Before the Stanley Cup Playoffs started, many talking pundits and fans alike counted out the Utah Mammoth to even win a playoff series. Their first round opponent, the Vegas Golden Knights, are experienced in every facet of the game. Their star core of Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, and Ivan Barbashev all played a part in their 2023 Stanley Cup Championship.
This series marks the Mammoth’s first postseason appearance in their two-year-old franchise. Given the inexperience of the team, expectations were low. However, the Mammoth did not let any skepticism faze them. Just like the fight between Rocky and Apollo Creed, the underdog team came out swinging and landed a ton of great hits. After winning Games 2 and 3, but dropping Game 4 in OT, the series is now knotted 2-2.
The next few games will be the most crucial in the Mammoth’s young history. If this team even wants a chance to close out the series, it needs its top line of Clayton Keller, Nick Schmaltz, and Lawson Crouse firing on all cylinders.
Second-Line Heroes
In the first two games of the series, line one was almost nonexistent in each period. Keller only had three shots, two blocked shots, three hits, and one takeaway throughout the games. Schmaltz underperformed as well, only accumulating six shots, two blocked shots, and one takeaway.
The only outlier of the group was Crouse, who accumulated one assist, seven shots, two blocked shots, 12 hits, and one takeaway. With poor stats from their top line, fans thought there was a good chance the team would return to Salt Lake City 0-2. However, the young guns on the team, Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther, had other plans.
In Game 2 in Las Vegas, the Mammoth looked dead in the water after a Mark Stone power play goal. Then, after an own goal by the Knights, the Mammoth’s second line went to work. It started with a Guenther signature snipe, beating the Knights’ goaltender, Carter Hart. The Knights would then tie the game, resulting in a tight third period.
Using their speed, Guenther and Cooley out-worked the Knights’ line, resulting in a Cooley tap-in goal. Both Cooley and Guenther accrued two goals and assists, adding a combined 17 hits against the Knights. Their linemate, Kailer Yamamoto, assisted them three times and made nine hits. Without this lineup pitching in a massive effort, the Mammoth would not have taken those two games.
Top-Line Needed
In Game 3, Mammoth Nation saw the top line finally make some needed improvements. With only two shots, Crouse scored two goals against the Knights, while Keller contributed with two assists. Schmaltz also contributed an assist, two blocked shots, and two hits.
In Game 4, the vets came a bit more ready to play. Crouse had an assist, Keller a goal, and Schmaltz one of each. The trio was a big help in the Mammoth coming back from down 3-0 in the second period. An admirable effort, but ultimately one that wasn’t enough to secure a victory and a 3-1 series lead.
Though Utah has put themselves in a solid position, they need to step up more to put this series away.
The Sheriff’s Consistent Enforcement
At this point, Crouse needs to maintain his consistency.
The winger definitely earned the nickname “The Sheriff” these playoffs. Averaging 6.0 hits a game, Crouse is one of the Mammoth’s top enforcers in this series.
Given how physical this series has turned out, the Mammoth need Crouse’s fire to fight back against a rambunctious Golden Knights group. Additionally, he must continue to get to the middle of the ice on offense.
In Game 2, Crouse almost scored a one-timer in the middle of the ice. If Hart wasn’t on his A-game, it would’ve been a guaranteed goal. In fact, Crouse’s second goal in Game 3 came from him skating to the middle of the ice and tallying a great sniper shot.
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Captain Keller Leading His Troops
Captains are important to their teams, as they connect the team to the referee and coaching staff. They lead by example and motivate the team when the going gets tough. As such, Keller is a critical part of this Mammoth team. During the regular season, in the 21 games Keller scored a goal, the Mammoth went 19-2. This means he gives the Mammoth a 90% chance of winning every time he puts one in the net.
Besides affecting the win percentage, Keller’s scoring uplifts his teammates just as much. Both Crouse and Schmaltz are about 35% more likely to score when Keller does. If Keller can’t find the back of the net this postseason, it will be a long series for the Mammoth. The Knights have too much talent to go down without a fight.
If Keller’s stats remain true, this team could go far in the playoffs.
Finding Schmaltz’s Offensive Game
It’s been a rough series so far for Schmaltz. With only a few shots and takeaways, the center is a shell of his regular-season self right now. In Game 3, Schmaltz started to find his footing, gaining an assist and two hits. The Mammoth needs more out of Schmaltz to win the series.
Ranked the second-best goal scorer on the team, and getting paid $64 million over eight years puts some added pressure on him. Much like Keller, Schmaltz is a major cog in the Mammoth’s offense. In games the center scored in during the regular season, the Mammoth went 22-1.
All Hands-on Deck for Playoff Defense
Not only is Schmaltz’s offense needed, but his defense too. During the regular season, Schmaltz led the Mammoth in takeaways and ranked seventh in blocked shots. In games like the overtime thriller against the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 21, Schmaltz’s defense was imperative in the team’s win. If it were not for his last-second poke check, the Mammoth would not have come back to win that game.
As of right now, Schmaltz is tied for first amongst the Mammoth players in takeaways in the postseason with just three. That stat needs to go up, especially since he’s facing a line of Eichel and Mitch Marner most of the time.
Awaking a Sleeping Giant
Every Stanley Cup Playoff series is a slog. It somehow weeds out those built for playoff hockey and those unfit. Many players like Brady Tkachuk fell short this postseason, and for the Mammoth’s sake, fans hope that it does not happen to Keller or Schmaltz.
Keller showed some life by contributing two major assists in the Mammoth’s Game 3 win. Games 5 and 6 will test this squad.
That’s where a Schmaltz brace or a Keller last-second goal will come in handy to lead the Mammoth back to victory — they could’ve used on in Game 4.
Line one needs to help finish out this series, and the rest of the team will look to them for leadership in arduous times to come.
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