The Mammoth look to make the playoffs in their second season in Utah.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Mammoth center Alexander Kerfoot (15) celebrates his first period goal as the Utah Mammoth host the Edmonton Oilers, NHL hockey in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. At left is Utah Mammoth defenseman Sean Durzi (50).

The Utah Mammoth picked up two points in Saturday night’s 6-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings, but it felt like more for a young team fighting for a spot in the playoffs.

“They’re right behind us,” defenseman Mikhail Sergachev said. “It was kind of a four-point game for us. It’s huge.”

Entering Monday, the Mammoth had a five-point lead in the West’s wild-card race.

Western Conference wild-card standings

Utah Mammoth — 82 points, 74 games playedNashville Predators — 77 points, 74 GPLos Angeles Kings — 76 points, 73 GPSeattle Kraken — 75 points, 72 GPWinnipeg Jets — 74 points, 73 GP

The Mammoth currently have a 94% chance of making the playoffs for the first time since the team arrived in Utah, according to MoneyPuck.com.

“We’ve almost got a youthful excitement to our team, where we haven’t had any scars for the most part, and we’re not scared of much,” forward Alexander Kerfoot said. “We’ve just got to enjoy the moment, enjoy this stretch. Realize these are hard games to win and the job’s far from done, but we’re in a good spot.”

Best foot forward

Kerfoot scored twice in Utah’s win over the Kings.

After missing nearly 50 games this season because of injury, the veteran forward could be finding his form at the right time.

“This is what I want to play for. I want to play in these important games down the stretch and be in the playoffs,” he said. “It’s tough coming back into it. I think I can still get better. I’ve still got more to give … and it’s just about going out there and doing it. This is the time everyone wants to be playing. No better time than now.”

Kerfoot now has five goals and five assists on the season — and eight games left in the regular season to help his team.

“In the last week, he’s really improved,” head coach Andre Tourigny said. “His drive to the net, he has better net presence, he wins big face-offs for us.

“He’s a little bit of a Swiss Army knife. He can do everything. He’s a good offensive player, where he has poise with the puck and creates possession. But, as well, he’s super reliable defensively. … We’re fortunate to have him and that kind of depth.”

Up next

Utah won’t play again until Thursday night.

The four-day break will be a chance to recover and refocus, Tourigny said.

“That’s important at this time of the year,” he said. “It’s a different break than others in the sense that we need to take it really seriously and manage it right.”

The Mammoth play Seattle on Thursday in yet another game with serious wild-card implications.

“We have a really important game coming back,” Tourigny said. “That’s a team that’s chasing us.”

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