Utah Mammoth right wing JJ Peterka, left, reaches in on Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke during the first period on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka, left, and defenseman Dean Durzi, cednter, stop a shot by Ducks defenseman Ian Moore during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Ducks’ Chris Kreider, right, skates the puck in front of the Utah Mammoth’s Jack McBain during the first period on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Ducks left wing Alex Killorn right, falls as Utah Mammoth defenseman Ian Cole takes the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Ducks defenseman Olen Zellweger passes the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Utah Mammoth, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Utah Mammoth’s Dylan Guenther scores a goal past Ducks goaltender Ville Husso during the first period on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, at the Honda Center. Husso stopped 17 of 21 shots in two periods before being relieved in a 7-0 loss. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Utah Mammoth right wing Dylan Guenther celebrates a goal during the first period of a game against the Ducks on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Utah Mammoth’s Dylan Guenther (11) celebrates a goal with teammates during the first period of their game against the Ducks on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke, right, passes the puck as Utah Mammoth center Jack McBain reaches in during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Ducks right wing Troy Terry, right, moves the puck as Utah Mammoth defenseman Nick DeSimone reaches in during the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Utah Mammoth’s Daniil But, left, skates the puck in his NHL debut as the Ducks’ Drew Helleson defends during the first period on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Ducks defenseman Jackson LaCombe, right, moves the puck while under pressure from Utah Mammoth right wing JJ Peterka during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Ducks right wing Frank Vatrano, right, passes the puck while under pressure from Utah Mammoth center Logan Cooley during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka, left, and defenseman Dean Durzi, center, stop a shot by Ducks defenseman Ian Moore during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Utah Mammoth’s Dylan Guenther skates the puck past the Ducks’ Pavel Mintyukov during the first period on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Utah Mammoth’s Daniil But, left, skates the puck as the Ducks’ Ryan Poehling defends during the first period on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Ducks center Ryan Poehling, top, falls over Utah Mammoth right wing Kailer Yamamoto during the first period on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Utah Mammoth right wing JJ Peterka left, celebrates his goal with center Nick Schmaltz, center, and right wing Clayton Keller during the second period of a game against the Ducks, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Ducks goaltender Ville Husso makes a glove save during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Utah Mammoth, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Ducks defenseman Drew Helleson, left, and Utah Mammoth right wing Dylan Guenther vie for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Former NBA star Scottie Pippen, right, acknowledges fans as Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke skates by during the second period of an NHL hockey game between the Ducks and the Utah Mammoth Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Ducks defenseman Olen Zellweger, left, puts a hit on Utah Mammoth right wing Kailer Yamamoto during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Ducks defenseman Pavel Mintyukov, left puts a hit on Utah Mammoth right wing Dylan Guenther during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Ducks goaltender Vyacheslav Buteyets stands in front of his net during his NHL debut in the third period of their game against the Utah Mammoth on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka, left, stops a shot by Ducks center Mason McTavish during the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Ducks’ Radko Gudas, right, skates the puck against the Utah Mammoth’s Clayton Keller during the third period on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Ducks’ Radko Gudas, front, skates the puck against the Utah Mammoth’s Clayton Keller during the third period on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Utah Mammoth’s Michael Carcone, right, skates the puck as the Ducks’ Drew Helleson defends during the third period on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Utah Mammoth left wing Daniil But, left, and Ducks defenseman Pavel Mintyukov battle for the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Ducks goaltender Ville Husso skates before a game against the Utah Mammoth on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, at Honda Center. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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Utah Mammoth right wing JJ Peterka, left, reaches in on Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke during the first period on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, at the Honda Center. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
ANAHEIM — The Ducks were down to their minor-league goalie tandem and they did them few favors defensively in a 7-0 walloping by the Utah Mammoth on Wednesday night at Honda Center.
It was the Ducks’ most lopsided loss of the season; they hadn’t lost by more than three goals. They were shut out for the second time in 2025-26, and this time neither Lukáš Dostál nor Petr Mrázek were available in net.
Ville Husso stopped 17 of 21 shots before being relieved by Vyacheslav Buteyets, who made his NHL debut and nine of 12 saves in one period of action. Beckett Sennecke and Leo Carlsson had their scoring streaks of eight and seven games, respectively, snapped.
J.J. Peterka led the Utah assault with two goals and two assists to give the Mammoth just their fourth win in 15 games. Clayton Keller notched a goal and two assists. Dylan Guenther and Ian Cole added a goal and an assist apiece. Lawson Crouse and Liam O’Brien also scored. Nick Schmaltz and Jack McBain each chipped in two assists. Karel Vejmelka had 27 saves to earn his first shutout of the season and forward Daniil But played his first NHL game.
When asked if there were positives to glean from the game, Ducks coach Joel Quenneville responded, “It’s over.”
“At the end of the year, you look back and there are probably two, three, four or five [games] that you can say ‘throw it in the garbage can.’ That’s our first one that we’re gonna throw in the garbage can,” Quenneville said.
After opening the scoring in consecutive games, the Ducks reverted to their habit of giving up the game’s first goal.
And its second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh as well.
“Everybody needs to tighten things up. The goalies have been a huge part of our success and a big reason why we are where we are,” captain Radko Gudas said. “We need to come up big for them as well. We need to block a lot more shots, we need to let them see the puck and we can’t give up three-on-ones.”
Despite an early push in the first period and their dominance in the faceoff circle through 20 minutes, the Ducks found themselves down 2-0 at the first intermission. They were aggressive in the second as well, but their hole only got deeper, to 4-0, through 40 minutes.
Crouse got the Mammoth moving, 5:59 after puck drop, after they outworked the Ducks along the walls and below the goal line. There, Michael Carcone’s backhand feed allowed Crouse to traverse the crease and score off his backhand.
Jacob Trouba, who was on the ice for five of Utah’s goals, stepped up in the neutral zone to play a pass unsuccessfully. Guenther skated into the loose puck with speed and zoomed past a diving Pavel Mintyukov. Guenther’s combination of velocity and confident stickhandling opened up Husso’s five hole with ease, 10:30 into the game.
The Ducks collapsed low in their defensive zone, leaving Cole space to glide into the left circle for a shot that seared past both Trouba and Husso, 5:43 into the second period.
“We came into this game with something to prove. We had a pretty rough meeting after the San Jose game, and guys knew that we needed to step up, and we did,” Cole said.
With 7:04 to play in the middle frame, the Ducks appeared to score off a slick exchange between Cutter Gauthier and Mason McTavish. McTavish’s tally was nullified, however, by an offside challenge by André Tourigny.
Instead it was Utah slathering on another goal, and the hosts headed to the dressing room with one more shot on net but four fewer goals than the visitors.
Off a set breakout, three overcommitted forwards left the Ducks with just two defensemen to defend an odd-man break. Keller gained the zone with speed, moving the puck to Peterka on the flank. Two cross-ice passes later, the Mammoth held a 4-0 lead at the 14:34 mark.
“That was poor coverage on our part, and that’s something we’ve got to get better at, defending a good team with speed and skill,” Quenneville said.
Immediately after making his first NHL save, Buteyets received a rude reception from the league. His pad save sent the puck off the end boards and directly to O’Brien, whose spinning bid banked in off Drew Helleson’s skate, 1:41 into the third period.
“He had a very tough position to go in,” Gudas said. “He faced some very tough shots right away and two of the goals went off our own guys, so it’s very hard for him to stop those, but I thought he held his ground.”
Then, O’Brien turned down a vociferous invitation to fight from Ross Johnston, who was assessed a roughing penalty. On the ensuing power play, some overly cute penalty killing and a puck that eluded Mintyukov at the blue line exposed Trouba to a three-on-one Utah rush, which culminated in Peterka’s power-play goal with 9:54 left.
Utah kicked the extra point through the uprights 2:46 later, when Keller’s fling in the general direction of the net bounced off Jackson LaCombe to pour salt into the Ducks’ wounds.
UP NEXT
The Ducks host the white-hot Washington Capitals on Friday at 7 p.m.