Kailer Yamamoto #56 of the Utah Mammoth skates during a game against the Philadelphia Flyers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 05, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
(Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – Following an embarrassing 6-1 loss to the Boston Bruins on Thursday, the Utah Mammoth got back on track with a comfortable 4-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres to end their lengthy road trip on the right note.
Led by Kailer Yamamoto in his season debut, Utah’s third line set a physical tone while the power play returned to their league-leading form.
Kailer Yamamoto is the kind of depth player that NHL coaches dream of.
Doesn’t matter if he’s played 25 games in a row or sat in the press box for the last 5, No. 56 is the same skater regardless of when he last suited up.
Additionally, whether he’s in the top six, middle six or a fourth line role, he lifts every line he skates on with a consistent 200-foot game.
Yet again proving his worth, Yamamoto dragged Utah into the fight early against Buffalo as he hustled to the front of the net to tie the game at one in his season debut.
“It felt really good,” Yamamoto said with a noticeable grin on his face. “It was good to be on the ice with the guys.”
Yamo delivers! 🔥🍠 https://t.co/gtvw7yxxOS
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) October 10, 2026
Notably, Yamamoto’s forecheck, creativity, and hockey IQ also resulted in Utah’s third and fourth goals as he carried out all the dirty work to put his team in dangerous scoring positions.
“I think our forecheck,” Yamamoto said in regard to what he liked about his line’s performance. “Lee and Hayton work so hard. They get so many pucks back. I don’t know if they lost a battle in the corners tonight.”
Dialed. 💪
Anders Lee makes it 3-1, Utah. https://t.co/ii7ftd08bn
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) October 11, 2026
Johnny goes five-hole on the power play!
4-1, Utah. https://t.co/yQ71cC0vNY
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) October 11, 2026
With Michael Carcone considered week-to-week due to an upper-body injury, Yamamoto undoubtedly deserves to remain in the lineup for the foreseeable future.
Utah Mammoth forward Mike Carcone will not play tonight and is listed as week to week (upper-body).
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) October 10, 2026
If he can build off of his explosive performance in Buffalo, there will certainly be an argument to keep him on the ice even after 53 returns from injury.
“I’m super happy for Yammy,” head coach Andre Tourigny said. “He’s a great player. I’ve said it many times, he’s an everyday player. He deserves all the credit.”
After an abysmal overall performance in Boston on Thursday night, especially on the power play (0/7), the Utah Mammoth swiftly returned to form against the Buffalo Sabres.
Finishing 2/5 on the man advantage on Saturday, Utah proved their performance against the Bruins to be a fluke as they abandoned a lackadaisical perimeter approach and returned to the net front with a plethora of shots on goal.
“Our power play showed character,” Tourigny said. “They were not really good last game. But they did not let that affect their game.”
“They played tonight with quickness; they attacked; they were confident. I really liked the way they played.”
Similar to their struggles last season, the Mammoth’s power play suffers when they refuse to get into the teeth of the defense and settle for outside shots without bodies down low or in front.
This allows the opposition to maintain their shape and deny the middle of the ice which often results in blocked shots and easier saves for the goaltender.
But once Utah decided to get more bodies in front and feed Logan Cooley down low, space opened up and pucks eventually found the back of the net.
Schmaltzy on the power play! 🚨
2-1, Utah. https://t.co/uJp0gVT4DB
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) October 11, 2026
Johnny goes five-hole on the power play!
4-1, Utah. https://t.co/yQ71cC0vNY
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) October 11, 2026
The Utah Mammoth will host the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Delta Center on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. MDT.
The game will be available on SEG+.
All Mammoth games will also be broadcast live on the KSL Sports Zone (97.5 FM/1280 AM).
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.
