Utah becomes 1st NHL team to ever do this — and here’s why that’s unfortunate
The plenty of fortune and misfortune came out of the Mammoth’s 5-3 loss to the Blues. Here’s what happened.
Utah Mammoth right wing JJ Peterka (77) skates past St. Louis Blues defenseman Logan Mailloux (23) during the first period of an NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News A few weeks ago, the Utah Mammoth were practicing shootouts to end a practice at the Mammoth Ice Center in Sandy.
Nearly the entire team had shot before someone finally scored. Walking past a couple of team executives on my way to the locker room, I commented that it was a good thing they hadn’t been to a shootout yet this season. Hockey players are notoriously superstitious, and apparently management is, too.
Their instant reaction — both of them — was that I’d just jinxed it. I made sure to knock on wood as I walked away to reverse it, and the Mammoth avoided a shootout for the 82nd time this season with a 5-3 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Thursday, marking the first time a team game gone an entire 82-game season without a shootout since the institution of 3-on-3 overtime.
St. Louis Blues center Jack Finley (37) shoots past Utah Mammoth defenseman Mikhail Sergachev (98) during the second period of an NHL game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) and St.
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