SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Mammoth got back in the win column with a 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers, Saturday night. Captain Clayton Keller, JJ Peterka, and Nick DeSimone scored for the Mammoth in the win. A packed Delta Center brought energy and cheered on the home team as Utah improved to 6-2-1 at home.
The Mammoth and Rangers traded goals in the first and second period, but it was Peterka’s ninth of the season that opened the scoring. A key to the goal was a strong net front presence by Associate Captain Lawson Crouse and Peterka. After Nate Schmidt’s shot hit New York’s netminder Jonathan Quick and went behind him, both forwards pounced towards the loose puck. Peterka pushed the puck past the goal line and scored.
The Rangers scored the next two goals. Vladislav Gavirkov tipped-in Adam Fox’s shot in the final five minutes of the first period to tie the game 1-1. Artemi Panarin gave the visitors a 2-1 lead eight minutes into the second period when his shot snuck past Utah’s Karel Vejmelka.
However, three minutes later the Mammoth responded. After Kailer Yamamoto’s shot off a broken play was stopped, Keller scored on the rebound by lifting the puck over Quick on the doorstep. Keller’s eighth of the season tied the game 2-2.
Seven and a half minutes into the third period Nick DeSimone’s shot from the top of the right circle sailed past Quick and gave Utah a 3-2 lead. DeSimone played on the top d-pair with Mikhail Sergachev and set a new season-high in ice time as the defenseman played 20:13 against the Rangers.
With the win, the Mammoth are 11-8-3 this season and have snapped a four-game losing skid.