Guenther's OT goal pushes Mammoth past Avalanche for 4th straight win

SALT LAKE CITY – Dylan Guenther scored 33 seconds into overtime and the Utah Mammoth defeated the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 at Delta Center on Tuesday.

“[We] started really well and just kind of kept with it throughout the whole game,” said Guenther. “So it was a big win, a good way to win too.”

Mikhail Sergachev had a goal and two assists for the Mammoth (5-2-0), who are undefeated at home this season (4-0-0). Karel Vejmelka made 30 saves.

“As a team, I think our [defensive core] played really solid,” said Mammoth head coach Andre Tourigny. “Colorado is a team that doesn't give up a lot of goals. They gave up only nine goals in the six games before that game. So I'm proud of the offense we created and the way we clogged the middle, especially from the second period on.”

Cale Makar, Martin Necas, and Jack Drury scored for the Avalanche (5-0-2), which had a three-game win streak snapped. Scott Wedgewood made 29 saves in the loss.

“Hey, it's an important point on the road,” said Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar. “We went down a couple times and were able to come back and get a big point on the road. So that's number one. Number two is it's going to take a full [60 minutes] playing the right way. It's a good game, though, a hard-fought game.”

Makar opened the scoring at 5:29 of the first period, firing a snap shot from the point that found its way past Vejmelka to give the Avalanche a 1-0 lead.

“I just think we didn't manage the puck well in the second and kind of got away from our game,” said Makar. “Some tough bounces, bad bouncing pucks, but we got to play to our strengths and not cut into how they like to play, which is what we did in the second.”

Gabriel Landeskog looked to have scored 46 seconds into the second period, but the play was challenged by the Mammoth and was ruled offside.

“I think our goal should have counted. It was not offside,” said Bednar. “It's just because of the timing of it, a two-goal lead would be the biggest lead of the game for either team, so we'll get an explanation on it. I don't understand it, I'm pretty sure I might, but we'll see.”

John Marino then looked to have scored at 6:29 with a slap shot from the point, but the goal was disallowed for goaltender interference.

Nick Schmaltz tied the game 1-1 at 9:17, scoring a power-play goal off a rebound from Clayton Keller.

Lawson Crouse pushed the Mammoth to a 2-1 lead at 12:30, scoring on a one-timer off a pass from Kevin Stenlund.

Drury tied the game at 1:10 of the third period, tapping in a rebound from Ross Colton to make it 2-2.

Sergachev scored at 5:20, stealing the puck in the Avalanche zone and beating Wedgewood on the glove side to give the Mammoth a 3-2 lead. The goal was Sergachev's first of the season.

“It didn't matter if we were up or down, we kind of kept the same mentality,” said Sergachev. “Yeah, they pushed in the third, and it was expected of them. And our goalie played his best, and we stayed with it, blocked some shots, obviously gave up a goal, there's no goalie who can save that shot. So I just like that mentality, staying with it no matter what.”

Necas tied the game at 17:44, beating Vejmelka short side above the shoulder to make it a 3-3 game and ultimately send the game to overtime.

“We don't want our performance to go up and down. We don't want to level to our opponent; we want to be good every night,” said Tourigny. “But we all know that's a hell of a team on the other side. And I think the most important thing for me is the way we progress during the game, the way we adapt, the way we react to the way they wanted to attack us and the read of how our guys did and all of it. I think I'm really proud of them for that.”

NOTES: Jack McBain left the game at 2:40 of the second period with an upper body injury and did not return. “I don't know, really. Didn't see him after. He told me they were evaluating him, so we'll see,” said Tourigny.… Zakhar Bardakov scored his first NHL point, tallying an assist on the goal by Makar.