Utah erased a two-goal deficit with six unanswered goals, powered by a dominant power play and a breakout performance from Logan Cooley, to beat Seattle 6–2 and strengthen its playoff position.
With two crucial points up for grabs in a tightening playoff race, Utah delivered a statement.
Trailing 2–0, the Mammoth rattled off six unanswered goals to overpower the Seattle Kraken, 6–2, fueled by a dominant performance from their special teams and a surging top line.
Logan Cooley led the charge with two goals, continuing his red-hot stretch, while Nick Schmaltz, JJ Peterka, Dylan Guenther, and Michael Carcone each found the back of the net.
Slow Start, Strong Response
Head coach André Tourigny didn’t shy away from acknowledging the slow start—but what stood out to him was the response.
“We knew we’d have a little bit of rust,” Tourigny said. “But I liked the way the guys responded. Our power play got us going, the penalty kill was rock solid, and we just kept getting better as the game went on.”
That improvement was most evident on special teams, where Utah completely flipped the game.
The Mammoth struck three times on the power play, continuing a recent trend that’s quickly becoming a defining strength. Cooley opened the scoring with a man-advantage goal in the first, Schmaltz added another late in the second, and Carcone buried one in the third to put the game out of reach.
“I think we’re doing a better job shooting the puck,” Schmaltz said. “We’ve got more of an attack mindset right now, and we’re doing a really good job recovering loose pucks and keeping possession.”
On the other side, Utah’s penalty kill was just as sharp, shutting down all three of Seattle’s opportunities. The unit has now gone 18-for-19 since March 16, a stretch that’s quietly become just as important as the power play’s surge.
Momentum also swung in Utah’s favor thanks to a pair of successful coach’s challenges—both involving goaltender interference—that erased a Seattle goal and later restored one for Guenther. Those moments helped stall any pushback from the Kraken and kept Utah firmly in control.
Cooley, Guenther Staying Hot
Cooley’s two-goal effort not only erased the early deficit but continued a breakout run for the young forward, who now has five goals in his last three games. Guenther added a three-point night (one goal, two assists), further cementing his role as one of Utah’s most dangerous offensive weapons down the stretch.
With the win, Utah created some breathing room in the Western Conference playoff picture, opening up a five-point cushion over several teams chasing the final wild card spot.
There was, however, a bit of concern mixed into the victory. Forward Jack McBain exited in the second period with a lower-body injury and did not return.
Utah’s road trip continues Saturday in Vancouver, where they’ll look to build on this momentum. From there, they head home to face Edmonton on April 7 before traveling to Nashville for another key matchup on April 9.
