PHILADELPHIA — Forget everything you know about Utah’s mammoths.
Their penalty kill hasn’t been good enough in recent weeks — but on Thursday against the Flyers in Philadelphia, they not only went 3-for-3 in a 3-0 win, but they also converted a penalty kick.
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Utah’s power play has been the worst in the league all season, but it ranks fourth since Feb. 1, scoring just eight seconds into Thursday’s first power play.
Vítek Vaněček has struggled this season, but he saved all 16 shots against the Flyers for his first shutout in nearly a full calendar year (March 8, 2025 was his last shutout).
“I thought we played well all night,” Mammoth forward Nick Schmaltz said after the game. “We hung in there, we didn’t give them too much. V made some really good saves when we needed them. PK did a good job, the power play stepped up, so an all-around team effort.”
There are two ways to look at Vanecek’s start. Most of his games this season have come when Karel Vermelka needs a break, but with the trade deadline less than 24 hours away, it’s hard not to wonder if the Mammoths will showcase his talent like they did before trading for Oli Maatta.
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Either way, he’s exactly what his team needs—and what he needs personally.
“I feel really good,” Vanicek said after the game. “I haven’t played in a long, long time, you know? Just kind of resting and just trying to stay in my bubble and not think about anything. Just save the puck and help my teammates because I know they’re always going to score for me.”
Of course, blocking also shows the overall performance of the team. The Mammoths allowed just 16 shots on goal despite losing Mikhail Sergachev to a lower-body injury.
But don’t let that color your opinion of the way Vanecek plays. Most notably, on a sure goal in the first period, he popped up and robbed Bobby Brink in the doorway.
“I just tried as hard as I could, put my glove in front, and he hit it,” Vanecek said of the save. “Really happy about it.”
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He said his confidence is the same now as before. His job is to take over from Wimmerka if needed, so he has to be ready. Head coach Andre Turini noted that Vanecek’s level of preparation between the Olympic break, Sunday afternoon’s game and this week’s trip to the East Coast has been impressive.
“When I get the chance, I’m going to play my best,” Vanicek said.
Why are Utah’s special teams suddenly working?
The Mammoths didn’t change much in terms of personnel or structure, but on the special teams side, Turini explained why both the penalty kill and power play were successful.
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penalty kill
As mentioned earlier, Utah’s overall PK performance this season has been excellent — the Mammoths were nearly perfect throughout the month of November — but for some reason, their performance took a dip right before the Olympic break.
“We were rock solid for a long time. We were in a slump, like I said, about 10 games in, but I’m happy today,” Turini said. “We didn’t adjust anything. We just came back and were more confident and played well.”
A committee is needed to get it done.
Kevin Stanlund is a defensive specialist, and he proved that especially in the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals, consistently fending off the Edmonton Oilers’ offensive weapons on the big stage. Schmaltz, Lawson Krause, Jack McBain and Alexander Kerfoot also played important roles in the penalty shootout.
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That kind of depth is crucial to Utah’s hopes of making the playoffs. Players get injured all the time, so having three or four players who can step up when needed is crucial.
power game
“We haven’t changed any structure. I think it’s more of a mindset,” Turini said. “I think our level was a little bit lower, we were more aggressive, we had more (shot volume), that kind of stuff. I think there’s a mentality that’s different, but it’s not the structure.”
Before this recent period, power play seemed more contemplative than instinctive, and in the best league in the world, there was little time to sit back and think about your next move.
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Take Utah’s power-play goal in Philadelphia.
Dylan Guenther retrieved the puck and took it to the top of the faceoff circle, where he considered the shot. That drew all four penalty killers to his side.
When he saw everyone take their eyes off Schmaltz, he passed the ball and before the Flyers knew it, they had the puck out of the net.
Earlier in the season, Gunther or any other power player might have explored options before passing the ball, which gave the opponent time to counterattack.
What now?
The most important thing the Mammoths can do at this point is focus on the game in front of them. Despite a two-game winning streak, recent success is no guarantee of future success.
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They’re six points ahead of the Western Conference’s best non-playoff team, but they’ve also played more games than every team chasing them except the Nashville Predators. If they can continue to win two-thirds of their games, though, their chances of playing spring hockey are high.
“We’re not where we want to be because consistency is not two games in,” Turini said. “Consistency is two weeks, you know what I mean? So, we’re still very far away.”
