The Red Wings fell 4–1 to the Utah Mammoth, who completed a two-game season-series sweep, in Detroit’s final game before the three-week Olympic break.
In recent seasons, something about playing against the Arizona Coyotes/Utah Hockey Club/Utah Mammoth just does not agree with the Detroit Red Wings.
The Red Wings fell 4–1 on Wednesday evening in just their second-ever visit to the Delta Center in Salt Lake City since the franchise relocated from the Phoenix metropolitan area.
Dating back to March 2019, the franchise has gone through three official names, but has managed to accumulate a 10-1-1 record against the Red Wings.
For Detroit, it's not how they wanted to enter the three-week Olympic break, especially after delivering such a strong performance 48 hours prior in their 2-0 triumph over the Colorado Avalanche.
They now sit at 33-19-6. Their regulation loss, combined with the Montreal Canadiens' victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday, has them both knotted at 72 points apiece.
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Just as the Red Wings did to the Avalanche on Monday, the Mammoth struck early on Wednesday, finding the back of the net on their first attempt on goaltender John Gibson at the 58-second mark of the opening frame.
Following Sean Durzi's early goal, the Mammoth doubled its lead on the man advantage thanks to Nick Schmaltz, who scored his 23rd goal of the season.
Following a goalless second period, the Red Wings had the chance to cut into Utah's lead with an early power-play chance in the third period, but went for naught. Not long afterward, Utah essentially salted the game away with a goal from Dylan Guenther, his 25th, at 4:40.
While Dylan Larkin managed to spoil Utah goaltender Karel Vejmelka's shutout attempt with his 26th goal of the season at 15:52, the Mammoth ensured victory with an empty-net goal from Clayton Keller late in regulation.
Vejmelka improved to 4-1-1 lifetime against the Red Wings, stopping 29 of 30 shots. Meanwhile, Gibson made 21 saves on the 24 shots he faced.
Aside from their three Olympians, the Red Wings are now officially off until Feb. 26 when they face the Ottawa Senators on the road.
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