The Week Ahead: Dec. 8-14

The Utah Mammoth are back from their longest road trip of the season for a three-game homestand. Utah will head out on a three-game road trip at the end of the week. Let’s take a look at the major storylines:

Main Storylines – Utah

• Utah enters the week with two wins in their last three games. The Mammoth had a very demanding six-game road trip with two sets of back-to-back games.
• Currently, the Mammoth are fourth in the Central Division with 31 points.
• Center Logan Cooley was injured on the road trip and is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury.
• The Mammoth recalled rookie forward Daniil But and defenseman Maveric Lamoureux last week. Both have played in the team’s last three games.
• One of Utah’s greatest strengths this season has been its penalty kill. The Mammoth’s PK has killed off 82.1% of their penalties this season which is ninth-best in the NHL.
• This week is a busy one for the Mammoth who have four games over seven nights.

Injury Updates – Utah

• F Logan Cooley – lower-body injury, out indefinitely
• F Alexander Kerfoot – lower-body, IR
• D Olli Määttä – upper-body, IR
• D Juuso Valimaki – lower-body, injured non-roster
• G Anson Thorton – lower-body, injured non-roster

Let’s take a look at this week’s matchups below!

UTAH VS LOS ANGELES

DEC 8 | 7:00 P.M. MT

WATCH: Utah16, Mammoth+

LISTEN: KSL Sports Zone (97.5FM/1280AM), KSL Sports App, NHL App, NHL.com

This is the first of three games between Utah and Los Angeles this season. It’s also the first of two at Delta Center.

Season Series

• Dec. 8: UTA vs LAK
• Mar. 22: UTA vs LAK
• Mar. 28: UTA at LAK

Main Storylines – Los Angeles

• As Los Angeles enters the week, the Kings are third in the Pacific with 33 points. The Kings have points in seven of their last ten games with a 4-3-3 record in that span.
• The Kings are one of the best road teams in the NHL. Currently, LA has a 9-2-4 record on the road (.733 points percentage, fourth-best).
• Los Angeles has a strong defense that allows, on average, 2.50 goals against per game (3rd). In addition, the Kings are tied for allowing the fifth-fewest shots on goal in the league (26.3)
• The Kings have a quick two-game road trip before returning home this weekend. Following Monday’s game, the team travels to Seattle to face the Kraken.

Injury Updates – Los Angeles

• N/A

UTAH VS FLORIDA

DEC. 10 | 7:00 P.M. MT

WATCH: Utah16, Mammoth+

LISTEN: KSL Sports Zone (97.5FM/1280AM), KSL Sports App, NHL App, NHL.com

This is the first of two games between the Mammoth and the Panthers this season. Wednesday is the only game at Delta Center this year.

Season Series

• Dec. 10: UTA vs FLA
• Jan. 27: UTA at FLA

Main Storylines – Florida

• Florida enters the week with points in three-straight games. The Panthers are 5-4-1 in their last ten games.
• As of Monday, the Panthers are fifth in the Atlantic Division with 30 points.
• The Panthers have battled some adversity recently. After losing four-straight to start a seven game homestand, Florida bounced back with five out of six points in the final three games (2-0-1).
• Forward Carter Verhaeghe was named the NHL’s Third Star of the Week for his four goals and five total points last week. In addition to his strong stretch last week, Verhaeghe has scored six goals over the last six games he’s played.
• The Panthers kick off their week on Wednesday against the Mammoth. Florida will play the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday and Dallas Stars on Saturday.

Injury Updates – Florida

• F Aleksander Barkov – ACL, MCL - IR
• F Matthew Tkachuk – Torn adductor muscle, sports hernia, IR
• F Tomas Nosek – knee, injured non-roster
• F Jonah Gadjovich – upper-body, IR
• F Cole Schwindt – arm, IR
• D Dmitry Kulikov – upper-body, IR

UTAH VS SEATTLE

DEC. 12 – 7:00 P.M. MT

WATCH: Utah16, Mammoth+

LISTEN: KSL Sports Zone (1280AM), KSL Sports App, NHL App, NHL.com

This is the first of three games between the Mammoth and the Kraken and the first of two-straight at Delta Center.

Season Series

• Dec. 12: UTA vs SEA
• Jan. 17: UTA vs SEA
• Apr. 2: UTA at SEA

Main Storylines – Seattle

• To start the week, Seattle is sixth in the Pacific Division with 28 points. The Kraken are 4-5-1 in their last ten games and are on a five-game losing skid (as of Monday).
• The Kraken are looking to bounce back after dropping three one-goal decisions in their last five games.
• Through 26 games, Seattle has 19 skaters with a goal or more and 24 skaters with a point or more.
• It’s a busy week for the Kraken who have four games this week; however, three of those games will be at home. The lone exception is Seattle’s game in Salt Lake on Friday.

Injury Updates – Seattle

• F Berkly Catton – upper-body, week-to-week
• F Jaden Schwartz – lower-body, IR
• G Matt Murray – lower-body, IR

UTAH AT PITTSBURGH

DEC. 14 | 1:00 P.M. MT

WATCH: Utah16, Mammoth+

LISTEN: KSL Sports Zone (97.5FM/1280AM), KSL Sports App, NHL App, NHL.com

This is the first of two games between Utah and Pittsburgh this season. Sunday is the only game at PPG Paints Arena this year.

Season Series

• Dec. 14: UTA at PIT
• Mar. 14: UTA vs PIT

Main Storylines – Pittsburgh

• As of Monday, the Penguins have gone 5-2-3 in their last ten games, including a stretch of four wins over six contests.
• Pittsburgh enters the week with 34 points and is fourth in the Metropolitan Division.
• The Penguins have confidence from a strong road trip where Pittsburgh earned five of six possible points on a three-game road trip.
• Fresh off a road trip, Pittsburgh starts a five-game homestand this week. When the Penguins host the Mammoth, it’ll be the fourth of the homestand.

Injury Updates – Pittsburgh

• F Evgeni Malkin – upper-body, day-to-day
• F Rickard Rakell – hand, out
• F Filip Hallander – blood clot, IR
• F Tanner Howe – knee, IR
• D Caleb Jones – lower-body, IR
• D Jack St. Ivany – lower-body, IR