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Welcome back to another NHL Predictions. Each day, our writers here at Last Word On Hockey look at the games and give in-depth analysis. Our team breaks down the key matchups, storylines, and stats, then makes predictions based on how they might play out. For this edition, we will look at the Vegas Golden Knights taking on the Utah Mammoth. Don’t forget to check out more NHL Predictions, as our writers continue this series throughout the 2025-26 season.
2024-25 Season Series: Golden Knights 1-1-1 Mammoth (First meeting of this season)
Time: 9:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Location: Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah
Jack Eichel and the Vegas Golden Knights (9-4-6) take a short trip to Utah for a matchup with Clayton Keller and the Mammoth (10-7-3).
After defeating the New York Rangers 3-2 on Tuesday, the Golden Knights begin a short three-game road trip against the Mammoth. Vegas has hit a small bump in their season. The Golden Knights have lost five of their last seven games, which includes a four-game losing skid overall. Vegas has allowed 23 goals during this span, while scoring 20. One bright spot has been the Golden Knights power play. It’s tied for fifth in the NHL with a 25.4% success rate. Vegas has scored six power play goals in the last six contests. Their best performer while up a man has been Pavel Dorofeyev, who leads his team in power play goals with seven, and 11 overall on the year. Eichel leads Vegas in scoring with 24 points across 19 games. Look for them to begin a new win streak while on the road. Akira Schmid (8-1-2) is projected to start for the Golden Knights. This is a good time to add our disclaimer, to please check social media for the very latest roster updates before locking in your daily fantasy lineups.
As for the Mammoth, it’s been nothing but struggling for them. Since their seven-game win streak, the losses have quickly added up. Utah is currently on a three-game losing streak, with each game ending in overtime. The Mammoth are 2-5-3 in their last ten games and have been outscored 37-24. They most recently lost to the San Jose Sharks, thanks to a hat trick from one of the league’s newest stars, Macklin Celebrini. Utah head coach Andre Tourigny made a surprising move to drop JJ Peterka to the third line with Lawson Crouse and Jack McBain. The decision has actually managed to find some chemistry between the trio. Peterka had trouble scoring, but now he has four goals in the last four games since the lineup change. Crouse also has three points in his last four, so this could spark the Mammoth to turn things around. Karel Vejmelka (8-4-2) is expected to be between the pipes for the Mammoth.
This is a game that will be tightly contested defensively. The Mammoth allow the fewest shots on goal, averaging 23.6, while the Golden Knights allow the third-fewest at 25.1. However, both teams have given up plenty of goals as of late, so it could go either way. The game will most certainly come down to special teams. Utah’s power play and the Vegas penalty kill have both been in a funk. The Golden Knights take the fifth-least penalties in the league, so the Mammoth likely won’t get many chances. Utah gets sent to the penalty box more than Vegas, so the Golden Knights power play will be the deciding factor here. Although both teams have struggled, Vegas will win this matchup.
Prediction: Golden Knights win 4-1
For the Golden Knights, Jack Eichel hasn’t scored a goal in nine games, so he is due. Eichel is on the Vegas top line and first power play unit, which increases his odds of getting a goal. He’s a safe bet. So is Mitch Marner, who hasn’t scored in his last six. While it doesn’t look good now, both players have the ability to find twine at any moment. For the Mammoth, JJ Peterka is starting to rediscover his scoring touch. He has eight goals this season, including a pair against the Sharks. Look for him to keep that going. As for who will win, the Golden Knights have better odds, and we believe that will hold true.
Main Photo Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images
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Joseph Calabrese is an NHL freelance writer for Last Word on Sports. He graduated Montclair State University in 2023 and received a Bachelor of the Arts Degree in Television and Digital Media. As a long-time New York Rangers fan, Joseph hopes to utilize his knowledge to make insightful contributions to the hockey community.
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