Tonight, the Utah Mammoth face off against the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center. Here's a look at the projected lineups.
Utah Mammoth (12-10-3)
The Mammoth are coming off a 4-3 loss to the Dallas Stars on Friday. They've gone 2-3-0 in their last five games, averaging 3.08 goals per game and allowing 3.04. The team is looking to recover its defensive structure, limit time spent in their own zone, and take advantage of any defensive lapses from the Blues.
Forwards:
- Clayton Keller — Kevin Rooney — Nick Schmaltz
- Kailer Yamamoto — Logan Cooley — Dylan Guenther
- Lawson Crouse — Jack McBain — JJ Peterka
- Brandon Tanev — Kevin Stenlund — Michael Carcone
Defense:
- Mikhail Sergachev — Sean Durzi
- Nate Schmidt — John Marino
- Ian Cole — Dmitri Simashev
Goalies:
- Karel Vejmelka
- Vitek Vanecek
Karel Vejmelka is likely to start after Vitek Vanecek played Friday. Healthy scratches are expected to include Olli Maatta and Liam O'Brien. Alex Kerfoot is out with a lower-body injury, and Barrett Hayton is questionable due to illness.
Logan Cooley is a player to watch, as he leads the team in goals with 14 and has 23 points. In the last game against the Blues, Cooley scored three goals in the first period.
St. Louis Blues (8-10-7)
The Blues are coming off a 4-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Friday, where they scored three goals in the third period. In their last five games, they are 2-1-2, averaging 2.68 goals per game while allowing 3.56.
Forwards:
- Jake Neighbours — Robert Thomas — Jordan Kyrou
- Brayden Schenn — Dalibor Dvorsky — Pavel Buchnevich
- Dylan Holloway — Pius Suter — Jimmy Snuggerud
- Mathieu Joseph — Oskar Sundqvist — Nathan Walker
Defense:
- Philip Broberg — Colton Parayko
- Matthew Kessel — Justin Faulk
- Cam Fowler — Logan Mailloux
Goalies:
- Joel Hofer
- Jordan Binnington
Joel Hofer is projected to start in goal, with Jordan Binnington as backup. Healthy scratches could include Nick Bjugstad, Alexey Toropchenko, and Tyler Tucker. The Blues report no injuries.
Pavel Buchnevich is also a player to watch, having scored his first even-strength goal of the season in the game against Ottawa and extending his point streak to four games.
Keys to the Game
The Blues are aiming to build momentum after snapping several negative trends in their recent win, including scoring multiple 5-on-5 goals and holding a late lead. The Mammoth, after a strong start to the season, have cooled off and are looking to regain their form.
Prediction
While Utah won their first meeting, St. Louis's improved play and home-ice advantage give them a slight edge. A projected final score is St. Louis 4, Utah 3.
