This win will be one remembered forever. It’s not going to be remembered for Clayton Keller’s three assists. It’s not going to be about Karel Vejmelka’s stellar performance in net. It’s not even going to be remembered for the win itself, the 42nd win for the Utah Mammoth this season.
No, what will be remembered in history is what came around an hour after the game. With the Anaheim Ducks beating the San Jose Sharks 6-1, the Utah Mammoth have clinched their first playoff spot in franchise history. A big moment for this franchise and the players, most of whom have not played in the postseason since 2020. The job is just getting started, but it’s a huge achievement that should be celebrated. Here are some takeaways from the Mammoth’s 4-1 win over the Nashville Predators.
Apples for Days
It might not be the main story of the game, but Keller’s three primary assists were a crucial part of the Mammoth winning their game on Thursday and eventually clinching a playoff spot. His point streak continues, extending to six games.
Keller didn’t assist on the first goal, one scored by Kailer Yamamoto with a nice assist from Dylan Guenther. However, he did assist on the eventual game winner. Keller slid the puck across the crease to Nick Schmaltz on the power play to give the forward his 31st goal of the season and a 2-0 lead for the Mammoth.
Red hot power play 🔥
Schmaltzy makes it 2-0, Utah. pic.twitter.com/71rqYH3CUx
— x – Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) April 10, 2026
The captain once again assisted on the third Mammoth goal, this one going to Lawson Crouse, who shot the puck, which glanced off a Predators player and into the back of the net. It’s fitting that the first two Keller assists were on goals scored by some of his usual linemates.
“He’s an incredible playmaker,” Crouse said. “He’s got incredible vision, incredible skill, and, most importantly, passion for the game. He puts all three of those together.”
Keller’s third assist came off of Dylan Guenther’s goal, which came from his wicked wrist shot. In total, Keller’s three primary assists make it 15 points in his past six games.
Clayton Keller. Playmaker.
Gunner gives us a 4-0 lead! pic.twitter.com/KosPuwVlHF
— x – Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) April 10, 2026
On top of his point streak, Keller now has 83 points in 78 games. Most of his production this season has come from assists. It’s something he’s proud of. Keller loves seeing his teammates thrive, and he loves helping them do exactly that.
“I’ve always tried to be a very unselfish player,” Keller said. “I like setting my teammates up, and I like to score, also. It just goes back to how I was coached when I was young. We were always the most unselfish team. We were always told by Jeff Brown and Keith Tkachuk. We wanted to be on SportsCenter; we always made that extra pass. So I pass…It’s part of my game. I want to get my teammates involved and give them good looks.”
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The recent Bill Masterton nominee has had quite an emotional roller coaster season. There’s the tragic passing of his father, which Keller played through. Then there was the Olympic gold medal with Team USA. Now, Keller has helped the Mammoth clinch a playoff spot in only their second season, which will be his first appearance in the postseason since 2020.
Again, Keller’s dedication to his team and winning really make him a standout player. His great play has been rewarded with the team’s clinch, something he couldn’t be more excited about because it is what players ultimately play for.
The Winning Streak Continues at the Best Time Possible
I’m sure fans are pretty disappointed the Mammoth’s six-plus goal streak came to an end on Thursday, as the Mammoth only put up four of them. However, the winning streak has now hit five games as the team continues to play their best hockey of the season.
Everything has just looked consistent, which is exactly what the Mammoth needed. The offense has continued to hum. As mentioned, Keller is currently on a point streak, but he’s not the only one. Schmaltz, Guenther, Logan Cooley, and Mikhail Sergachev all extended their point streak to six games.
“Right now, we have a lot of guys who contribute, and that’s what makes us even more dangerous and tougher to match up against,” head coach André Tourigny said. “There’s no stopping the wheel. You can build momentum, and now it’s wave after wave. I think that’s helped a lot.”
The power play has also continued to roll. The now 20th-ranked man-advantage unit is now on a seven-game goal streak. They’ve scored a total of 11 goals in that stretch of time. It feels like just yesterday when the Mammoth really struggled on the power play. Now, it feels like they’ve corrected that problem.
Thursday’s game was a fantastic one for Vejmelka. He made some great saves, especially with his pads, which earned him his fifth win in a row. However, it’s his first win where he’s had a save percentage above .900 since his win over the Seattle Kraken. The strong win is one the goaltender needed. Vejmelka was named the second star of the game for his performance in net.
“Veggie (Vejmelka) played an incredible game,” Crouse said. “He made some very timely saves, some big saves, and obviously a pretty crappy bounce on that power play goal coming back through his legs. But he gave us a true chance to win right from the puck drop.”
What a stop from Veggie! pic.twitter.com/FEQ3AHWyLq
— x – Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) April 10, 2026
It was just as perfect a game as the Mammoth could’ve played. The lone Predators goal scored by Erik Haula was definitely one that the team will want back, but they made up for it with a really solid third period. Every time the Predators had a good play, the Mammoth bounced back and had a good play of their own.
You can’t complain about the way the Mammoth played. On top of everything mentioned, the team managed to control their physicality and block shots. The Mammoth, in short, played an excellent two-way game, among everything else. Truly a win that everyone from top to bottom of the lineup should be proud of.
“(I’m) very happy, very proud of the boys and the way they reacted in the third and the way they tuned in,” Tourigny said. “As I said to them after the game, you won’t always play a perfect 60. It’s just not realistic. But it’s important we build off the fact we’re capable of bouncing back and having a really good third period and getting back and playing the right way and winning brand of hockey, so I think they showed mental toughness. They showed resilience.”
It’s perfect timing that the Mammoth are playing their best hockey now. Of course, you always want to be playing good hockey, especially at the beginning of the season, as the team found out the tough way last season. However, taking that up a notch down the stretch is big for the team. It creates momentum and is an example of how to play heading into the playoffs.
Yes, the playoffs are completely different, but the vibe and mindset carry over. A team limping into the playoffs could be a disaster. As of right now, with four games remaining, the Mammoth are heading into the playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the league. It’s a type of team that will scare most.
“You want to go and win as many games as you can coming down the stretch,” Crouse said. “We’re just taking it one game at a time. To be honest, we know the task at hand. I love our mindset. It’s get a big win and enjoy it, but then move on to the next and just keep stacking them and stacking them and stacking them. Eventually, by the end of the season, we’re going to be in a really good spot.”
Speaking of that really good spot, the Mammoth have put themselves in exactly that position. With the win on Thursday, the team made history.
X Marks the Spot
It’s the words players wait all season to hear. In a lot of players’ cases, they’ve been waiting for this moment since 2020, when the Arizona Coyotes last made the playoffs. With the win over the Predators and the Ducks’ win, the Mammoth have made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.
UTAH IS IN ✔️
The @utahmammoth have secured their first-ever #StanleyCup Playoffs berth! 🦣
Presented by @PolymarketSport pic.twitter.com/QIMbOhUkM8
— NHL (@NHL) April 10, 2026
It’s a massive moment for this team. In only the franchise’s second season, the Mammoth will compete for a Stanley Cup. The story gets even better when you include the Coyotes days. Players like Crouse, Schmaltz, and Keller have been a part of this team since the John Chayka rebuild. In each of their careers, they’ve only played in the postseason once, and in Keller and Crouse’s case, both were during the COVID-19 bubble playoffs.
At the beginning of the season, many players, coaches, and the general manager said the playoffs were the goal. To live up to that goal is massive and another thing Keller can feel good about.
“You want to play in the postseason, you want to play against the best teams and see what it’s all about,” Keller said. “I’m proud of the way that we fought all year. It’s been a lot of ups and downs, times where we haven’t had confidence, times where we’ve been really confident, and I feel like we’re doing a good job of kind of balancing both right now, adversity throughout the game, and things like that. It’s exciting. It’s great for the fans and everyone, and we want to be in the playoffs for sure.”
Just like at the beginning of the season, the job is not finished. The job will only be done when the Mammoth win the Stanley Cup. With the team not even having most of their prospects in the NHL, there’s no expectation of doing that this season. Regardless, making the playoffs is a big step in the overall rebuild, and one the Mammoth earned with their play and perseverance.
The Mammoth will play the Carolina Hurricanes next. The Hurricanes are 51-22-6 and are coming off a 7-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. These two teams last met in January when the Mammoth lost 5-4.
