\u2014 Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) January 8, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cSo that\u2019s one thing that we can make huge strides with is still creating that third goal. Sometimes you see it when we have multiple power plays in the game. We\u2019ve got to find that way, as I say, to put the knife in them. Finish it off and get it done.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe last thing is when your goaltender goes, when Veggie is rocking and rolling in net, we\u2019re usually on the right side of the pile and getting the win. So, goaltending is always huge this time of the year and all the way down the stretch.\u201d<\/p>\n Stopped by Vejmelka! pic.twitter.com\/T6P9ATDzDp<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) January 8, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Q: Coach Tourigny said that this next stretch of home games will be a chance to prove who you want to be. Who does this team want to be?<\/p>\n Bill Armstrong: \u201cA team that prides itself in playing in pressure. We put a lot of pressure in a lot of different areas. When you watch us play in the D-zone, we\u2019re pretty good. It\u2019s the pressure situation when we create a lot of turnovers and we\u2019re on the team.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho are we? We\u2019re a team that puts defense first and plays that way. We just have to make sure coming down the second half of the season, for us to improve on what we are, is to put more bodies at the net and shoot more pucks. When we do that, we\u2019re a really effective team.\u201d<\/p>\n Q: What have you seen from Daniil But in the NHL and how is Dmitri Simashev doing in the AHL?<\/p>\n Bill Armstrong: \u201cBut is doing great. Obviously, he had a big goal for us [against Ottawa]. I love the hunger around the net. I love the fact that he\u2019s in the ninety-ninth percentile of all players in the National hockey League in terms of getting to the front of the net. That\u2019s something we need. If he can settle down a little bit in his mind, get accustomed to the pace of it and shoot the puck more, he could be one of our top forwards come the second half. He can be that impactful for us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDmitri Simashev has gone down to the minors in Tucson and had a great time down there. He\u2019s really improved his game. I think one thing for him is, he\u2019s shown he has a little more offensive ability. He\u2019s almost at a point per game down there. He\u2019s got four goals. So, he\u2019s been able to play on the first unit power play down there, along with growing his game and just using his skating. He\u2019s a pretty effective player when he gets up in the rush and with that, his size and skating ability. He\u2019ll be the first one back. So, he\u2019s really pushed the pace of his offense, and he\u2019s had a huge impact on Tucson.\u201d<\/p>\n Dmitri Simashev puts us up by TWO! pic.twitter.com\/uO2v37HozZ<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Tucson Roadrunners (@RoadrunnersAHL) January 1, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cHe just needs to keep working on that [to get back to the NHL]. I think for him, it\u2019s getting that confidence in his game. One thing with the Russian players that they don\u2019t have the advantage of anymore is they used to come in on these tournament teams when they\u2019re sixteen to twenty and play in North American rinks. That has since ceased. So, they haven\u2019t been able to get acclimated to the North American game as quick. It takes them a little bit longer. Going to the American League is something that for him, he\u2019s learned to play the North American game. He\u2019s a two-way defenseman. It\u2019s all assets of the game. It\u2019s the blocking shot, boxing out, being a bit more physical and moving that puck a little bit quicker.\u201d<\/p>\n Q: What have you seen from Clayton Keller this season in terms of his growth as a captain?<\/p>\n Bill Armstrong: \u201cObviously, Kells has gone through some personal issues away from the rink with his father passing. I thought that he\u2019s been a true warrior in a sense of making sure that he\u2019s taken care of business every time he gets to the rink, and he\u2019s done a great job for us. He\u2019s someone that when he\u2019s on top of his game, he\u2019s moving the puck, putting pucks at the net, and creating offensive opportunities in the offensive zone.\u201d<\/p>\n Related: Despite Tragedy, Utah Mammoth Captain Clayton Keller Has Demonstrated Unimaginable Strength Through Acts Of Love & Service<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s had a good season. I think there is still more in the power play that he can help that first unit accomplish. That\u2019s big. When we score on the power play, it gives us confidence that we\u2019re going to be able to put up more than two goals a game and that\u2019s a huge thing for us in the second half. If he can help us improve on the power play and continue to play his game five-on-five, he can help us push right into the playoffs.\u201d<\/p>\n The Captain! Atta boy, Kells!<\/p>\n \ud83d\udea8 5-1, UTAH! pic.twitter.com\/kSMSTTiKTf<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) January 1, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Q: How can the power play continue to improve?<\/p>\n Bill Armstrong: \u201cWe\u2019ve been slowly getting better, and let\u2019s be honest, the second unit has been really good. They create a ton of opportunities when they\u2019re out there. But the first unit has put more pucks at the net, put more people at the net, and made it a little bit simpler. That\u2019s led to some success for us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe power play kind of goes hot and cold at times and when it\u2019s hot, it drives your team to win. When it\u2019s cold, you\u2019re yearning for it. So, I think with the group just trying to get into the rink every single day, we\u2019re going to get better. Just take small strides and become more consistent with it.\u201d<\/p>\n Q: How has Dylan Guenther\u2019s game grown since Logan Cooley was placed on IR?<\/p>\n Bill Armstrong: \u201cGunner is one of our leaders. When the game is on the line, he\u2019s on the ice and gets it done. He\u2019s been a driving force. I would say in a lot of the games that have been close for us, he\u2019s had huge impact in closing the game out with the game winner.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s been a big part of our team. He has that extra gear and you can just tell he\u2019s got a lot of determination. He\u2019s kind of figured out that he has enough skill, he\u2019s stronger, faster and with a little more determination, he can find ways to impact the game at a higher level, and that\u2019s what he\u2019s done.\u201d<\/p>\n DYLAN GUENTHER HAT TRICK! \ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25 pic.twitter.com\/jppHc0u8tJ<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) January 1, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Q: What are your thoughts on how Caleb Desnoyers, Tij Iginla, and Cole Beaudoin performed for Canada at World Juniors?<\/p>\n Bill Armstrong: \u201cI love the way our kids played there. It was an awesome tournament for the Mammoth because of the fact that so many of our prospects had great tournaments there. But, Cole Beaudoin was a leader, played the most minutes for Canada. That\u2019s something to be said right there. PP, PK, just a driving force, hard hockey. For me, he got better every single game and continues to improve his game.\u201d<\/p>\n Cole Beaudoin does it again! \ud83d\udea8\ud83d\udea8<\/p>\n Cole Beaudoin fait mouche \u00e0 nouveau! \ud83d\udea8\ud83d\udea8#WorldJuniors<\/a> | #MondialJunior<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/IVNwwWGTPL<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) January 1, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI think Caleb Desnoyers was good. He kind of eased himself into the tournament a little bit, played wing on the third line. Started on the fourth line, moved up, and then continued to find ice time with that go-to step. He had an impressive point per game in that tournament and made an impact. Whether it\u2019s taking a draw, whether it\u2019s killing the penalty, having some big hits or making some big plays, he had a great tournament. He put himself on the map with that. For him, it was getting off injury that he had in the summer with his surgeries and getting back to his form. He had a great tournament.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIginla was special in the tournament. He had a ton of energy, always seems to be in the right spot at the right time to score the goal. We loved his game. Where he had come off injury the previous year to where he\u2019s at now, it\u2019s night and day. You get excited when you think about Tij in a mammoth uniform and his ability to score.\u201d<\/p>\n What a pass! What a finish! \ud83d\udea8<\/p>\n Quelle belle passe! Et quelle belle touche finale! \ud83d\udea8#WorldJuniors<\/a> | #MondialJunior<\/a>pic.twitter.com\/8V20uHew7N<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) January 1, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n What a shot from Tij Iginla! \ud83c\udfaf<\/p>\n Tout un tir de Tij Iginla! \ud83c\udfaf#WorldJuniors<\/a> | #MondialJunior<\/a>pic.twitter.com\/sQ8gWjx6AV<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) January 3, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Q: What is the goal for the second half of the season as you push for the playoffs?<\/p>\n Bill Armstrong: \u201cThat\u2019s a big thing for us and it\u2019s one game at a time. You play every game like it\u2019s a seventh game, attack it, just try to be consistent with the effort and closing out games. If we can do that, we\u2019re going to give ourselves a chance to get in.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of good things. I think we\u2019ve always been a team that\u2019s dug into the analytics and when your numbers are green and good behind the scenes, it usually leads to good things. When your goal differential is good, it leads you to the right areas and a chance to get you in. I like our team in that aspect. I think that we\u2019ve been a very healthy team in the sense of what we\u2019ve accomplished with the goal differential, how hard we play and a lot of the other analytics underneath that are all positive. That leads you to believe that we\u2019ve got a good chance to push the pace here to try and get in.\u201d<\/p>\n Q: How is Logan Cooley doing in his rehab?<\/p>\n Bill Armstrong: \u201cHe\u2019s doing great. He attacks it every single day, he\u2019s in there working and making strides with it. He\u2019s going to have a chance to come back here either before or after the Olympics. We\u2019ll see how far he progresses, but he\u2019s made huge strides.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think there\u2019s a point coming up that he\u2019ll probably get back on the ice.\u201d<\/p>\n What\u2019s next for the Utah Mammoth?<\/p>\n The Utah Mammoth will continue their seven-game home stand against the St. Louis Blues on Friday night at 7 p.m. MT.<\/p>\n The game will be available on Mammoth+.<\/p>\n All Mammoth games will also be broadcast live on the KSL Sports Zone (97.5 FM\/1280 AM).<\/p>\n Cole Bagley is the Utah Mammoth insider for KSL Sports.\u00a0Keep up with him on X here<\/a>.\u00a0You can hear Cole break down the team on KSL Sports Zone and KSL 5 TV.
\nTake us with you, wherever you go.<\/p>\n
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