Julian Gaudio Tue, October 27, 2026 at 6:11 PM UTC · 3 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tonight, the Minnesota Wild and Utah Mammoth square off in what could be a tone-setting matchup.
As it stands, the Wild and Mammoth are in first and second place in the Central Division, respectively. The Wild hold an 8-3-2 record with 18 points, while the Mammoth sit second with an 8-4-0 record and 16 points.
The Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche sit not far behind, but with how the Wild and Mammoth have started the season, we could see these two teams fighting it out for first place all season.
While this game won't determine who is better going forward, it could be a momentum-building win.
The Wild made the playoffs and won a series last year, but they have higher aspirations this year. As for the Mammoth, they finally broke into the playoff picture but were defeated by the Vegas Golden Knights in the opening round.
The two teams have had success this season, but in different ways, which makes tonight's fixture so intriguing.
The Wild have been potent defensively, ranking third in the NHL in goals allowed. They allow the seventh-fewest shots on goal, and although their penalty kill has had struggles of late, they rank tied for 15th. Much of their success can be attributed to their defensive structure, especially since they haven't had Brock Faber at all this season, but they can also point to goaltender Jesper Wallstedt, who's been outstanding.
His .918 save percentage ranks eighth in the NHL, and he's tied for first with seven wins. As for the Mammoth, they haven't been as sharp defensively, but they've made up for it offensively. Karel Vejmelka has won six games this season but has only posted an .878 SP.
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As a team, the Mammoth allow 3.33 goals per game (tied for 22nd) but do an effective job limiting shots on goal, ranking third. Their penalty kill has struggled, ranking 29th in the NHL. The Wild average 3.15 goals per game (14th in the NHL) and fire the third most shots on goal (31.3). With the seventh-ranked power play, the Wild could take advantage of the Mammoth.
But the same goes for the Mammoth. Offensively, they rank fifth in goals per game (3.83), fourth in shots on goal (30.4), and have the NHL's best power play, converting on 38.1 percent of their man advantages.
The Mammoth's top unit consists of Dylan Guenther, Clayton Keller, Nick Schmaltz, Logan Cooley, and Mikhail Sergachev. They move the puck quickly, boast heavy shots, and always look to create numerical advantages, especially 2-on-1s.
The Mammoth are 4-1-0 at home to start the season and are coming off a 5-4 overtime comeback win over the Tampa Bay Lightning .
Tonight's matchup should be riveting, with little to separate the two clubs. Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. CST at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.
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Source: Sports
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