Utah Mammoth Ready to Face Islanders’ Rookie Star

The Utah Mammoth will look to slow down New York Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer when the two teams meet Friday in Salt Lake City.

New York comes into the matchup riding a three-game winning streak, highlighted by a dramatic 4-3 overtime victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday. Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored a short-handed goal at 3:02 of overtime, securing the Islanders’ second consecutive extra-time win.

The Mammoth, meanwhile, snapped a three-game losing streak with a 5-2 home win over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday. Utah rallied from a 2-0 deficit, scoring four third-period goals to secure the victory.

Schaefer’s Rising Stardom

Rookie Matthew Schaefer, the first overall pick in this year’s draft, continues to impress. He tallied a goal and an assist in New York’s win over Vegas and now has 14 points (six goals, eight assists) through 17 games. His early-career production places him third all-time among 18-year-old defensemen, tying Ray Bourque (14 points in 19 games) and trailing only Phil Housley (16 points in 19 games). Bobby Orr had 13 points in 19 games.

“We definitely didn’t stop fighting,” Schaefer said. “From the start, we came out hot. We were a better team, and Sorokin made a lot of big saves for us. Having a goalie like that really helps.”

Islanders’ Team Effort

Mathew Barzal scored the tying goal with 2:37 left in regulation. Emil Heineman also scored, while Bo Horvat extended his point streak to seven games with two assists. Goalie Ilya Sorokin made 26 saves, including three in overtime. David Rittich, 3-2-0 on the season with a 3.41 goals-against average, is expected to start for the Islanders in Salt Lake City.

Mammoth Looking Strong at Home

JJ Peterka, Nick Schmaltz, and Clayton Keller each recorded a goal and an assist in Utah’s win over Buffalo, with Karel Vejmelka making 17 saves. The Mammoth had 11 players score, including four defensemen, contributing to a total of 37 points from the blue line this season.

“We’ve talked a lot about being more active and getting pucks to the middle,” said defenseman Nick DeSimone, who scored his first goal of the season. “We want to reward our forwards going to the net and create chances from there.”

Utah’s come-from-behind victory against Buffalo marked their first such comeback this season and sixth overall. The Mammoth, now 5-1-0 at home, continue to rely on strong defensive play. Coach Andre Tourigny emphasized, “We defend with pace and force opponents to make quick decisions. That’s one of our strengths.”

The teams split their two meetings last season, with Utah winning 5-4 on Long Island and the Islanders taking a 2-1 win in Salt Lake City. Vejmelka has a 2-2 record with a 2.02 GAA and a .931 save percentage in his career against New York.

Friday’s matchup promises to be a high-stakes battle between a home team seeking momentum and a rookie defenseman making history.