SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Mammoth took care of business on Friday night as they dominated the Sharks in a commanding victory on home ice.
Featuring a hat-trick from Nick Schmaltz, four points from Clayton Keller and Liam O’Brien’s first goal in a Utah sweater, the Mammoth smelled blood in the water as they sunk the Sharks, 6-3.
Here are the key takeaways from Utah’s big win over San Jose.
Utah needed a goal on the power play, and they got one against San Jose
Entering Friday’s matchup against San Jose, Utah owned the worst PP percentage in the NHL at just 6.2 percent (1/16).
Determined to turn things around, the Mammoth were simply a different beast on the man advantage in the first period as they dominated possession, circulated the puck, waited for the right opportunity to surface and with one collective mind, found Nick Schmaltz on the doorstep to light the lamp.
A well oiled machine on the power play, Utah worked the zone and remained patient until the right opportunity surfaced.
Gorgeous finish from Schmaltz.
1-0 Utahpic.twitter.com/NcnSjiEEaQ
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 18, 2025
That is the kind of result that Utah has been expecting on the power play.
Obviously, things hadn’t quite gone their way through the first few games as they struggled to get the puck across the line despite dangerous chances consistently being generated.
Rather than panic, they believed that pucks would eventually go in, and like Head coach Andre Tourigny noted during his morning skate press conference, they didn’t need to make any changes.
“It’s [the power play] pretty good. Like I said after the game, I think the power play was really good. We had a lot of clean looks, we had a lot of chances,” Tourigny explained.
“We’re not planning [to make any change] because the last game was really good.”
The key moving forward however will be consistency.
Not that 1/4 on the power play is bad by any means, and it’s certainly a step in the right direction, but they need to keep scoring and not just in 5-on-3 situations.
With the second most power play opportunities in the league (20), Utah needs to continue capitalizing on their chances in order to balance things out and at least inch back into the low 20’s in terms of their season average.
Then we can officially say that the power play is back.
“I still think we have room to improve,” Nick Schmaltz said post-game. “Tonight, we had a five on three, obviously that was a big goal, but I still think we have room to grow.”
“We’ve been a successful unit in the past and once we start clicking, once we see a few more go in, I think our percentage will skyrocket for us.”
Liam O’Brien scored a pivotal spicy goal to retake the lead for Utah
Returning to the lineup and making his season debut, Liam O’Brien captured his first goal in a Utah sweater on Friday night that could not have come at a better time.
Following a bit of a collapse by Utah in the second period with two unanswered from the Sharks to tie the game, O’Brien dug in and regained the lead for his team with a pivotal goal.
Relentless and unwavering effort.
The kind of goal you’d expect from No. 38.
Keep that puck Spicy! https://t.co/dXZlE6ZNy8
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) October 18, 2025
In true Spicy Tuna fashion, No. 38 burst into the offensive zone on the forecheck with unwavering energy and bested Yaroslav Askarov who was attempting to play the puck.
After generating the turnover, O’Brien then remained strong and backhanded the puck into the open net to regain the lead.
According to him, his excitement was at a 10 once that puck crossed the line for his first Utah goal.
“Ten. It was a ten. All the way a ten. It was a great feeling & let’s score some more this year,” O’Brien said with a grin on his face.
Liam O’Brien ranked his excitement at a 10 when the puck crossed the line for his first goal:
“Ten. It was a ten. All the way a ten. It was a great feeling & let’s score some more this year.” pic.twitter.com/iKQahXRu7v
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) October 18, 2025
That kind of effort cannot be overlooked or undervalued.
O’Brien knows his role and fully understands that he’s not going to light up the scoresheet.
But he battles and offers an undeniable energy that becomes infectious.
“It [his infectious energy] is for everybody. For the crowd, for the players, for everybody.”
“He has that drive. He had no training camp, barely practiced with the team, and like I often say, he’s really focused, on detail, & played a really good game.”
That’s where he provides value and he’s more than happy to fulfill that role for Utah.
Nick Schmaltz captured the first hat-trick in Delta Center history as Utah erupted offensively
Scoring six goals on the night with the first-ever hat-trick on Delta Center ice from Nick Schmaltz, Friday’s win was a statement performance offensively for the Utah Mammoth.
In addition to recovering from a poor stretch in the second that allowed San Jose back into the contest, Utah put their foot back on the gas and refused to let the Sharks up for air as they put the game away with three goals in the third period.
“We’ve been checking well, playing good away from the puck but ultimately, you’ve got to score goals to win games,” Schmaltz explained.
“We did a better job of that tonight & hopefully it’s a sign of good things to come.”
Nick Schmaltz says that tonight was a statement performance offensively:
“We’ve been checking well, playing good away from the puck but ultimately, you’ve got to score goals to win games.”
“We did a better job of that tonight & hopefully it’s a sign of good things to come.” pic.twitter.com/kECtoFVYnQ
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) October 18, 2025
A quick word on Schmaltz, that was likely his best performance in a Utah sweater.
Registering the second hat-trick of his career (with his grandfather in attendance) Schmaltz was on a mission from puck drop as he hounded the crease, battled for loose pucks and put himself in dangerous positions to score goals.
Most importantly, he buried his chances.
A well oiled machine on the power play, Utah worked the zone and remained patient until the right opportunity surfaced.
Gorgeous finish from Schmaltz.
1-0 Utahpic.twitter.com/NcnSjiEEaQ
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 18, 2025
Hatty watch for Schmaltz 🎩🎩👀 https://t.co/HboniqZABi
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) October 18, 2025
At this point do we make Schmaltzy our profile picture?!??! pic.twitter.com/iFnIgPTRsM
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) October 18, 2025
But it wasn’t just Schmaltz that lit up the scoresheet, Clayton Keller posted four points (1G, 3A), O’Brien scored his first and Michael Carcone even joined in on the fun with a goal of his own.
🚨 MICHAEL CARCONE GETS IN ON THE FUN!
5-2, Utah. pic.twitter.com/HFd5kQ1XJJ
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) October 18, 2025
Kells notches his first of the season 💪 pic.twitter.com/hbovmP1TCV
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) October 18, 2025
Utah desperately needed that result.
They needed to score on the power play, see a bunch of production from the top line and absolutely bury a team.
Now that the pressure is off a little bit and they can relax, consistency will be key.
Finish the home stand with at least one more win and do whatever it takes to keep lighting the lamp.
This team is very talented offensively.
Just took them a few games to remember.
What’s next for the Utah Mammoth?
The Utah Mammoth will continue their home stand against the Boston Bruins on Sunday at 5 p.m. MT.
The game will be available on NHL Network and Mammoth+.
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.
