The Pittsburgh Penguins vs Utah Mammoth preview centers on two teams heading in opposite directions. Pittsburgh brings a 3-5-1 record and a five-game skid into Monday’s matchup at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, while Utah enters at 6-3-0 after alternating wins and losses over its last two outings. Puck drop is set for 9 p.m. ET, and this is the first meeting of the season series between the clubs.
Pittsburgh sits sixth in the Metropolitan Division with seven points through nine games, while Utah holds second place in the Central Division with 12 points through nine games. Both teams are looking to find consistency early in the 2026-27 season, and Monday’s result will shape the early-season gap between a struggling Metropolitan club and a Central contender finding its footing.
Penguins Vs Mammoth Game Information
- Date: Monday, Oct. 19
- Time: 9 p.m. ET
- Venue: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT
- TV/Streaming: ESPN+, Utah 16
- Series: First meeting of the 2026-27 season
By The Numbers
- Goals: Utah 33, Pittsburgh 28
- Points: Utah 94, Pittsburgh 77
- Shots on goal: Utah 271, Pittsburgh 254
- Shooting percentage: Utah 12.2%, Pittsburgh 11.0%
- Power-play goals: Utah 12, Pittsburgh 5
- Faceoff percentage: Utah 52.5%, Pittsburgh 44.9%
- Goals against average: Utah 3.00, Pittsburgh 3.56
- Save percentage: Utah .873, Pittsburgh .879
- Penalty minutes: Utah 103, Pittsburgh 61
Penguins Outlook
Pittsburgh has lost five straight games, including a 6-2 defeat at the hands of the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 18 and a 5-2 loss at Colorado on Oct. 17. The Penguins have been outscored 21-14 during the slide and own the league’s worst faceoff percentage among the two teams at 44.9%, a number that has made it difficult to control possession.
Erik Karlsson leads Pittsburgh with nine points on the season, and Evgeni Malkin paces the club with five goals. Arturs Silovs is projected to start in net after Pittsburgh posted a .879 team save percentage, slightly ahead of Utah’s mark but built against fewer total shots faced.
The injury report is thin on frontline impact but deep in bodies. Egor Chinakhov (lower body) and Samuel Girard (undisclosed) are both listed as day-to-day with a projected return date of Oct. 19, meaning their availability for Monday’s game is uncertain. Defensemen Trevor van Riemsdyk (lower body) and Ryan Graves (knee) remain on injured reserve, along with forward Justin Brazeau (lower body), who has an Oct. 22 target return date.
Mammoth Outlook
Utah split its last two games, beating Edmonton 4-2 on Oct. 16 before falling 6-2 to the Oilers in the rematch on Oct. 18. Despite that stumble, the Mammoth have won four of their last five and hold the Central Division’s No. 2 spot with 12 points.
Nick Schmaltz leads Utah with 11 points and six goals, while Clayton Keller has chipped in a team-high eight assists. Utah’s power play has converted 12 goals on the season, more than double Pittsburgh’s total, and the Mammoth also hold a sizable edge at the faceoff dot at 52.5%. Karel Vejmelka is projected to start in goal for Utah.
Utah’s injury list is shorter. Left wing Michael Carcone (upper body) is out with a projected return date of Nov. 1, and defenseman Maveric Lamoureux (shoulder) remains on injured reserve with a target return in February.
Key Matchup
Utah’s power play against Pittsburgh’s penalty-killing discipline could decide this game. The Mammoth have scored 12 power-play goals already this season compared to Pittsburgh’s five, and Utah’s 52.5% faceoff rate gives its top units more offensive-zone draws to work with. Pittsburgh has allowed 32 goals in nine games, the fourth most in the data set between the two clubs, and its 44.9% faceoff percentage limits its ability to control those sequences.
If Pittsburgh’s penalty kill can neutralize Utah’s power-play looks, the Penguins give Silovs a chance to keep the score manageable. If Utah’s special teams edge holds, the Mammoth’s deeper offensive weapons in Schmaltz and Keller could turn puck luck into another multi-goal night.
What To Watch
Pittsburgh is trying to snap a five-game losing streak that has dropped the club to sixth in the Metropolitan Division, while Utah is working to stabilize after consecutive results went in opposite directions. The Penguins’ faceoff and power-play deficits stand out as the clearest statistical gaps entering Monday, and how Pittsburgh’s day-to-day forwards and defensemen are deployed will be worth tracking given the club’s banged-up blue line. For more on Pittsburgh’s recent form, see the Golden Knights’ 6-2 win over the Penguins and the team’s preview ahead of its loss to Colorado.
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