Mammoth having ‘a heck of a lot of fun’ in playoff push
Lawson Crouse and Nick Schmaltz carried the load offensively for the Mammoth on Sunday.
Utah Mammoth celebrate the goal against the Los Angeles Kings during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, March 22, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak) | Melissa Majchrzak And then there were two. The Utah Mammoth’s 4-3 overtime win over the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday means the league’s newest team has beaten 30 of the 32 teams in the NHL.
And their next opponent, the Edmonton Oilers, are one of the two remaining squads. Utah’s top line made all the difference in this one. Lawson Crouse scored twice in the first 10 minutes, and Nick Schmaltz scored a beauty and the OT winner.
The two of them alongside Clayton Keller has been the Mammoth’s most consistent line this season. But what makes them so effective? Crouse deferred to the longstanding chemistry of his line mates.
“They’ve played together so long, they know each other like the back of their hands,” he said. “That chemistry, it’s great to just jump in there and play. (I) just try and play fast for them, but smart and heavy and try and win battles, get to the net, open the ice for them.