Utah Faces Minnesota in Second Half of Back-to-Back

THE DETAILS

WHO: Utah (34-25-5) vs Minnesota (37-16-11)

WHEN: Mar. 10, 2026

WHERE: Grand Casino Arena

TV: ESPN+, Hulu

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

MORNING SKATE NOTES

• Head coach André Tourigny shared there are several game time decisions for Tuesday’s game.

• This is the final game on a five-game road trip.

Start Strong

Following Monday’s overtime loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, forward Dylan Guenther said the team knows how important the first five to 10 minutes are for tonight’s game. Tourigny shared how Utah needs to show up early in Tuesday’s game.

“A lot of speed,” Tourigny explained. “I think we need to establish our speed. I think yesterday we had a good start but we didn’t sustain that speed, that pace. Tonight, we need to have a good start and get that taste in our mouth again.”

Facing the Wild

Utah has matched up well against Minnesota this year as the Mammoth have won the first two games of the series. The Wild will bring a strong effort tonight and the Mammoth are aware of the threats they have on the roster.

“I don’t think there’s any secret sauce there,” Tourginy shared. “It’s a team who have good defensemen, really mobile. Their offense is really good. They hold on pucks, they can possess the puck a lot. It will be important to be physical for us defensively to kill a little bit of their possession. But more importantly, they give us the possession and having the opportunity to attack them, and putting pucks at the net, bodies at that net, that kind of stuff.”

Secure the Points

The Mammoth have secured seven of eight possible points in the first four games of this road trip. It’s been a significant trip for the team.

“It’s an important game for us,” Tourigny said. “We managed to have some success on the trip, so it’s important to have a good, strong finish. We’re really proud of our guys and tonight can be the exclamation point.”

THE PREVIEW

Tonight’s Matchup

Utah

• Utah is 34-25-5 this season and has a 6-3-1 record in the last 10 games. The Mammoth are on a four-game points streak.

• With 73 points, Utah is fourth in the Central Division and are in the first wildcard spot.

• In their most recent game, the Mammoth fell to the Chicago Blackhawks in overtime, 3-2. Barrett Hayton and Dylan Guenther scored in the loss and Guenther hit the 30-goal benchmark for the first time in his career. Vítek Vaněček stopped 23 of the 26 shots he faced.

• Guenther leads the Mammoth with 30 goals, and his 55 points are third on the team. Captain Clayton Keller leads Utah with 45 assists and 64 points while Nick Schmaltz is second in goals (24), assists (35), and points (59).

• Since Vaněček played on Monday night, it’s likely Karel Vejmelka will be in net against the Wild. Vejmelka has a 30-16-2 record with a 2.64 goals-against average and a .900 save percentage.

• Utah returns home after a five-game road trip for a two-game homestand. The Mammoth will host the Blackhawks on Thursday at the Delta Center.

Minnesota

• Minnesota is 37-16-11 and has a 7-2-1 record in the last 10 games. The Wild are on a four-game points streak. 

• With 85 points, Minnesota is third in the Central Division and in a playoff spot.

• In their most recent game, the Wild fell 3-2 to the Colorado Avalanche in a shootout. Kirill Kaprizov (PPG) and Nico Sturm (SHG) scored in the loss. Jesper Wallstedt stopped 34 of the 36 shots he faced.

• Kaprizov leads the Wild with 36 goals and 76 points. His 40 assists are second on the team to Quinn Hughes. Matt Boldy’s 35 goals and 72 points are second on the Wild.

• Filip Gustavsson has a 23-10-6 record, a 2.53 goals-against average, and a .912 save percentage. Wallstedt has a 14-6-5 record, a 2.81 goals-against average, and a .913 save percentage.

• Minnesota’s game against Utah kicks off a four-game homestand. Up next, a Thursday night matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers.

By the Numbers

• Tuesday will be a battle of two strong defenses as Utah holds its opponents to the fourth-fewest goals per game (2.75) while Minnesota holds its opponents to the sixth-fewest goals per game (2.83). 

• The Mammoth have three players with 20 or more goals this season and Keller’s next goal will make him the fourth skater to reach this category for Utah during the 2025-26 campaign.

• Utah’s 75 third period goals are tied with Minnesota for the ninth-most in the league.

• The Wild have the fourth-best power play in the league and have converted on 25.7% of their opportunities this season. 

• Dylan Guenther scored his 30^th goal of the season on Monday night. This is the first time he’s reached this benchmark in his career. Guenther is one of 21 players to hit 30 goals in the NHL this season, and the forward is on a four-game point streak (3G, 3A) on Utah’s current road trip.

• With 36 goals, Kaprizov is third in the NHL while Boldy’s 35 tallies are tied for fourth most. Kaprizov’s 76 points are tied for the seventh-most in the league, while Boldy’s 72 points are 13^th.

Against Minnesota This Season

• This is the third and final game between the Mammoth and Wild this season.

• Utah won the first two meetings: a 6-2 win on Oct. 25 and a 5-2 win on Feb. 27.

Season Series

• Oct. 25: UTA vs MIN – Game Recap

• Feb. 27: MIN vs UTA – Game Recap

• Mar. 10: UTA vs MIN

Upcoming Schedule

• Mar. 12: CHI vs UTA

• Mar. 14: PIT vs UTA

• Mar. 16: UTA vs DAL