SALT LAKE CITY – In just their second game back from the Olympic break, the Utah Mammoth bounced back with a dominant victory on home ice over the Minnesota Wild.
Led by their captain Clayton Keller, Utah took advantage of a tired opponent as they wore down the Wild on the forecheck and then dissected the defense with finesse and skill.
Here are the key takeaways from Utah’s 5-2 victory over Minnesota.
Logan Cooley’s agility and puck-handling make him a nightmare in the O-zone
After nearly two seasons in Utah, there’s no questioning Logan Cooley’s potential.
Whether he’s dangling through the offensive zone, flying up the wing, setting up Dylan Guenther or lighting the lamp off the rush, No. 92 is a special talent.
But what makes him so dangerous?
His agile skating, elite puck handling skills and a high IQ which allows him to break down defenses in ways others can’t.
“He’s not just fast, he’s smart.” head coach Andre Tourigny said of Cooley.
“His skating is really, really good…he’s probably in the top tier of the league for sure. You add the IQ to that? That’s what makes the difference.”
Give Cooley the outside and he’ll beat you with speed.
Overcommit one-on-one and he’ll quickly shift his stride to avoid contact and advance to the net.
Neglect him on the backdoor and he’ll wait patiently to punish you.
Against the Wild, 92 demonstrated his entire skillset as he registered a well-constructed shorthanded goal to ignite the offense and get his team on the board early.
Utah was so aggressive on the PK, you almost forget they were playing down a man.
Great takeaway by Sergachev, strategic shot looking for a stick, and then 92 cleans it up.pic.twitter.com/LoPFnXSS4p
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) February 28, 2026
While Sergachev deserves a lot of credit for the goal, Cooley was also instrumental as he recognized the one-timer wasn’t there, moved into a passing lane, split the defense quickly to get the puck to the point and then snuck to the backdoor to beat the goaltender.
The young forwards potential is simply off the charts.
While he’s already demonstrated so much skill, it’s hard to imagine that he’s even scratched the surface in terms of how good he can actually be.
In a game that often rewards odd-man situations, Cooley’s ability to create that space on his own is invaluable.
A dominant performance by the top line and a three-point night for the captain
With seven points between Lawson Crouse, Nick Schmaltz, and Clayton Keller, the Mammoth’s top line had a productive night against Minnesota.
Utilizing each of their individual skillsets, the trio was simply unstoppable against the Wild as Schmaltz generated turnovers, Keller facilitated and Crouse buried Grade A scoring chances in tight.
🗣️Clayton, and we can not stress this enough, Keller!
2-0, Mammoth. pic.twitter.com/PRILG0ZCPV
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) February 28, 2026
Six sevennnnnn 👀
Crouser makes it 3-0, Mammoth! pic.twitter.com/7SStbtHOij
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) February 28, 2026
The beauty of that line is how well they all complement each other.
Obviously, Keller and Schmaltz have an undeniable chemistry, but when you add Crouse, it opens up even more space in the offensive zone.
“Since we’ve been together, there’s some chemistry” Clayton Keller said. “We’re always talking about different things that we see in practice days, morning skate, and throughout the games.”
“I think Crouser has been so big for us. He creates so much space for me and Schmaltzy. He does the little things that separate us. It’s great to see that he can finish too. He’s a really smart player, and I really enjoy playing with him.”
As Keller noted, the three have built a lethal chemistry which was on full display during Crouse’s first goal.
Schmaltz stripped the defense on the forecheck, played it to Keller in the corner, and then with eyes in the back of his head, the captain fed Crouse right in the slot which he buried on the backhand.
“Seems like it doesn’t matter what team we’re playing and he’s still picking up points,” Crouse said of Keller. He’s just a lot of fun to play with, and a lot of credit to Schmaltz too.”
“They play so well together, reading off each other. It’s just a lot of fun to play with them and a lot of fun to watch.”
When that line is clicking, they’re incredibly difficult to contain as they present so many different ways to expose opponents.
Utah shook off the rust as they suffocated a tired Minnesota Wild team all night
Following a three-week hiatus to accommodate the Winter Olympics, the Utah Mammoth looked RUSTY in a 4-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche.
The biggest issues?
They weren’t winning battles and greatly lacked connection with an inability to string together dangerous passes.
Against the Wild, the Mammoth completely flipped the script as they suffocated and broke down a tired Wild team on the second half of a back-to-back.
Nick Schmaltz deserves so much credit on this goal.
Active stick to create the turnover and then a well-placed pass away from the defenseman’s stick to set up Keller with an easy one.pic.twitter.com/32qMXgKXci
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) February 28, 2026
Haytes on the power play!
4-1, Mammoth. pic.twitter.com/mJryMEbBY9
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) February 28, 2026
After a few odd man rushes by Minnesota through the first few minutes, Utah locked in and refused to look back.
They were aggressive on the forecheck, generated turnovers, dominated possession in the offensive zone and eventually wore down a superior opponent.
That’s the style they have to play down the stretch.
Just gritty, in your face, suffocating hockey that forces teams into submission as they win back pucks and then break down the defense with their skill.
That’s when Utah is at their best.
“We’re a really fast team,” Clayton Keller said. “We can make a lot of plays.”
“That’s the biggest thing for us is sticking to our identity as much as we can…the good teams are the most consistent. Even when you don’t feel your best, you find a way.”
The captain is absolutely spot on.
The teams who generally make the playoffs are the ones who refuse to waiver from their identity and produce a consistent product.
If Utah can play their game most nights down the stretch, they’ll make the postseason without question.
What’s next for the Utah Mammoth?
The Utah Mammoth will conclude their three-game home stand against the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. MT.
The game will be available on Mammoth+.
All Mammoth games will also be broadcast live on the KSL Sports Zone (97.5 FM/1280 AM).
Cole Bagley is the Utah Mammoth insider for KSL Sports. Keep up with him on X here. You can hear Cole break down the team on KSL Sports Zone and KSL 5 TV.
Take us with you, wherever you go.
