Clayton Keller #9 of the Utah Mammoth looks on against the Seattle Kraken during the first period at Climate Pledge Arena on April 02, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Mammoth remained a perfect 3-0 on their final extended road trip of the regular season as Clayton Keller led his team to victory over the Vancouver Canucks.
Amidst a game full of ups and downs, Utah responded with confidence and maturity to secure another big win down the stretch.
Here are the key takeaways from Utah’s 7-4 victory in Vancouver.
Utah’s captain is playing his best hockey of the season at the right time.
After registering his second most productive month of the year in March (15 points), Keller has remained hot in April with five points over the last two games.
Against the Canucks, Keller tallied his first ever Mammoth hat-trick and a helper to lead Utah to a crucial victory down the final stretch.
🚨 Captain Kells for the lead!
2-1, Utah. pic.twitter.com/jCRYjLkjp2
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) April 4, 2026
Count it ⏱️
Second of the night for #9! pic.twitter.com/xxPZHEFogm
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) April 5, 2026
Hat trick for Kells! 🧢🧢🧢
7-4, Utah.
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) April 5, 2026
While Keller prides himself as a pass-first player and one of the best facilitators in the league, he’s also capable of lighting the lamp at an elite level.
Whether he’s sniping the goaltender, battling in front of the net, deflecting shots, roofing backhanders or burying shots from a distance, Keller is a versatile threat from anywhere on the ice.
That’s significant.
Interesting stat.
Utah is 18-2 when Clayton Keller has scored this season.
Haven’t lost a game where he’s scored since Dec 8.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 5, 2026
On the verge of clinching their first ever postseason berth as a franchise, Utah needs their captain to be at his very best and that’s what they’ve gotten as of late.
A confident, competitive and driven leader who is unwilling to settle for anything less than game 83.
“We want to get better every single day, every single game, and learn from our mistakes.” Keller said. “It’s not an easy thing to do.”
“I think we’ve really put a lot of time and effort into it and we play for one another. That’s the biggest thing. We’re a tight group…just trying to stay positive. There’s a lot of ups and downs. It’s a fun time of the year right now.”
Confidence and resilience start at the top.
Utah can rest assured that the right man is wearing the “C” for their club as they legitimately push for the playoffs.
Depth is absolutely critical in the National Hockey League, especially at this time of year when teams are pushing for a playoff spot despite being shorthanded and banged up.
Following a few key injuries to Utah’s forwards and blue line, their depth has gone above and beyond as players like Kailer Yamamoto, Nick DeSimone, Liam O’Brien and Brandon Tanev have stepped up during the most important stretch of the season.
“We have a deep lineup,” Keller noted. “Anyone that steps in is a great player. Someone that knows our systems well and can contribute. O’Brien and DeSimone stepped in tonight and were great for us. Just two great teammates, great guys.”
“If they’re in the lineup or not, they’re the same person. They come to work every single day. It’s great to see them in the lineup and contribute.”
Over the last three games, those four players have accounted for two goals, four assists and an overall plus/minus of plus six.
That may not seem overly significant, but to get that kind of production and reliability from three players on your bottom lines while Yamamoto continues to embrace different roles has made a huge difference.
Instead of witnessing a drop off in terms of production with key players injured, those four have made the most of their minutes while helping the team capture three-straight wins.
Regardless of the line, Yamamoto continues to make a steady impact while Tanev and O’Brien have brought energy, and DeSimone has been reliable on the blue line alongside Ian Cole.
Disgusting deflection between the legs.
Yamamoto has been so good in his role this season. He’s earned another contract in Utah. pic.twitter.com/5W6Ysldp8l
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 5, 2026
Turbo to Spicy Tuna for a back-handed beauty!
6-4, Utah. pic.twitter.com/tkAb9MZGrl
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) April 5, 2026
That’s what it takes to thrive during spring hockey.
Reliable depth who can step in at a minute’s notice, embrace the opportunity and fulfill their role.
“Heck of a goal by O’Brien there. That was unreal. He’s such a great teammate. Great guy. He grinds every single day so that’s awesome to see too,” Keller added.
Depth isn’t about flash but reliability.
Players who can come in, play 8-10 minutes, provide energy and offer a simplified approach that doesn’t result in many mistakes.
Anytime they can get on the scoreboard is just icing on the cake and can sometimes be the difference in wins and losses.
While it hasn’t always been the prettiest hockey, Utah has found ways to win down the stretch by responding to adversity and playing with a palpable confidence.
Despite trailing early in their last two games, the Mammoth have weathered every storm and played with a maturity that only playoff teams generally have.
“Just the confidence. There’s ups and downs throughout the whole season but we’re confident that we know we’re a playoff team,” John Marino said with conviction.
“We know we belong in the playoffs and it’s something that’s been building here for a while.”
As Marino pointed out, there will always be ups and downs.
Not only over the course of a season, but throughout certain stretches, games, periods and even shifts.
It’s not always going to be perfect.
But good teams find ways to win.
Rather than buckling when an inferior team comes out buzzing, they stick to the gameplan, execute and eventually take control.
“I liked how we responded,” Liam O’Brien said. “I liked how we reacted after they scored. They just kept coming, and coming, and coming. That’s just the relentlessness in that room. That’s a good outcome.”
“I thought we got better as the game went on,” Keller added. “They scored a couple power play goals, but I thought we bounced back pretty well. We reacted good to a little adversity there and were able to forecheck, score at the right times and a great effort by everyone.”
As both players pointed out, it was Utah’s resilience and response that defined the eventual outcome.
When they needed a goal, they got one.
If the Canucks answered, they answered right back.
And when things tightened up over the last few minutes, O’Brien forechecked ferociously to find the back of the net and ice the game.
So, while those results may not be the most comfortable, it’s that kind of belief and confidence that will result in playoff hockey.
The Utah Mammoth will begin a three-game homestand against the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. MT.
The game will be available on Mammoth+.
All Mammoth games will also be broadcast live on the KSL Sports Zone (97.5 FM/1280 AM).
