Utah Mammoth Seek Playoff Momentum After Late-Season Skid

Consecutive losses expose need for playoff-ready mentality as postseason nears

Apr. 13, 2026 at 5:38am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a hockey game, with sharp planes of blue, red, and yellow representing the action on the ice.A cubist interpretation of the Utah Mammoth's late-season struggles, as they seek to rediscover their playoff-ready mentality.Los Angeles Today

The Utah Mammoth have clinched a playoff berth, but consecutive 4-1 losses to the Carolina Hurricanes and Calgary Flames have exposed some concerning late-season struggles. Head coach André Tourigny and veteran defenseman MacKenzie Weegar acknowledged the team needs to rediscover its 'grind' mentality to be playoff-ready, with the Mammoth still fighting for the top wild card spot in the Western Conference.

Why it matters

The Mammoth have the talent to make a deep playoff run, but their recent losses have shown they may need to refocus their approach to find postseason success, similar to how the 1993 Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens used a late-season skid to refine their game. Maintaining the top wild card spot would also give Utah an easier path through the Pacific Division rather than the tougher Central Division.

The details

After clinching a playoff berth last Thursday, the Mammoth have dropped their last two games, first to the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday and most recently to the Calgary Flames on Sunday. Head coach Tourigny expressed disappointment in the team's 'perimeter' and 'east-west' play, lacking the necessary 'grind' mentality required for playoff hockey. Veteran defenseman Weegar echoed those sentiments, saying the team needs to be 'willing to grind it out' in the final two regular season games to secure the top wild card spot.

  • The Mammoth clinched a playoff berth last Thursday, April 10, 2026.
  • The Mammoth lost 4-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday, April 11, 2026.
  • The Mammoth lost 4-1 to the Calgary Flames on Sunday, April 12, 2026.

The players

André Tourigny

Head coach of the Utah Mammoth.

MacKenzie Weegar

Veteran defenseman for the Utah Mammoth.

Olli Määttä

Veteran defenseman who was traded from the Utah Mammoth to the Calgary Flames.

Michael Carcone

Forward for the Utah Mammoth.

Zach Whitecloud

Defenseman for the Calgary Flames.

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What they’re saying

“We had to be ready to grind, to get inside and to work extremely hard for every inch, and I didn't like our approach. I thought we were perimeter in east-west play.”

— André Tourigny, Head coach, Utah Mammoth

“It's about being together and coming together as a group here and enjoying the grind. I don't think, tonight, we wanted to enjoy that grind. These next two games, it's playoff hockey, and it's the most important two games all season. We've got to be willing to grind it out, because in playoffs, playing (poorly is) not going to work.”

— MacKenzie Weegar, Veteran defenseman, Utah Mammoth

What’s next

The Mammoth need to earn at least 3 points in their final two regular season games to clinch the top wild card spot in the Western Conference. Their remaining games are against teams fighting for playoff positioning, so the Mammoth will need to rediscover their 'grind' mentality to secure the easier path through the Pacific Division.

The takeaway

The Mammoth's late-season skid has exposed the need for the team to refocus on a playoff-ready mentality, similar to how the 1993 Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens used a late-season slump to refine their game. If the Mammoth can learn from these losses and recapture their 'grind' approach, they could be poised for a deep postseason run.