Red Wings Aim To Build Off Win in Tough Road Test vs. Mammoth

Detroit enters Wednesday riding high after a statement 2–0 shutout of the league-leading Colorado Avalanche to open their road trip. Now they face another stiff challenge against the Utah Mammoth, who are navigating one of the toughest stretches of their season. 

Utah has dropped three of its last five games, but those losses came against elite competition in Dallas, Carolina, and Tampa Bay. Even so, the Mammoth have still won ten of their last 14 and are far from a team to overlook, especially on home ice in front of a raucous Utah crowd. They have been difficult to unsettle at home, posting a 7-1-1 record over their last nine games there.

That said, Detroit has thrived in hostile environments, emerging as one of the league’s top road teams with a 10-3-4 mark over their last 17 away games. This matchup may fly under the radar, but it has all the makings of the best game on the slate and should be must-see TV.

Goaltending has emerged as a major strength for this Detroit team, with John Gibson playing at an elite level. When the Red Wings need him to elevate his game and cover for mistakes in front of him, Gibson consistently delivers. 

Detroit struggled to generate offense against a stingy Avalanche defense, but Gibson kept them firmly in the fight, stopping all 21 shots he faced for a shutout. He held the league’s top offense scoreless for the first time this season. It remains unclear whether Gibson will get the start again on Wednesday, but regardless of who is in net, Detroit must tighten up its play at both ends of the ice.

The Red Wings offense, once red hot, has cooled off over the past seven games. During that stretch, the team has scored just 16 goals, averaging a modest 2.29 goals per game. Even more concerning is that half of those goals have come from Alex DeBrincat and Lucas Raymond, highlighting a temporary dip in depth scoring. The hope is that the supporting cast can rediscover its touch sooner rather than later.

It has been a challenging stretch for rookie Emmitt Finnie, who has not found the back of the net since before Christmas. His role has diminished as he now slots in on the third line, and he will need to elevate his play soon to avoid a demotion similar to what Nate Danielson recently experienced. Finnie is currently sitting at 19 games without a goal, and reaching 20 would certainly raise concern. Fans would hate to see the momentum fade on what has been a thrilling story for a seventh-round draft pick.

In the bottom six, veteran James van Riemsdyk had been carrying the load offensively for a time, but he has now gone four straight games without a point. He is due for a bounce-back performance on Wednesday and could help get linemate Michael Rasmussen going as well, as the two have shown chemistry when deployed together this season.

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On the Utah side, there are several players to watch, starting with captain Clayton Keller, a member of the U.S. Olympic roster and a perennial game-breaker. Keller recently snapped a four-game point drought with a pair of assists on Monday against the Vancouver Canucks. The 27-year-old Missouri native has developed into a point-per-game caliber player, and after posting 90 points in 81 games last season, he is once again on pace to approach that mark with 52 points in 56 games this year.

Another name worth monitoring is Kailer Yamamoto, the former first-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers. After bouncing around the league, he has settled in nicely with Utah and has produced 17 points in 34 games this season. He has been the team’s hottest player of late, recording five goals and three assists for eight points over his last six games. Detroit will need to be mindful of his presence and not underestimate his impact.

All signs point to an exciting matchup, as Gibson could get the nod for Detroit, though Cam Talbot remains an option. Utah is expected to start Karel Vejmelka, giving Red Wings fans a preview before he heads to Italy to join Team Czechia for the Winter Games.

Detroit: John Gibson Expected (Season: 22-11-2 record, 2.60 GAA, .905 SV% | First Game VS UTA, VS AZ: 9-5-5 record, 2.42 GAA, .919 SV% in 20 games)

Utah: Karel Vejmelka Expected (Season: 26-13-2 record, 2.63 GAA, .899 SV% | VS DET: 3-1-1 record, 2.38 GAA, .917 SV% in five games)

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