Utah Starts Back-to-Back, Host Carolina

THE DETAILS

WHO: Carolina (51-22-6) vs Utah (42-30-6)

WHEN: Apr. 11, 2026 – 3:00 p.m. MT

WHERE: Delta Center

TV: Utah16, Mammoth+

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

MORNING SKATE NOTES

• Head coach André Tourigny said there are some game-time decisions.

• This is the first half of a back-to-back for the Mammoth and the final in a three-game homestand.

Facing the Hurricanes

Carolina is the top team in the Metropolitan Division and the top team in the Eastern Conference with 108 points. The Hurricanes are a team that forces their opponents to operate under pressure and will be a strong test heading into the final games of the regular season.

“It’s a great challenge for us,” Tourigny explained. “…they have a lot of aggression without the puck, they put a lot of pressure, so it’ll be good to play that kind of high-paced game.

“They forecheck really hard,” Tourigny also said of the Hurricanes. “They’re really quick on you. They are not the most physical team in terms of body checks, but they’re physical in their battles, the way they get engaged in their battles. So, there’s a lot of pressure everywhere. They force you to operate under duress all night long.”

Mr. 300

Defenseman Sean Durzi’s next game is his 300^th in the NHL. Throughout his career, Durzi has 30 goals and 114 assists for 144 points. This season, the defenseman has five goals and 22 assists for 27 points. This is Durzi’s fifth season in the NHL and he has played for the Los Angeles Kings, Arizona Coyotes, and Utah Mammoth.

THE PREVIEW

Tonight’s Matchup

Utah

• Utah is 42-30-6 this season, and is 7-3-0 over the last 10 games. The team is on a five-game win streak.

• The Mammoth clinched their first ever postseason berth in franchise history Thursday night. Currently, Utah is in the first wild card spot with 90 points. The Mammoth have a five-point lead over the Los Angeles Kings who sit in the second wild card spot.

• In their most recent game, the Mammoth beat the Nashville Predators, 4-1. Kailer Yamamoto, Nick Schmaltz (PPG), Lawson Crouse, and Dylan Guenther scored in the win. Karel Vejmelka stopped 29 of the 30 shots he faced.

• Guenther leads the Mammoth with 39 goals, and his 71 points are third on the team. Captain Clayton Keller’s 57 assists and 83 points are team-highs. Schmaltz’s 31 goals and 72 points are second-most on the team as are Mikhail Sergachev’s 47 assists.

• Vejmelka has played 61 games this season and has a 37-19-3 record. He has a 2.71 goals-against average and a .898 save percentage. Vítek Vaněček has played 20 games this season. He has a 5-11-3 record, a 2.87 goals-against average, and a .886 save percentage.

• The Mammoth will travel to Calgary to face the Flames on Sunday night in the second half of a back-to-back. After Sunday’s game, Utah returns home for the final two games of the regular season.

Carolina

• Carolina is 51-22-6 this season and 7-3-0 over the last 10 games. The Hurricanes have won two-straight and four of their last five games.

• The Hurricanes clinched their postseason berth in early April and have won the Metropolitan Division for the fourth time in six seasons.

• In their most recent game, the Hurricanes beat the Chicago Blackhawks, 7-2. Logan Stankoven and Mark Jankowski both scored twice in the win while Sean Walker, K’Andre Miller, and Taylor Hall also scored once. Frederik Andersen stopped 23 of the 25 shots he faced.

• Seth Jarvis’ 32 goals are a team-high. Sebastian Aho leads the Hurricanes with 53 assists and 79 points. Andrei Svechnikov’s 30 goals and 69 points are second-most on the team while Nikolaj Ehlers’ 42 assists are second.

• The Hurricanes have had the goaltender tandem of Brandon Bussi and Andersen for the majority of the season. Bussi has a 30-6-1 record, a 2.52 goals-against average, and a .892 save percentage. Andersen has a 15-14-5 record, a 3.11 goals-against average, and a .871 save percentage.

• Saturday is the second stop on a four-game road trip to close out Carolina’s season. The Hurricanes will face the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Islanders next week.

By the Numbers

• Schmaltz’s nine game-winning goals are tied for third-most in the NHL while Keller is tied for the second-most overtime goals in the league (4). Jarvis’ four shorthanded goals are tied for second-most in the NHL.

• Carolina’s 108 points are second in the league and their 51 wins this season trail only the Colorado Avalanche (52).

• Utah is the fourth team in the Western Conference to clinch a playoff spot.

• The Hurricanes have scored the second-most first period goals (92) and the most third period goals (102).

• Karel Vejmelka’s 37 wins are tied with Andrei Vasilevskiy (Tampa Bay) for the most in the NHL. Bussi’s 30 wins are tied for fourth in the league.

Against Carolina This Season

• This is the second and final game between Utah and Carolina this season.

• The Hurricanes won the first game on Jan. 29, 5-4.

Season Series

• Jan. 29: UTA vs CAR – Game Recap

• Apr. 11: CAR vs UTA

Upcoming Schedule

• Apr. 12: UTA vs CGY

• Apr. 14: WPG vs UTA

• Apr. 16: STL vs UTA – Regular Season Finale