Jets Look To Stay Hot Against Red-Hot Mammoth In Battle Of Western Heavyweights

The Winnipeg Jets suffered a surprising 3-0 shutout loss on Thursday at the hands of the Seattle Kraken and responded with a resounding win over the Calgary Flames to get back into the win column. The team has been on fire with six wins in their last seven games but will get a tough test on Sunday against the red hot Utah Mammoth. 

Since changing their name from the infamous Utah Hockey Club, the Mammoth have looked like a much better team. Last season, they showed bright spots of a potential winning roster with the pieces all coming together early on with a 7-2-0 record this season. Just in their last three games, the Mammoth have beaten the Avalanche, Wild and Blues, which could signal this Utah team has their sights set on the playoffs. The Jets will look to evade the oncoming rush of the Mammoth and should create for an epic clash early in the season. 

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Lineup Storylines

Few players have started the season hotter than Mark Scheifele, who has made an early statement in his bid for a spot on Team Canada’s 2026 Olympic roster. The Jets’ top-line center has seven goals and five assists for 12 points in eight games, putting together a convincing case for national team consideration. His chemistry with winger Kyle Connor continues to shine, an often-overlooked partnership that played a major role in Winnipeg’s Presidents’ Trophy win last season and remains vital to their success. Connor has chipped in four goals, giving the duo a combined 11 goals and 10 assists through eight games.

Utah, meanwhile, will counter with its own dynamic pairing of captain Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz, who have matched Winnipeg’s production with 11 combined goals in nine games. Schmaltz leads the Mammoth with 15 points (seven goals, eight assists), while Keller follows closely behind with 12 (four goals, eight assists).

The showdown between these two top lines promises to be a highlight, as both will try to outduel one another while limiting the other’s impact. Depth scoring could prove decisive, with each team benefiting from unexpected early-season standouts.

For Winnipeg, Morgan Barron’s hot start, three goals and two assists in his first four games—has cooled off recently, and he’ll look to rebound on Sunday. Utah’s offseason acquisition of JJ Peterka from Buffalo in exchange for Josh Doan and Michael Kesselring has already paid off. The 2020 first-rounder has posted three goals and five assists for eight points in nine games, solidifying the second line alongside Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther as another potent offensive threat.

Player & Betting Trends (Presented By BetMGM)

WPG ML (-162) | UTAH ML (+135)

WPG -1.5 (+145) | UTAH +1.5 (-175)

O/U 6.0 Goals

After reviewing the lineups, it is clear that both teams feature high-powered offenses. That has been the story all season, with the Mammoth ranking second in scoring with an average of 3.78 goals per game and the Jets sitting ninth, averaging 3.50 goals per contest. Defensively, both sides are just as strong, as Winnipeg ranks sixth in goals against per game at an average of 2.38, while Utah sits seventh in that category with an average of 2.44 goals allowed. With both clubs showcasing elite talent on both ends of the ice, it is difficult to predict which side might break first, especially since history has not provided any definitive clues.

The Jets and Mammoth have split their four all-time meetings, each team scoring exactly 11 goals in total. Their matchups have been close, with two high-scoring games featuring six or more goals and two more defensive contests finishing below that threshold. The only consistent pattern is that the home team has won every time, which gives the Jets a notable advantage heading into this matchup.

If we are expecting offense from Winnipeg, the obvious players to watch are Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor, but a less discussed name worth attention is Nino Niederreiter. The 33-year-old Swiss winger has found success against Utah with three goals in four meetings and started this season strong with two goals and four assists through his first six games. Although he has been quiet in his last two outings, a bounce-back performance seems likely as he continues to drive play on the second line with Gustav Nyquist and Vladislav Namestnikov.

For Utah, the key player to watch is Barrett Hayton, who centers the top line between Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz. Despite a slow start to the season with one goal and two assists, the 25-year-old has been very effective in recent games against Winnipeg, recording three goals and three assists in his last three matchups. A strong performance on Sunday could be exactly what he needs to regain momentum and spark Utah’s attack.

Goalie Matchup

Winnipeg: Connor Hellebuyck Expected (Season: 4-2-0 record, 2.01 GAA, .932 SV% | VS UTAH: 2-2-0 record, 2.27 GAA, .904 SV% in Four Games)

Utah: Vitek Vanecek Expected (Season: 1-1-0 record, 2.00 GAA, .897 SV% | VS WPG: 2-1-1 record, 3.23 GAA, .906 SV% in Five Appearances)

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