MORNING SKATE NOTES
- Utah did not hold a morning skate, and no lineup news or changes were announced.
- The Mammoth enter the second half of a back-to-back.
On to the Next One
The Mammoth may have won last night in Buffalo, but the team is already focused on tonight’s test, a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Throughout the season, the team has focused on staying even-keeled with wins and losses. After a quick moment to celebrate, the Mammoth refocused and looked to the task ahead.
“Like our coach said, you enjoy the win for a couple minutes and then turn the page,” Captain Clayton Keller shared. “It's a quick turn around here. We're super excited to play here. A lot of guys are from here and other are fired up to play here, me as well. Super excited for the game.”
Toronto’s Threats
The Maple Leafs are a team that has a lot going for them. Besides having elite players who can score often and in quick succession, Toronto plays a strong team game. Head coach André Tourigny gave a scouting report heading into tonight’s game.
“Toronto is a really good team off the forecheck and off the rush,” Tourigny explained. “The way we play in the neutral zone to limit their time and space (is important) and apply as much pressure on them, so they cannot have good puck placement and use their forecheck, or add an easy entry. It’s a good league and every night you need to bring your A game and turn the page. Which, I’m happy about the discussion we had with the boys this morning, I think we’re tuned in.”
More Experienced
The Mammoth are a more experienced team this year with returning players having another season under their belts plus the addition of several veterans this offseason. Tourigny discussed how this team’s experience has factored into their approach this season.
"That's a big theme for us this year,” Tourigny said. “We talk a lot about experience, youth and stuff. You cannot buy experience. You need to go through it. Your parents can tell you all your life 'hey, don't do that' or 'be careful of this.' When you go through it, it's just to realize 'mom or dad was right.' But that's just the way it is so they needed to go through it. Like I said, I think we're more equipped because we have more experience than from those nine Stanley Cups and our great veterans, but even our young guys who lived it last year... I think that was maybe a tough pill to swallow at the time but now we've taken our medicine, and we'll learn from it. It's not over but we've been through some battle scars and that helps now."
