October 23, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Utah Mammoth right winger Clayton Keller (9) celebrates with center Nick Schmaltz (8) after scoring an empty-net goal against the St. Louis Blues during the third period at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Image For the third time in less than two weeks, the Utah Mammoths will face the Blackhawks as Chicago aims to complete a four-game season sweep Thursday in Salt Lake City.
While the Mammoths are firmly in a playoff spot and the Blackhawks are in their final month with next season in mind, Utah has yet to solve Chicago. On Monday, Frank Nazar scored a power-play goal midway through overtime to give the host Blackhawks a 3-2 win and halt an 0-1-2 skid.
Utah finished its road trip at 3-1-1 with a 5-0 loss at Minnesota on Tuesday. The Mammoths have been held scoreless twice this month, including a 4-0 loss at home to Chicago on March 1.
Blackhawks goaltender Arvid Soderblom stopped 22 shots in a March 1 game. Third-team Chicago goalie Drew Commesso made 23 saves in Monday’s win as the team’s top netminder, Spencer Knight, missed the game due to illness.
But coach Jeff Blashill told reporters Wednesday that Knight will make the trip to Utah. Knight, 24, is 0-2-1 since NHL play resumed in late February, and in his last game on March 3 in Winnipeg, he stopped 29 of 32 shots in a 3-2 overtime loss.
Knight has been perfect in two games against Utah, posting a .934 save percentage and 1.95 goals-against average. He stopped 21 of 22 shots in a 3-1 win over the Mammoths on October 13.
The Blackhawks are last in the Central Division. Blashill was asked Wednesday whether the team, which is the youngest in the league by average age (25.7 years) according to EliteProspects.com, has reached a point where it becomes important to see if certain players can be important players next season.
“I think the most important thing we have to do over the course of this game is grow as individuals, grow as a team and learn how to play winning hockey,” he said.
Connor Bedard (20 years old) leads the team with 34 assists and 60 points in 51 games. The former No. 1 overall draft pick scored a career-high 26 goals in his third season. However, the Blackhawks’ next three top scorers are all over 30 years old.
Nazar (22) is in 5th place with 30 points (9 goals, 21 assists). He has a four-game point streak with two goals and four assists.
While Utah has lost two games in a row for the second time since Jan. 1, Coach Andre Tourni’s team has won its previous three games.
“I’m just happy to get back home, get some rest and get ready,” Tourigni said after Tuesday’s loss.
The Mammoths are led by 27-year-old Clayton Keller. Nick Schmaltz, 30; and Dylan Guenter, 22. Keller led the team with 64 points (19 goals, 45 assists), and Tuesday’s shutout ended his four-game scoring streak (1 goal, 5 assists).
Guenther has a team-high 30 goals, and his 55 points are the third-highest. He also recorded points (3 goals, 3 assists) in 4 consecutive games in Minnesota. Schmaltz, who signed an eight-year, $64 million contract extension Wednesday, ranks second in goals (24), assists (35) and points (59).
“I think we’re on the verge of becoming a really great team,” Schmaltz said. “We have all the pieces in place, and we know we’re going to get better and better.”
Utah netminder Karel Beymelka leads the NHL with 30 wins, but allowed four goals on 28 shots in a March 1 win over Chicago. Against Chicago, the 29-year-old posted a 5-1-2 record in eight games with a 2.68 GAA and .906 save percentage overall.
–Field level media
