3 Takeaways From Mammoth’s 4-1 Win Over Blue Jackets

The dominance the Utah Mammoth showed on Thursday in their first game of the season might be for real and not just a poor reflection of the Chicago Blackhawks. After starting their first road trip of the season, the Mammoth once again had a great game, this time against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

It was a lot of the same that helped the Mammoth win their second game of the season. However, a new face in net emerged as the team might have two stellar goaltenders for the first time in a long time. Here are some takeaways from the Mammoth’s 4-1 win on Saturday.

The Power Play Stays Clicking

To start the season, the Mammoth are five for seven on the power play. That is a pretty good stat considering how underwhelming the unit was during the playoffs last season. On Saturday, they went three for four.

Mikhail Sergachev, Dylan Guenther, and Nick Schmaltz each walk away with a goal on the man advantage. Guenther and Schmaltz each have three goals to kick off the season.

The chemistry was there. Each unit was making excellent passes. The best of which came during the Schmaltz goal, where he managed a nice backhanded pass to Logan Cooley, who ended up sliding the puck right back for the goal. It helps that we’re in Cooley’s fourth season playing with everyone, so not only does Schmaltz know where guys like Clayton Keller and Lawson Crouse are; now he’s played with the young center for a while, helping strengthen the chemistry.

“A lot of us have played together for a long time, so we know where we’re going to be when we’re snapping the puck, and we’re shooting,” Schmaltz said. “We’re really dangerous, so it’s fun when they go in. Sometimes they’re not going to go in, but if we keep on it and work hard over time, they’re more going to go in than not.”

500 career @NHL points for Schmaltzy! 4-1, Utah. https://t.co/Eh37HBbzZw

— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) October 4, 2026

Head coach André Tourigny credits the success to the lack of hesitation on the power play. The Mammoth are going in and attacking rather than being fancy with the puck and waiting for another play.

“They don’t hang around,” Tourigny said. “They go, they attack, they shoot. The second period was not as good for us at five-on-five because we try to make extra plays, and we stop being direct. If you want to play fast, you need to go quickly. If you take your time to wait for the next best opportunity, we’re not as fast, and then we allow the other team to settle a little bit. I think it’s a reflection on our power play, the way we attack right now.”

The penalty kill for the Mammoth was pretty solid as well, killing both of the Blue Jackets’ power play opportunities. Players like Vincent Trocheck have continued to be a big part in helping the penalty kill remain perfect through two games.

Where do we go from here? The Mammoth have still yet to play a very good team. No offense to the Blue Jackets or Blackhawks, but they aren’t exactly world beaters. The New York Rangers on Sunday should be a good test for them. 

Regardless, this is exactly the start you want for a power play that has infamously struggled over the past couple of months. They look in sync and currently unbeatable. If they can continue working hard and finding ways to find each other on the ice, the Mammoth’s biggest weakness last season could really turn into one of their biggest strengths.

Under the Sea

The biggest story of Saturday’s game was Sebastian Cossa making his first-ever NHL start. A reminder that the goaltender came into relief in the prior NHL game he played. Cossa didn’t disappoint as he ended up winning his first game with the Mammoth.

Going into this season, Cossa made his intentions clear. He wants to win a lot of games for the new team that took a major chance on acquiring him. The first one, while he has more on his mind, was a special one for him.

“It was great,” Cossa said. “Obviously, first game here, and I want to get off to a good start. The team played really well in front of me, so it was pretty easy for me tonight.”

Cossa is right. The Mammoth’s defense held strong in front of their new goaltender, only giving the Blue Jackets 18 shots on net. The one goal Cossa gave up was to Kent Johnson, who was delivered the puck via a nice pass by the newest Blue Jacket, Matthew Knies.

Yet, that’s not to say Cossa didn’t make any good saves. While there were no highlight-reel stops or anything, there were some really solid ones that accumulated into the win, the second of his young NHL career.

Overall, a very solid game for Cossa. In only his second NHL game, he looked like a veteran. He didn’t panic like what we saw from some other goalies tonight. He deserved the win.

“He was great,” Schmaltz said. “He looked super calm in there. It was definitely a calming presence. He didn’t overreact to anything. He just looked steady in there. Huge congrats to him. He played a hell of a game.”

It’s going to be a real battle in net if both Karel Vejmelka and Cossa continue to rack up wins this season. Yes, Vejmelka will likely be the number one goaltender unless something drastically happens. However, if Cossa moves into a 1B position, don’t be surprised.

It’s great to see Cossa get another win after so many seasons in the American Hockey League preparing for this moment. Coincidentally, it comes in Ohio, where a lot of things have happened in his pro career. He’s excited to keep on trying to keep his word about winning as many games as he can.

“Second win, first start, so pretty cool for me,” Cossa said. “I played my first year here in Toledo, and I came here and got my first start in Columbus. Ohio’s calling my name, but I was happy with it.”

Two Dominant Wins in a Row

Make it two wins in a row for the Mammoth to kick off the 2026-27 season. Make it two dominant wins to begin this year as well.

Some quick tidbits about tonight’s game. Schmaltz and Keller both hit career milestones. Schmaltz recorded his 500th career point, while Keller recorded his 600th career point. The duo is so well connected that they’re reaching milestones on the same night. It’s one of the best one-two punches in the Western Conference, and each forward couldn’t be happier to have the other by their side.

“I feel like he just keeps getting better,” Schmaltz said. “He puts the work in and just finds ways to get better in the summer and comes back with new skills and a new drive every year. It’s fun to watch, and he definitely pushes everyone else.”

What a set up, what a finish! 👏 Schmaltzy makes it 2-0. https://t.co/KGUsNji4mO

— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) October 3, 2026

It was another big game for shots as well for the Mammoth. Outside of the second period, they outshot the Blue Jackets in every period, including in the first, where they had 13 compared to their opponent’s four. 

They didn’t dominate in the faceoff circle as they did on Thursday, with the Blue Jackets slightly edging them out. However, you don’t need to be 70% or more every night, as Tourigny mentioned. The Mammoth found a way to win, and that’s what matters.

It was really the top six that led the way in this game. Cooley finished with two points, Guenther finished with three, Keller finished with two, and Schmaltz finished with two. Similar to the faceoff win percentage, you don’t need 14 different players to record points every night. Sometimes, you need your star players to lead the way, and that’s what happened against the Blue Jackets.

It’s a quick turnaround for the Mammoth. They head to Madison Square Garden on Sunday to face the Rangers in what should be a very intriguing game. Of course, the Rangers have performed well in two of their first three games, with Igor Shesterkin scoring a goalie goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning. It will be a great test for the Mammoth, especially because it is a back-to-back.

Yet, the most interesting part about Sunday’s game will be the emotional parts of it. Trocheck will be making his first return to Broadway, and the Mammoth will be facing off against an old friend in Sean Durzi. That is something that isn’t lost on anyone’s mind.

“It’s a good team on the other side,” Tourigny said. “There will be some emotion with Durz on the other side, and for us, we’ll celebrate this one a little bit until midnight, or enjoy it, and we’ll prepare the Rangers tomorrow. The Rangers have obviously unbelievable goaltending, and it’s always special to play MSG. They’re a team who played really well since the start of the season. Watch their game, their mission. It’s like everybody in that league. It’s really competitive, and if you want to have a chance to make the playoffs, every two points are important.”

So, as Tourigny said postgame, this is a great win. It’s one to be happy about. Getting another two points in less than 24 hours, though, will be just as important. It’s a big game and ultimately will tell us more if the Mammoth are just as good as they’ve been in their first two games.

The Mammoth will play the Rangers on Sunday afternoon. The Rangers are 2-1-0 to begin the season and are coming off a 2-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings. These two teams last met in January of last season when the Mammoth won 3-2 in overtime, with the game winner being scored by former defenseman Durzi.