MORNING SKATE NOTES
Part of The Game
Back-to-back games are no stranger to an NHL schedule. Players, coaches, and staff are used to the grind of two games in two nights. However, with Utah’s depth the team could balance minutes more without a drop in their play.
“We’ve been mindful for the last couple of games in terms of ice time,” head coach André Tourigny explained. “The way the game did happen, the last two, allowed us to make sure we used everybody and we keep them in (the game) as low as possible for everybody. So, gives us some juice for today.”
Facing the Jets
This is the first game between the Mammoth and Jets this season and it should be a battle. Both teams are high up in the Central Division and NHL as a whole. They play intense, competitive games and tonight should be no different. Tourigny discussed some of the threats that the Jets bring ahead of Sunday’s game.
“Their key players are really good, but as well, their (defense) are holding on to pucks and making a lot of plays,” Tourigny said of Winnipeg. “They’re really good on their breakouts. They present a challenge there and as well, they’re heavy on pucks. I always felt it’s a team who’s heavy in their battles, heavy on pucks, loose puck battles, net front battles, they’re really competitive and that is where we match. Their goalie is top of the league.”
Forward Brandon Tanev started his NHL career in Winnipeg and played part of the 2024-25 season back with the Jets. He also gave a scouting report on tonight’s opponent and his former team.
“There’s some great players on the team, some good friends of mine,” Tanev explained. “It’s always nice to come back here. We’re on a back-to-back. We like the way we played yesterday, cleaned up some things in the second period and we had a great third period, finished that game (strong). We know it’s not going to be an easy game tonight. They feed off the energy of their building. We got to keep our simplicity, get pucks to the net, work with one another, communicate throughout the game.”
Tanev also gave some insight on scoring against a goaltender he knows well, Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck.
“He’s very big, he challenges,” Tanev said. “It’s getting in his eyes, making things difficult in front of him. When there’s a lot of traffic in front of the net, it makes it tougher for him to see the puck and that’s what we want to do.”
