SALT LAKE CITY – Experience prevailed for the Vegas Golden Knights in a 5-1 Utah Mammoth loss that ends the 2025-26 season with a short-lived playoff run.
The Mammoth took on the Golden Knights in Game 6 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals first round on Friday, May 1.
Handshakes after a hard fought series.#TusksUp #ForgedInGold pic.twitter.com/n3WjCNSqxe
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 2, 2026
Vegas leads the series 3-2 after back-to-back overtime wins, including a 5-4 2OT victory in Las Vegas that puts Utah on the brink of elimination.
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Forward Lines from this morning:
Keller – Schmaltz – Crouse
Yamamoto – Cooley – Guenther
Kerfoot – Hayton – Carcone
Peterka – Stenlund – TanevBottom 4 had some rotations.
Defense skated in groups.
Sergachev & Durzi are absent.#TusksUp #ForgedInGold
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 1, 2026
Karel Vejmelka is the first goaltender off the ice this morning.
That indicates he should start in Game 6.#TusksUp #ForgedInGold
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 1, 2026
Per Tourigny, there will be some game time decisions tonight.
Hayton & McBain are two of those. Hayton is managing pain while McBain is close but they aren’t quite sure yet.#TusksUp #ForgedInGold
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 1, 2026
The Captain says Utah is ready for Game 6.
“It’s a huge opportunity…super confident in our group. We all want to play in these types of games. It’s going to be an amazing game.”
“We’re going to fight till the end no matter what. We’re super confident.”#TusksUp #ForgedInGold pic.twitter.com/9qP7FKHsJ3
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 1, 2026
Clayton Keller explains how the power play can be better:
“Second efforts. Being around the net…getting those second cracks are usually how you score power play goals…”
“I don’t think it’s anything super technical.” pic.twitter.com/bDGiXQzBSz
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 1, 2026
Nice touch by the Mammoth to honor John Garrett in the media room.#TusksUp #ForgedInGold pic.twitter.com/ulxZMTSMnf
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 2, 2026
Jack McBain will play in Game 6 on the fourth line with Stenlund and Tanev.
Barrett Hayton is out.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 2, 2026
Durzi & Sergachev are on the ice despite missing morning skate today.
Jack McBain is also going through warmups. I do not see Barrett Hayton.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 2, 2026
Ok, Game 6! What you got for us???#TusksUp @kslsports pic.twitter.com/1nBmx4RVQK
— Sam Farnsworth (@Samsworth_TV) May 2, 2026
Our time. #TusksUp | @ZionsBank pic.twitter.com/PaO3lWUE5r
— x – Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) May 2, 2026
Utah is ready for Game 6 🔥#TusksUp #ForgedInGold pic.twitter.com/O1BiSznlD5
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 2, 2026
Neither side wasting any time getting into this game.
Dangerous chances at both ends. Utah with their speed & Vegas with their physicality. This should be fun.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 2, 2026
VGK back to full strength.
Productive PP for Utah despite not scoring. Three or four dangerous shot attempts. That’s the way it needs to be. Throwing everything at the net. https://t.co/A38e5zK4rY
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 2, 2026
VGK strikes first.
Puck popped off the boards behind the net and Howden put it home.
That started because of a poor breakout attempt…have to manage the puck better.
1-0 Knights.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 2, 2026
Kerfoot to the box for goaltender interference.
VGK to the PP.
1P: 0:02 | 1-0 VGK
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 2, 2026
This is just Vegas doing Vegas things.
Awful miscommunication between Crouse and Sergachev on the breakout leads to a turnover. Then VGK wins every battle at the net to tap one home.
Not good enough by Utah. Have to come out flying to start the 2nd.pic.twitter.com/4HZ5hFTrTA
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 2, 2026
What a reaction from Vejemlka on the power play.
Shot originally beat him and was rolling towards the net but he reached back with his glove to bat it away before it got too close to the line.
Remember that one.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 2, 2026
VGK back to full strength.
Utah is now 1/15 on the PP in this series and they’re paying for it. https://t.co/zNzbtfCVST
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 2, 2026
Yamamoto has emerged from the locker room after going back for a few minutes.
It also appears that the defensive pairings have changed. Durzi on the top pair with Sergachev and Weegar with Cole.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 2, 2026
VGK looks happy to play at this pace for the rest of the night.
Not much fight from Utah right now.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 2, 2026
Marner blasts one past Vejmelka after Utah failed to clear the zone for more than a minute.
VGK leads 2-0.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 2, 2026
Utah trails Vegas 2-0 through 40 minutes in Game 6.
The Knights are beginning to take over as the Mammoth have been unable to generate sustained offense.
3rd period on deck. pic.twitter.com/FjT4qbHWxD
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) May 2, 2026
YAMAMOTO SNEAKS ONE PAST HART AND UTAH IS ON THE BOARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2-1!
12:18 to go.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 2, 2026
Sissons buries a rebound.
3-1 VGK.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 2, 2026
VGK scores on the power play.
That should do it. https://t.co/UjwyEHXpKi
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 2, 2026
Empty netter for the Knights.
5-1 VGK.
Utah’s season will officially come to an end tonight.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 2, 2026
Utah loses 5-1 in Game 6.
Their season is officially over.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) May 2, 2026
The Smith Entertainment Group’s (SEG) streaming platform will also continue to carry all Mammoth games on SEG+ in 2025-26.
Cole Bagley is the Utah Mammoth insider for KSL Sports. Follow him on X. You can hear Cole break down the team on KSL Sports Zone and KSL 5 TV.
All Mammoth games will be broadcast live on the KSL Sports Zone (97.5 FM/1280 AM). Occasionally, KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM / 1160 AM) also airs Jazz games.
Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on X, Instagram, and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
