Defenseman MacKenzie Weegar scored his first goal in the 2026 playoffs and recorded his second career postseason goal. The rebound of Weegar’s shot hit off Vegas defenseman Rasmus Andersson’s skate and past Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart. The goal tied the game, 1-1, in the final minutes of the first period. Weegar has quickly become a significant part in Utah’s defensive core, and he talked about the other blueliners following the win.
“It’s a great d-core back there. We pick each other up. There’s lots of great chemistry, it’s a deep d-core. Everybody wants to be on the ice, like I’ve said many times. Leadership. There’s guys, (Schmidt, Cole, Sergachev) that have been down the long path to get to where we want to be. So, they provide a lot of calmness for our group. In times when it can get chaotic, like the last six minutes. So, they did a great job for us, and we got to continue that.”
The Mammoth’s calm nature has allowed Utah to stay in these tight playoff games. Throughout the final stretch of the regular season, and the start of the playoffs, Utah’s bench has remained positive and steady. This was evident throughout the momentum swings of Games 1 and 2. By staying calm, the Mammoth maintained a confidence that was key in the final minutes of Game 2.
“Lots of adrenaline out there, but I thought the guys that were out there did a great job of staying calm and poised,” Weegar said of the final minutes of the game. “A lot of composure even in the last minute. A lot of character, determination. It’s exciting. That’s what the playoffs are all about, tight games like that. Willed their way to get that one tonight.”
“It’s big. I think there’s a lot of emotions in these playoff games. A lot of ups and downs and I think you have to just find a way to stay levelheaded. Different things happen, good calls, bad calls, different momentum swings and I think we did a good job staying levelheaded and that’s what we need to do moving forward.”
Utah may have tied the series and picked up a big win on Tuesday night; however, the team is focused on their progression and improving their game.
"It was good,” Tourigny explained. “I think we progressed during the game. There's no such thing as a perfect game for any team in the world. I think we, with a few adjustments, helped. There's still work to be done. We will still need to improve, keep getting better. They will do the same. It's a good step in the right direction but there is still work to be done."
Additional Notes from Tonight
- Utah registered 39 hits Tuesday night compared to Vegas’ 33. Forward Liam O’Brien led the way with five hits while Weegar was second with four. 15 of Utah’s skaters recorded a hit in the game.
- In the Mammoth’s strongest period, the second period, Utah outshot Vegas 13-4. The Mammoth had 29 total shots through 60 minutes, including a franchise-record 12 power play shots in a single game. The Golden Knights had 21 total shots.
- Cooley, at 21 years and 352 days, became the youngest American player in NHL history to score in each of their first two career playoff games, besting the previous benchmark held by Utah captain Clayton Keller (22 years, 6 days) (per NHL PR).
- Weegar became the first Mammoth defenseman to score a playoff goal, giving him three points in his last three games, dating back to Utah’s regular-season finale (1G, 2A). This is his second career playoff tally after he scored as a member of the Florida Panthers during the 2021 postseason (per Mammoth PR).
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