The Mammoth Keep Finding Ways to Win

Maybe it's time to stop calling this a hot start and start asking whether the Utah Mammoth are actually onto something.

It's only four games into the season, so obviously, let's not get carried away. But Utah is now 3-1 after beating the New Jersey Devils 5-3 on Tuesday night, and there are some pretty encouraging things happening here.

For starters, the power play is ridiculous right now.

Utah went 2-for-4 against New Jersey and is now 8-for-13 with the man advantage this season. That's a 61.5% success rate.

No, that isn't sustainable. It would be completely insane if it were. But the Mammoth aren't just getting power-play opportunities — they're making teams pay for giving them one.

Nick Schmaltz is having a pretty good time himself.

He scored his fifth goal of the season Tuesday, which leads the NHL, and added two assists. He's up to seven points through four games. Clayton Keller is right there with him, posting a goal and six assists.

Those two have been the driving force behind Utah's offense early on, and they're giving the Mammoth exactly what they need from their top players.

Keller scored in the first period, Schmaltz put Utah ahead 3-2 in the second, and MacKenzie Weegar, Lawson Crouse and Vincent Trocheck also found the net.

Karel Vejmelka quietly had a solid night too, stopping 30 shots.

The only real sour note was Mikhail Sergachev leaving late in the second period after taking a puck to the back of his helmet. Before that, though, he had already reached an important career milestone. His second assist of the night was No. 300, coming in his 634th NHL game.

Not a bad night, aside from the part where your defenseman takes a puck to the head.

The Mammoth also finally got the Devils off their backs. Utah had gone 0-4 against New Jersey over its first two seasons, so Tuesday's win checked another small box for a franchise still trying to establish itself.

And now here they are, 3-1 and sitting on top of the Central Division.

The Colorado Avalanche are still the team to beat in the division after winning the Central last season and taking home the Presidents' Trophy. Nobody is seriously suggesting Utah has suddenly passed them.

But that's not really the point.

The Mammoth are giving themselves a chance to be part of the conversation.

They'll get another opportunity to prove this start is more than a small-sample-size mirage Wednesday night in Winnipeg against the Jets.

For now, though, Utah has four games, three wins, two red-hot forwards and a power play that looks borderline unfair.

We'll see how long it lasts.

But it's certainly fun to watch.