Game Recap: Mammoth 6, Wild 2

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Logan Cooley and Nick Schmaltz each scored twice, and the Utah Mammoth extended its winning streak to six games with a 6-2 victory against the Minnesota Wild at Grand Casino Arena on Saturday.

Schmaltz extended his point streak to six games (seven goals, six assists). Cooley has five goals and two assists in two games.

"It's always a lot more fun when you're scoring, and obviously winning too,” Cooley said. “We're on a streak right now. Just fortunate enough to be scoring right now. It's a lot of fun and we've got to just keep it rolling."

JJ Peterka also scored for Utah (7-2-0). Karel Vejmelka made 33 saves.

“Obviously a great start,” Mammoth coach Andre Tourigny said. “I think we had a really good start the second period as well. They made a good play in the first on their goal, but a great start in the second. We could not score but we had great momentum. Then they score on their power play, they put us on our heels a little bit. But I like the way we react in the third. We played solid until we got on a few penalties but other than that, we played real well.”

Marcus Johansson scored both goals for Minnesota (3-5-1), which has lost five of its past six (1-4-1) and two straight. Filip Gustavsson made 35 saves for the Wild.

“Sometimes it comes down to execution,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “I don’t think our execution has been as sharp as it can be in some of those situations. But even like the other night in New Jersey, we had three odd-man rushes, 3-on-1s and stuff like that, and we didn’t get a shot. So, some of it just comes down to execution when you’re getting those opportunities. Tonight you see the difference when you get an opportunity like that, you execute on it, it winds up in the back of the net.”

The Mammoth jumped out to a 3-0 lead within the first five minutes of the game.

Cooley made it 1-0, 56 seconds into the first period with a bat-in off a high pass from John Marino.

"I didn't even see the puck really,” Cooley said. “It kind of just popped up and turned quick and I just tried to whack it and get it on net. I didn't know exactly where it was going but I was lucky it went in."

Cooley extended the lead 2-0 on the power play when he slipped the puck just over the goal line and between Gustavsson’s pads at 3:29. The initial call on the ice was no goal but video review determined the puck completely crossed the line.

Schmaltz put Utah on top 3-0 with a wrist shot from just inside the blue line that beat Gustavsson glove side at 4:58.

Johansson cut the deficit 3-1 at 15:39 with a snap shot moving through the right circle.

Vejmelka denied Johansson of a second goal to keep it 3-1 with a sprawling pad save at 13:51 of the second period.

Johansson made up for it nearly two minutes later, bringing it to 3-2 at 15:43 on the power play. Vinnie Hinostroza backhanded the puck to Johansson low for the snap shot.

“It’s tough to be down three-nothing,” Johansson said. “We’ve got to find a way to keep the puck out of our net and score more the other way.”

Peterka came off the bench and got a pass off the boards from Cooley, pulling it in front and sending it into the back of the net with a snap shot at 13:37 in the third period.

Schmaltz hopped on a center ice turnover for a breakaway to make it 5-2 at 15:13, and Marino added an empty net goal at 19:54 for the 6-2 final.

"It's great. Obviously to come out strong in the first like we have in the past, we've had some down second periods; something we've got to fix,” Marino said. “But to be able to close out wins and get that momentum, get that swagger and just that winning feeling, that's something we want to keep going forward."

NOTES: Utah scored five goals in a game for the third time this season, and second straight contest, which is tied for the most among all teams this season. …Vejmelka extended his franchise-record win streak to six. Logan Thompson is the only other goaltender with a five-game win streak this season. …The Wild host the San Jose Sharks on Sunday (6 p.m. ET; FDSNNOX, NBCSCA, FDSNWIX).