Utah Comes Up Short, Falls 3-1 to Chicago

CHICAGO - Despite a solid effort defensively and a 23-14 shot advantage, the Utah Mammoth came up short and fell 3-1 to the Chicago Blackhawks. JJ Peterka’s third period goal was the only time Utah found the back of the net.

“I think we played a good game defensively,” head coach André Tourigny said postgame. “They’re really dangerous off the rush. We did a good job to neutralize their rush offense. I liked our second period. I like the way we forecheck in the second period. It was the first time of the year where we really had our forecheck going, we were connected, we were on them and we made it tough on them to break out clean. That has to be a staple of our game, right now we need more consistency.”

Utah had some of its best looks throughout the second period and the Mammoth controlled play. As a result, Utah outshot its opponent 13-3 in the middle frame and saw several great chances, including two opportunities by Nick Schmaltz on the power play and a chance for Dylan Guenther later in the second.

“I think you saw it in the second period, you see what we can do when we play fast, play connected,” Barrett Hayton said of the strong second period. “I think that was a big thing coming into this game that we talked about. We saw that in the second period. It starts with hard work and that needs to be the foundation of it all, but at the same time, you need to be thinking, you need to be sitting on options and that’s how you smother teams. So I think that’s something we can take, especially from that second period, and we need that for 60 minutes.”

Despite Utah's strong play, Chicago scored the game’s opening goal halfway through the second period. Ilya Mikheyev stuffed the puck past Vítek Vaněček and gave the home team a 1-0 lead.

The Mammoth responded and tied the game 62 seconds into the third period when JJ Peterka scored his first goal as a Mammoth. This goal showed the Cooley line’s quick passing and connectedness. After Peterka saw two Blackhawks players closing in, the forward quickly passed to Guenther. Although Guenther’s shot was stopped, the rebound kicked out to Peterka who capitalized. The offseason acquisition recorded his second point in as many games and tied the game, 1-1.

"Just pressure, I think that was the key," Peterka shared about his goal. "To get chances of the forecheck and kind of sit on them and that's also how the goal went in. Just forechecking and getting bodies to the net."

“They played well, they did a good job to utilize their speed,” Tourigny explained about the effort around Peterka’s goal. “I think it’s a little bit a reflection of our game. As soon as they start forechecking, they’re fast, and they have good stick, they have good legs. If they forecheck the way they did in the second, they will separate themselves.”

Chicago’s go-ahead goal was nine minutes into the final frame. Andre Burakovsky was all alone in front and beat Utah netminder Vítek Vaněček. His power play goal gave the Blackhawks a 2-1 lead in the third period. With 5.1 seconds remaining in the game, Mikheyev scored his second of the night and the empty net goal secured a 3-1 win for Chicago.

Additional Notes from Tonight:

In his first game back from a training camp injury, Hayton made his presence known. Hayton centered the top line with Captain Clayton Keller and forward Nick Schmaltz on the wings. Hayton played 15:58, had two shots on goal, and won 54.5% of his faceoffs.

“It was great to get back out there,” Hayton said following his first game back. “This is what I love to do and being out there, competing with the guys.”

Free agency signing Vítek Vaněček played his first regular season game for the Mammoth. He made some key saves in the first period to keep Chicago off the board, and Vaněček stopped 11 of the 13 shots he faced.

“He did a good job,” Tourigny said of Vaněček. “He kept us there in the first when we had a few breakdowns and he did what he had to do. It was not an easy game, didn’t give a lot of shots, it was not easy for him, but I think he’s a veteran, he stayed with it.”

The Mammoth changed things up with two of their d-pairings in the second and third periods. Dmitri Simashev and fellow countryman Mikhail Sergachev played together while Olli Määttä and Ian Cole were paired up.

Utah returns home for the team’s home opener on Oct. 15 against the Calgary Flames. There will be a Seat Geek Plaza Party before the game, learn more about the event here!

Upcoming Schedule:

• Oct. 15: UTA vs CGY – Home Opener
• Oct. 17: UTA vs SJS
• Oct. 19: UTA vs BOS