Lineup Notes
Head coach André Tourigny said that alternate captain Mikhail Sergachev is a game time decision (maintenance). The d-pairings will be decided closer to puck drop and Simashev may play against the Flyers.
The New Guy
Defenseman MacKenzie Weegar hasn’t joined the Mammoth yet due to the visa process; however, the team is excited for his arrival. There are plenty of connections between Weegar and current members of the Mammoth including Tourigny. Utah’s bench boss coached the veteran defenseman at the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship when Canada brought home gold.
“Obviously really excited,” Tourigny said. “I coached (Weegar), I know (Weegar). Great guy, old school, heart and soul, warrior. Moves the puck really well, has a good shot, everything he does, he does it quick. So, really happy. He’s a good veteran.”
Weegar has played with forward Barrett Hayton, Jack McBain, Michael Carcone and Associate Captain Lawson Crouse at Men’s Worlds as well.
“He’s a great player,” Crouse said of Weegar. “He moves well, he’s physical, and he’s passionate. He really cares about winning and (Worlds) was a few years ago now, and it was just a short tournament, but I got to know him pretty well off the ice, and (he’s an) incredible human being. Definitely will jump into our group and fit right in and be a huge part for us.”
Building off Washington
As the Mammoth continue to build their game, the team is focused on being consistent. Utah will use the Washington win as another building off point.
“Since the break, we’re looking to get our consistency at the level we had before the break,” Tourigny explained. “The pace we had defensively, the physicality we had in our forecheck, in our battle. The quickness in our decisions with the puck, that’s what we really liked about our game. So, we need to make sure we’re ready to apply that.”
“The common theme, playing with pace,” Crouse said of the team’s focus. “The first two periods (against Washington) we did that and then obviously in the third, they made a pretty good push, but we held in there. Tried to limit Grade-A chances from the middle. We were ultimately able to close the game. I think just using that confidence but not getting too overconfident. There’s a big job that needs to be done tonight and we’re ready for that.”
Facing the Flyers
Tourigny gave insight into what Philadelphia will bring to Thursday’s game:
“I think the big thing about those guys on the other side is they’re stingy,” “They don’t give much. They play really well defensively. Coached against (Rick) Tocchet when he was in (Vancouver), you know exactly what to expect. His team will work hard, and it will be stingy defensively. So, for us, it’s important to have the consistency in our game from the first shift to the last and make sure we don’t give them any freebies. They have high-end players who can make really good plays, their defensemen are really active on the rush, in the o-zone play, on the back side. It’s a movement of five guys so we need to be really aware and ready.”
