallas has gotten 7 of 8 possible points.

The Stars have gone to overtime in 3 of their previous 5 games, though, beating Detroit on Saturday, Chicago last Sunday, and their opening shootout loss to Colorado. However, they also curb-stomped the Oilers 7-1 on Thursday, so the Stars can bring Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde tonight, but either persona will be a monster to face.

Good news for Utah, though, as there’s been no injury news relating to Logan Cooley. Cooley, dragged down in an uncalled penalty (shocker) went hard into the net against Pittsburgh. He also took an elbow to the face late in the game. However, neither seem to have any long-lasting effects on Cooley. He’s a hockey player, after all.

What’s causing the shooting Stars?
Since the break, the Stars have scored a lot. Not just a lot, but an NHL high that’s not even close. How not close? 39 goals in just 9 games, averaging more than 4.33 goals a game. Only Edmonton has scored more – 40 in 10.

That’s not really all, though, as Dallas has also throttled everyone they’ve played. In addition to the highest goals for total, Dallas has the best goals against, with less than 2 goals a game. Dallas and St. Louis (of all teams) are posting less than 20 goals since the break, the only two teams to do so.

Dallas has a +22 goal differential in 9 games. League leading scoring Edmonton? +2 in that span. League second best defense St. Louis? +11 in that span.

Dallas is obliterating opponents everywhere. And Utah… is not.

The Stars have 5 players scoring at more than a point per game pace since the break, an absolutely insane amount of offensive production. Led by Wyatt Johnston and his 7 goals and 14 points – half of which are on the power play – the Stars also have 10+ point scorers in Jason Robertson, Matt Duchene, Miro Heiskanen, and a 9 point scorer in Mavrik Bourque. Jamie Benn, not quite at the point per game, is second on the team with 5 goals.

What does this mean? Dallas is basically running two lines that would be considered #1 lines on almost every team not named Colorado. The top line of Robertson – Johnson – Borque has 21 points alone in those 9 games (8g, 13a) while Benn – Duchene and Sam Steel are at “just” at 10 goals, 13 assists for 23 points as the second line.

Defensively, top pairing Esa Lindell and Heiskanen have shut down oppositions, giving up just 6 goals in 5 on 5 play.

Think you’re getting a reprieve with either goalie? That’s not happening either, as starter Jake Oettinger – playing tonight – is posting .922 and a 1.96 goals against. Casey DeSmith? Even better GAA at 1.67 with slightly lower save percentage.

Key points to secure a victory today:
Whistles The stats above are daunting for Dallas. I can talk about special teams, but you basically already can tell they’re just crushing opponents – 30% power play, nearly 89% penalty kill. Why tempt fate at all? There is next to no chance Utah competes on special teams against the Dallas juggernaut at the moment. Utah’s just 25% power play success, but a pitiful 71% penalty kill, 5 lowest in the league since the break.

Dallas has 10 goals for, leading the league. Utah? 9 goals against, barely behind the worst PKs giving up 10 as well.

There is no scenario where penalties work in Utah’s favor, unless Karel Vejmelka becomes Dominik Hasek and Oettinger plays all game after losing his contact lenses. And even then…

Relentless Poor MacKenzie Weegar. He waived a no trade clause to come to what felt like an inevitable playoff team in the Mammoth to have the team struggle to find a win after the deadline. Now, he’s going to be tasked with being responsible for not just 1 killer line, but 2.

Utah’s defensemen have an unenviable task of trying to contain the best players in the league over the past 5 weeks. And… they’ve not done that with lesser opponents.

Sean Durzi has fallen apart defensively, now demoted to the third pair. Durzi is a -5 during the 5 games Weegar’s been here, without a point. Even the defensively solid pairing of John Marino and Nate Schmidt have had struggles during this stretch.

Tonight, Utah’s defensemen need to have a massive game, and need to keep Dallas from putting them in a hole early. Have I mentioned that Dallas has scored 12 first period goals in just 9 games? Utah can’t allow that, but that’s far easier for me to say than them to do…

A Full 60 The Mammoth have actually started games out well. In their last 5 games, Utah’s outscored opponents in the first period 5-3 despite losing 4 of them. In fact, in March, Utah’s scored first in every game they weren’t ultimately shut out in.

Utah mostly starts out hot. Then…

In March, second periods have been tough, with the same goal differential against as they have for in the first. This leaves them close to tied in the third period where the wheels fall off completely.

Utah’s going to be tested because Dallas just gets better where Utah gets worse. Dallas’ second periods, they outscore opponents 12 – 4. Third periods? 7-4, but they’re playing from ahead and not even pushing offense as heavily. That’s the scary part.

Meanwhile in March, Utah has conceded 11 goals in the final 20 (and 2 in OT). They’ve scored 5. Power plays haven’t even helped in the third period. They gave up a shorthanded goal to Chicago and haven’t scored any. And the PK has given up three goals in the third period or OT.

Utah needs to play this game like every minute is in the first period. Hell, just play a hard 60, because even an overtime point is a massive win at this stage of the season.

Projected Lineups:
Looks like we’re running it back, even though no updates on socials or NHL.com:

Clayton Keller — Nick Schmaltz — Dylan Guenther
JJ Peterka — Logan Cooley — Kailer Yamamoto
Jack McBain — Barrett Hayton — Lawson Crouse
Alexander Kerfoot — Kevin Stenlund — Michael Carcone

MacKenzie Weegar — Mikhail Sergachev
Nate Schmidt — John Marino
Ian Cole — Sean Durzi

Karel Vejmelka
Vitek Vanecek

Game start 6PM local Utah 16 / SEG plus

TUSKS UP!