SALT LAKE CITY – Despite a suffocating late push by the Mammoth and a new milestone for Dylan Guenther, Utah came up short in overtime against Chicago after Frank Nazar sniped Vitek Vanecek to send United Center into a frenzy.
While a loss is never ideal, Utah still managed to claim their seventh of eight possible points through four games on the road.
Late push not enough as overtime penalty cost Utah a second point in Chicago
The game against Chicago was a bit of a rollercoaster for Utah.
Aside from a few specific stretches where the Mammoth looked like the superior squad, the Blackhawks dominated O-zone time and Grade A scoring chances for most of the contest.
Yet again, Utah had failed to bring their best against an inferior Chicago team who now owns a 3-0 record against the Mammoth this season.
“Not our best game,” Dylan Guenther explained. “Just kind of feed into their hands for whatever reason. They’re really good transitionally and just a little bit stubborn.”
“Not enough shots but got a point. Still important to get points and puts us in a good spot heading into the last game.”
As Guenther pointed out, the Mammoth simply weren’t shooting enough as the offense appeared lethargic, disconnected and disinterested for most of the night until a late push in the third period.
Over the final few minutes, Utah was finally buzzing as they trapped Chicago in their own zone for an extended shift, refusing to let the puck past the blue line as they unleashed an onslaught of shots on net.
However, with an inability to get the puck across the line, the game eventually required overtime.
“We finished the third period strong, good forecheck, but that’s the way we should’ve played for sixty,” Head coach Andre Tourigny explained.
Despite another suffocating push by the Mammoth to begin the extra period, Nick Schmaltz took an unintentional tripping penalty which summoned a fourth skater for the Blackhawks and Nazar called game.
IT’S A NAZAR LASER!! 🚀
Frank Nazar rips it home for the @NHLBlackhawks in @Energizer overtime! pic.twitter.com/kVU0WZXpPT
— NHL (@NHL) March 10, 2026
As 11 also noted, Utah still managed to snag a point in Chicago which shouldn’t be overlooked.
To have seven of eight possible already in their pocket through the first four games of this road trip is wildly successful.
Of course, more is always better, but the Mammoth aren’t going to win every night.
Making sure they still manage a point on a bad night is the kind of mindset that will help them reach the playoffs.
“We didn’t play our A-game, but we found a way to get a point on the road,” Tourigny noted.
“Now, we have a big game tomorrow, and we need to get more points.”
Dylan Guenther reaches 30 goals in a season for first time in career
On a more positive note, Guenther registered a new milestone on Monday night as he reached the 30th goal mark for the first time in his young career.
After Clayton Keller put a little extra sauce on the puck to reach 11’s stick on a two-on-one situation, the 22-year-old buried it five-hole to give Utah a 2-1 advantage.
What a feed from Kells to Gunner!
2-1, Utah. pic.twitter.com/SljAWBBN1E
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) March 10, 2026
It’s been said many times before, but it never hurts to remind fans how special Guenther is.
Like he promised in the preseason, 11 is no longer a one-trick pony who only finds the back of the net from the left faceoff circle.
Rather, he’s expanded his offense to become a versatile goal scorer which places him inside the top 15 in goals in the National Hockey League.
“It’s nice,” Guenther added. “That’s kind of what’s gotten me into the league is being able to score and I think that I’ve rounded out my game and become a more complete player, but that’s still what I’m good at.”
What’s next for the Utah Mammoth?
The Utah Mammoth will conclude their five-game road trip against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night at 6:00 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.
