Looking Back: April 2026

The first two weeks of April were some of the most important weeks of the 2025-26 regular season. The Utah Mammoth put together a significant win streak and booked the organization’s first postseason berth in franchise history. Let’s take a look back at the end of the year!

Win Streak

The 2026 Playoff race was a tight battle throughout the NHL, and the Western Conference was no exception. Utah held the first wild card spot for the majority of the season; however, multiple teams were right behind the Mammoth looking to take over that spot. 

Starting with Utah’s final game in March, the Mammoth won five-straight games, including four games against teams fighting for playoff spots. One of the most exciting games during the streak was a 6-5 overtime win against the Edmonton Oilers.

After JJ Peterka scored the game’s opening goal, Edmonton stormed back and held a 3-1 lead going into the first intermission. Utah tied the game up in the second period twice, and outscored the Oilers 3-1 in the middle frame. In the third period, each team exchanged goals and the game went to overtime. 33 seconds into extra time, Captain Clayton Keller’s 26^th goal of the season secured the win and two valuable points.

Utah’s win streak helped the Mammoth secure their playoff ticket and kept them in the top wild card spot. During the five-game win streak, Utah outscored its opponents 29-14 and had 11 different goal scorers.

Successful End of the Regular Season

Utah had its final eight games of the regular season in April and went 5-3-0 over that stretch. The Mammoth officially clinched a playoff spot on Apr. 9 and secured the top wild card spot on Apr. 14.

In addition to the team’s success, forward Dylan Guenther made franchise history as the first Mammoth player to score 40 or more goals in a single season. It was the first time Guenther has hit that milestone in his career. Keller also recorded his first hat trick as a member of the Utah Mammoth on Apr. 4 against the Vancouver Canucks. 

The Zammoth

On Apr. 7, the Mammoth launched a brand-new element for their in-game experience: the Zammoth. The team transformed the original Zamboni from the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City into a ‘fan zam.’ Following warmups and during the first and second intermissions, the Zammoth brings fans on a lap around the Delta Center. The Zammoth made its debut on a nationally televised broadcast and brought good luck as Utah beat the Edmonton Oilers in overtime, 6-5, that night.

Welcome to the Delta Center

In early April, Tanner and Midge from Love on the Spectrum visited Salt Lake City and attended a Mammoth game. Take a behind-the-scenes look at their visit!

Clean Up on Aisle 52

No one is safe on April Fool’s Day, not even veteran defenseman MacKenzie Weegar. The trade deadline acquisition was at the center of a prank that had everyone guessing who did it.

Up next, we’ll take a look back at the 2026 NHL playoffs.