Lightning and Mammoth Set to Clash in Anticipated Matchup
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – The Tampa Bay Lightning are set to face off against the Utah Mammoth today at the Delta Center at 3:30 p.m. ET. This inter-conference game marks the first meeting of the season between the two teams.
Lightning's Projected Lineup
Despite a rocky start to the season, the Tampa Bay Lightning have found their stride, currently riding a four-game win streak and improving their record to 5-4-2. Coach Jon Cooper's projected lineup is as follows:
- Forwards: Jake Guentzel – Brayden Point – Nikita Kucherov, Brandon Hagel – Anthony Cirelli – Curtis Douglas, Oliver Bjorkstrand – Dominic James – Gage Goncalves, Zemgus Girgensons – Yanni Gourde – Pontus Holmberg
- Defense: Victor Hedman – J.J. Moser, Ryan McDonagh – Erik Cernak, Emil Lilleberg – Charle-Edouard D'Astous
- Goaltenders: Andrei Vasilevskiy, Jonas Johansson
The Lightning will be without Max Crozier (lower body) and Nick Paul (upper body) due to injuries. Paul, although traveling with the team, will not play during the three-game road trip. Coach Cooper indicated that Paul's status would be re-evaluated on a day-to-day basis upon their return. Jack Finley and Darren Raddysh are expected to be scratched.
Anthony Cirelli has been a standout performer for the Lightning, leading the team with six goals and contributing significantly during the recent win streak. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy is expected to start.
Mammoth's Projected Lineup
The Utah Mammoth have had a strong start to the season with an 8-3-0 record. They are currently undefeated at home. Here’s their projected lineup:
- Forwards: Clayton Keller – Barrett Hayton – Nick Schmaltz, JJ Peterka – Logan Cooley – Dylan Guenther, Lawson Crouse – Jack McBain – Michael Carcone, Kailer Yamamoto – Kevin Stenlund – Brandon Tanev
- Defense: Mikhail Sergachev – Dmitri Simashev, Nate Schmidt – John Marino, Ian Cole – Olli Maatta
- Goaltenders: Karel Vejmelka, Vitek Vanecek
Kailer Yamamoto will be stepping into the lineup, replacing Liam O'Brien. The Mammoth will be missing Sean Durzi (upper body) and Alex Kerfoot (lower body) due to injuries. Nick DeSimone, Liam O'Brien, and Kevin Rooney are expected to be scratched. Karel Vejmelka is likely to start in goal for Utah.
Nick Schmaltz has been a key player for the Mammoth, leading the team in points with 17. The line of JJ Peterka, Logan Cooley, and Dylan Guenther has also been a significant contributor to the team's offense.
Keys to the Game
The game promises to be a tight contest between two defensively sound teams. The Mammoth have been particularly strong at home, while the Lightning are looking to continue their winning streak on the road. The Mammoth have allowed just 2.73 goals and 24.8 shots per game, ranking them among the top defensive teams in the league. The Lightning have also been solid defensively, giving up just 2.82 goals per game and boasting the third-best penalty kill at 89%.
The game will likely be decided by which team can break through the opposing defense and capitalize on scoring opportunities. The performance of the starting goalies, Andrei Vasilevskiy for the Lightning and Karel Vejmelka for the Mammoth, will also be crucial.
