04/25/26 12:15:00
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04/25 00:14 CDT Mammoth win the first NHL playoff game in Utah, beating Vegas
4-2 for 2-1 series lead
Mammoth win the first NHL playoff game in Utah, beating Vegas 4-2 for 2-1
series lead
By JOHN COON
Associated Press
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) --- Lawson Crouse scored twice in a 5:42 span in the second
period and the Utah Mammoth won the first NHL playoff game in the state,
beating the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 on Friday night for a 2-1 series lead.
Game 4 of the best-of-seven series is Monday night in Salt Lake City. Utah
evened the series in Las Vegas on Tuesday after winning 3-2. Vegas won the
series opener 4-2 on its home ice on Sunday.
The Mammoth are in their second season in Utah after leaving Arizona.
Crouse's goals capped an early flurry that saw the Mammoth score four times
over the first 30 minutes while being limited to only eight shots on goal
during that stretch.
"Over the years, we've been a team that's been able to generate in different
ways," Utah captain Clayton Keller said. "Sometimes we're going to have more
shots than other nights. Quality over quantity sometimes and just bearing down
on the looks that you do get. I think that's the most important thing."
MacKenzie Weegar and Dylan Guenther scored for Utah in the first period, with
Guenther striking on a power play. Crouse followed in the second. He tipped in
the puck at the 4:06 mark and then struck on a long shot between the circles at
9:48 to make it 4-0.
Carter Hart stayed on the ice for the Golden Knights through all three periods
despite giving up four goals by the midway point of the second.
"I have full faith in him. He wants to work through it," Vegas coach John
Tortorella said. "He has an attitude and a mental toughness about him at that
position. He'll be fine."
Karel Vejmelka made 29 saves for the Mammoth, who had only 12 shots on goal
against Hart. Keller had two assists for the first multi-point game of his
playoff career.
Jack Eichel got Vegas on the board with 6:40 left in the second. Nic Dowd made
it 4-2 with 3:08 left in the third.
Vegas went 0 of 4 on the power play while Utah converted its lone opportunity.
"I think (Vejmelka) was rock solid and made keys saves at key moments on the
PK," Mammoth coach Andre Tourigny said. "We had a great performance from our
special teams."
Weegar opened the scoring with 7:01 left in the first, tracking down a feed
from Liam O'Brien and blasting the puck between the circles.
Guenther converted on a power play with 2:14 to go in the period on a slap shot
from the top of the left circle.
___
AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and
https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
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