Wild, Mammoth clash for Central Division supremacy

< img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-1200,fo-auto/30188936.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-400,fo-auto/30188936.jpg 400w, https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-800,fo-auto/30188936.jpg 800w, https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-1200,fo-auto/30188936.jpg 1200w" alt="Oct 25, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) handles the puck against the Vancouver Canucks in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images" class="w-full" sizes="1200px" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/>Oct 25, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) handles the puck against the Vancouver Canucks in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

The top two teams contending for the Central Division crown will meet Tuesday night, with the Minnesota Wild hosting an away match at the Utah Mammoth in Salt Lake City.

Leading the Wild through a five‑game road trip, the squad concluded the series last weekend with a 5‑1 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Saturday and a 4‑2 win against the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday.

Maxim Shabanov and Kirill Kaprizov each contributed a goal and an assist, keeping the Wild’s road‑trip record level at 2‑2 after the Sunday triumph. Veteran Canuck Quinn Hughes, featured in his first game in Vancouver since his trade to Minnesota last December, added a goal and an assist and recorded his 500th career point. Defender Calvin Pickard posted a solid goaltending haul of 15 saves.

Minnesota was outshot 10‑5 in the opening period, yet they built a 29‑7 lead in the final forty minutes.

“Vancouver came out hard, physical and aggressive, and it challenged our early play. However, after establishing competitiveness in the middle of the first period, we found our rhythm and responded positively throughout the match.” — John Hynes, Wild head coach

Kaprizov has recorded 13 goals this season and has logged at least one point in 11 of his 13 games.

Hughes has also found the net in 11 of his 13 outings this season.

The Mammoth, sitting second in the division, have split their last four meetings, most recently overcoming Tampa Bay Lightning 5‑4 in overtime on Saturday.

Saturday’s comeback highlighted Dmitri Simashev’s first two NHL goals of the night, including the overtime winner at 1:44, as Utah rallied from a 4‑2 second‑period deficit to defeat the Lightning.

Andre Tourigny, Utah head coach, remarked, “We didn’t execute many plays and felt a bit of nervousness, but we regrouped and reclaimed our composure, delivering a strong second half.”

Kailer Yamamoto, Dylan Guenther and Anders Lee also added scores for Utah. Defensive forward Vincent Trocheck provided two assists, while left‑winger Karel Vejmelka recorded 29 saves.

Vejmelka rebounded after allowing nine goals on 41 shots in Utah’s previous two meetings.

In his tally of 8‑4‑1, Vejmelka’s goaltending has improved to a 2.68 goals‑against average and a .911 save percentage against the Wild—up from five goals permitted in his prior start versus Minnesota.

Minnesota’s Jesper Wallstedt gave up five goals in his only prior start against the Mammoth, a game that ended in a loss.

The rivalry featured two of three meetings last season: Logan Cooley delivered a two‑goal, one‑assist performance in a 6‑2 Mammoth win on Oct. 25, 2025; the team earned a 5‑2 home victory over Utah on Feb. 27, with Clayton Keller netting a goal and two assists; and Minnesota secured a 5‑0 win on March 10, preserving the lead with 25 saves by Filip Gustavsson.

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