SAN JOSE – The Utah Mammoth fell to the San Jose Sharks, 6-3, Monday night. Lawson Crouse scored twice while JJ Peterka added one for the Mammoth in the loss.
“Very disappointed about our effort,” head coach André Tourigny said following the game. “Our execution right now as a team is not really good. We understand that … we need to be stronger than that mentally and we need to work way harder than that. Win more loose puck battles and everything. That is on all of us. It’s on us as (coaches) to make sure the team is ready to work first. That’s the number one thing. I fell on that today.”
"It comes down to winning battles,” Crouse also shared. “I think that's what we need to get two (points)."
Crouse’s fifth goal of the season showed the strong chemistry between him and linemate Michael Carcone. After Carcone gained possession in the neutral zone, the forward used his speed to drive to the net before he turned and set up Crouse with the perfect feed. With the quick pass, Crouse had an empty net in front of him.
“Unbelievable,” Tourigny said of the effort from the Jack McBain line. “Those three guys together, they’re the heart and soul every night. They work, they get inside, they’re tough, they compete. They’re the heart and soul of our team right now.”
Peterka's 10th tally of the year was off a sharp angle shot. Credit to Nate Schmidt who won his battle and quickly passed to Peterka on the far side. This move gave Peterka time and space to drive in and score. Peterka is the third player on the Mammoth to reach 10 goals this season.
Crouse scored his second of the night, and sixth of the season, shorthanded in a give-and-go with Mikhail Sergachev. His tally showed Utah’s push back in the third period and was the second shorthanded goal this season. Crouse has scored six shorthanded goals in his NHL career and tonight’s was his first in the last four seasons (last: 3/14/22 at OTT, with Arizona). His two goals tonight mark his first multi-goal performance in 2025-26 and his second with Utah (also 1/2/25 at CGY: 2g) (per Mammoth PR).
Utah used both goaltenders in tonight’s game. After San Jose’s third goal in the opening frame, Utah pulled Karel Vejmelka. He finished his night with six saves on nine shots. Vítek Vaněček entered the game in relief and stopped 18 of the 21 shots he faced.
Tyler Toffoli (2), Will Smith (2), Pavol Regenda (PPG), and Adam Gaudette scored for the Sharks. Yaroslav Askarov stopped 31 of the 34 shots he faced. Utah is 12-12-3 with the loss. The Mammoth continue their season-long, six-game road trip in Anaheim with a Wednesday night game against the Ducks.
