Durzi also credited Nick Schmaltz and Lawson Crouse for their hard work on the play. Both players had the assists on the game winner.
“Lawson Crouse does a great job of winning a battle,” Durzi explained. “Me and (Schmaltz) have a pretty good connection, give and go with each other. He gave me one, I tried to go back. For (Crouse) to win that battle, is a key play on that. (Schmaltz) has eyes on every side of his head, so I knew if I just beat my guy to the net and get open, he was going to find me. Crispy, hard pass, and the rest was history. But great play by those guys. They’re two unbelievable players and leaders for us, and to get that win felt good.”
Utah had a strong performance 5-on-5 and New York only was able to score on the power play. Alexis Lafrenière scored his ninth of the season while Vincent Trocheck recorded his 10th of the year. Trocheck’s goal was during a 5-on-3 advantage for the Rangers.
“Another great performance by the guys,” Tourigny said postgame. “We played really good at 5-on-5. We applied a lot of pressure and didn't give much … What I liked the most was the way we reacted in the third. The pace we had, the drive, the grit we had in the third. We found a way to score a big goal and get the win."
Dylan Guenther and Michael Carcone also scored for the Mammoth in the win. Guenther’s goal 12 and a half minutes into the middle frame was his 21st of the season. The forward followed up on his initial shot and scored on the rebound. Michael Carcone scored his eighth of the season in the third period and tied the game, 2-2. The forward now has goals in two-straight games and Carcone has surpassed his goals total from last year.
“I think every line has an identity,” Carcone said postgame. “With my line specifically, we just want to get pucks deep and hunt. I got two big bodies I'm playing with that can get the puck back, so just put it in places for them and get the pucks to the net and just crash.”
“(Carcone’s) been awesome,” Durzi said of his teammate. “Whether you guys see it on the ice or we see it in the room, he’s a great guy for our group. He’s a hell of a player and I think lately, just thinking the game really well. Using his legs, making smart hockey plays … hell of a player and happy he’s on our team.”
The Mammoth finished their three-game east coast swing with four out of six possible points. Utah moves up to fourth in the Central Division with 43 points. As the team returns to Utah for a season-long seven game homestand, the goal will be to keep winning in a tight playoff race.
"I thought this was a big one for us,” Durzi shared. “Obviously, (we) finished the road trip off on a good note, but now, for our group, it's about stacking these, stacking wins and getting points consistently."
“We knew the trip was (going to) be important,” Carcone said. “We obviously see the standings and where we are, so to get two wins on this trip and get home is going to be great.”
Additional Notes from Tonight
- Guenther has five goals in his last four games. The forward leads the Mammoth with 21 goals and is tied with Schmaltz for the team-lead with 37 points.
- Mammoth defensemen Durzi (1G), Ian Cole (1A), and John Marino (1A) all had points in the win. A blueliner contributed on each goal as well. Currently, Utah’s d-core has contributed 59 points over the last 29 games (11G, 48A).
- Karel Vejmelka stopped 22 of the 24 shots he faced in his 18th win this season. Utah’s netminder is tied for the most wins in the NHL with Colorado’s Scott Wedgewood.
The Mammoth start a seven-game homestand on Wednesday. Tickets are still available here!
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