Mammoth Take NHL’s Best Power Play Into Boston Against Bruins

The Utah Mammoth have already established themselves as one of the NHL’s most dangerous teams with the man advantage. Tonight, they’ll see if that firepower can help them silence a Boston crowd and hand the Bruins a third straight loss.

Utah (3-1-0) heads into TD Garden riding the momentum of a 5-3 win over New Jersey on Tuesday, a victory that also marked the first in franchise history against the Devils. The Mammoth will close their five-game road trip Saturday in Buffalo.

Much of Utah’s early success has centered around Nick Schmaltz and Clayton Keller. Schmaltz has five goals and seven points through four games, while Keller has seven points of his own, including a team-high six assists.

But the Mammoth’s most dangerous weapon may be their special teams. Utah’s power play is converting at a remarkable 61.5% clip, best in the NHL. Schmaltz and Dylan Guenther have each scored three power-play goals, while Keller and Mikhail Sergachev have added one apiece.

The penalty kill has been nearly as effective. Utah ranks third in the league at 92.9%, killing off 13 of 14 opportunities so far.

Boston enters tonight’s matchup looking for a reset. The Bruins (2-2-0) have dropped consecutive 4-1 games to Minnesota and Ottawa after opening the season with two victories.

Former Mammoth forward JJ Peterka and James Hagens lead Boston with two goals apiece, while Mark Kastelic has a team-best three points.

Goaltending could be another storyline. Karel Vejmelka is 2-1-0 for Utah with a 2.02 goals-against average, a .913 save percentage and one shutout. Boston’s Jeremy Swayman is 2-1-0 with a 2.30 GAA, a .914 save percentage and a shutout.

For Utah, there’s also a chance to reach a few milestones. Guenther is five assists and six goals shy of 100 in each category, while general manager Bill Armstrong needs three wins for 200 in his NHL career.