SALT LAKE CITY – While it wasn’t the most ideal way to win a hockey game, the Utah Mammoth bounced back on Sunday night with a much-needed victory on home ice over the Los Angeles Kings.
Following a back-and-forth contest with very little to separate the two squads, Nick Schmaltz registered the game-winner in OT as he beat Darcy Kuemper low off the rush to electrify Delta Center in victory.
Resilience and determination propel Mammoth past Kings in OT
Every day that goes by, the intensity, physicality and speed of the National Hockey League reach new levels as the playoffs continue to inch closer.
Such was the case between the Mammoth and Kings on Sunday night as both teams relentlessly pursue a wild card spot amidst a highly competitive race down the stretch.
The result?
A fairly even matchup filled with punishing hits, spectacular goals, constant scrums and eventually, free hockey as the teams were deadlocked at three to end regulation with very little to separate them.
Whenever Utah would score, Los Angeles would generally respond within seconds to tie the game.
Even when it took them a bit longer to score a third late in the final frame to tie things up, the Kings still managed to send the game to OT.
“They had their pushes, but we didn’t dwell on it. We kind of just
Crouser leads off scoring at the @deltacenter! pic.twitter.com/IuyJFrM4W4
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) March 23, 2026
LAFFY TIES IT pic.twitter.com/qPOaD0NHEa
— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 23, 2026
Second of the night for Lawson Crouse! pic.twitter.com/DuixdVBp1b
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) March 23, 2026
ANOTHER QUICK ANSWER FROM THE LA KINGS pic.twitter.com/qjRvcxbvGw
— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 23, 2026
NO QUIT IN NICK! 🔥
Schmaltzy makes it 3-2, Utah. pic.twitter.com/ajlOhaO33g
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) March 23, 2026
BREADMAN MAGIC AND WE’RE TIED pic.twitter.com/o1H8oiqQKJ
— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 23, 2026
Enter the $64 million dollar man.
After scoring one of the filthiest goals in Mammoth history, Schmaltz wasn’t done yet as he called game by beating Kuemper five hole which ignited the crowd and captured a critical second point for his team.
“The last couple games, we’ve been generating more and trying to shoot the puck more. So, sometimes they go in, sometimes they don’t,” Schmaltz explained.
“That’s baseball.”
Shot fake. Hesitation. Five hole.
What a finish by 8.pic.twitter.com/zPfsjQG2sh
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 23, 2026
That’s the kind of resilience it requires to get into the postseason.
Give up a goal, go get another.
Have a bad shift, move on and dominate the next.
Allow a team to force OT, steal the puck and beat the goaltender low to take the second point.
“The way (Los Angeles) scored their third goal, we all know. The way our team reacted; that, for me, showed how determined we were and that we were in the right place in our mindset. Right away on the next shift, it’s like ‘OK, let’s play hockey.’ It did not shake us, did not put doubt in our heads,” Head coach Andre Tourigny explained.
Like Tourigny pointed out, it’s all about the way a team responds to adversity.
A year ago, Utah probably loses that game.
Rather than jumping back onto the ice with the same determination, there’s a good chance the Utah Hockey Club would’ve folded.
But not this year.
Not with the playoffs on the horizon and the Utah Mammoth anxious to get in.
“Obviously, it’s not what we wanted. But it did not have an effect on us where we were deflated. We pushed back and we had opportunities after. I think that showed how determined we were in the game,” Tourigny continued.
As many would say, “They don’t ask how, just how many.”
With approximately 11 games to go, Utah likely needs to win six or seven to comfortably claim the top wild card spot in the west.
As long as they continue to play the same style of “baseball” with a similar mindset, that shouldn’t be much of a problem.
What’s next for the Utah Mammoth?
The Utah Mammoth will continue their four game homestand against the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. MT.
The game will be available on ESPN+ & Hulu.
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.