Mammoth end Stars' 15-game streak with 6-3 win

Utah Mammoth pull off upset against NHL's hottest team

Mar. 17, 2026 at 4:11am

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The Utah Mammoth defeated the Dallas Stars 6-3 on Monday, ending the Stars' 15-game winning streak. The Mammoth scored in a variety of ways, including on the power play, short-handed, and with an empty-net goal, to pull off the surprising upset against the league's second-best power play team.

Why it matters

The win couldn't have come at a better time for the Mammoth, whose recent losses had tightened the gap in the standings between them and the teams chasing them. Restoring their lead to five points is a crucial boost as they head into a tough stretch of games against other top Pacific Division contenders.

The details

The Mammoth scored on their third shot of the game, with Nate Schmidt finding the back of the net just 2:40 shy of the game's halfway point. From there, the floodgates opened, and the Mammoth finished the game with 22 shots on net. Despite missing key penalty killer Kevin Stenlund, the Mammoth were perfect on the penalty kill and even scored a short-handed goal.

  • The Mammoth's win on Monday, March 16, 2026, ended the Dallas Stars' 15-game winning streak that dated back to January 22.
  • The Mammoth scored their second goal just 2:40 shy of the game's halfway point.

The players

Vítek Vaněček

The Mammoth's backup goaltender who started the game to give starter Karel Vejmelka some extra rest.

André Tourigny

The Mammoth's head coach, who said a singular goal that goes in off the post would likely determine the winner, but his team exceeded that expectation.

Glen Gulutzan

The Dallas Stars' head coach, who acknowledged that the loss still feels the same despite the team's long winning streak.

Nate Schmidt

The Mammoth player who scored their second goal, which came just 2:40 shy of the game's halfway point.

Kevin Stenlund

The Mammoth player who was forced to sit out the game, but his teammates stepped up on the penalty kill in his absence.

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What they’re saying

“Someone told me that we hadn't lost in 55 days. But whenever you lose, it still feels the same.”

— Glen Gulutzan, Dallas Stars head coach (deseret.com)

“We got opportunistic early in the game — we know that — but still, our game got better during the game, throughout the game, against a really good team.”

— André Tourigny, Utah Mammoth head coach (deseret.com)

“Sometimes, when you miss a key player like Stenny, who's, in my book, a top-three penalty killer in the league (and) our best face-off guy, I think that raises the awareness and the urgency of everybody. I like the way the guys responded. I think that was a really, really tough power play to play against, and the boys, they grabbed the challenge. They were ready for it. Really proud of them.”

— André Tourigny, Utah Mammoth head coach (deseret.com)

What’s next

The Mammoth's next four games are against other top Pacific Division contenders, including the Vegas Golden Knights, Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, and Edmonton Oilers. These games will likely be a preview of their potential first-round playoff matchup.

The takeaway

The Mammoth's upset win over the league's hottest team, the Dallas Stars, not only restores their lead in the standings but also demonstrates their resilience and ability to adapt when facing adversity, such as the absence of a key penalty killer. This victory sets the stage for a tough stretch of games against other top Pacific Division teams as the Mammoth look to solidify their playoff position.