Nick Schmaltz kept his early-season heater rolling Tuesday night, scoring once and setting up two more as the Utah Mammoth skated out of Prudential Center with a 5-3 win over the New Jersey Devils.
Schmaltz has found the net in each of Utah’s first four games and now owns five goals and seven points. The Mammoth improved to 3-1-0 and finally cracked the Devils after going winless in their first four meetings since joining the NHL in 2024-25.
Quick facts
- Utah won 5-3 in Newark and improved to 3-1-0.
- Nick Schmaltz recorded a goal and two assists, extending his goal streak to four games.
- Utah’s power play went 2-for-4 and is 8-for-13 to open the season.
- Karel Vejmelka stopped 30 shots in his second consecutive start.
- Luke Evangelista scored both New Jersey goals before Jesper Boqvist added a third-period marker.
Clayton Keller opened the scoring 1:57 into the first period, converting on the power play for a 1-0 Utah lead. New Jersey answered during a 5-on-3 advantage when Evangelista tipped a puck from the slot at 12:23.
It was Evangelista’s first goal as a Devil following his Sept. 2 trade from the Nashville Predators. He was not done, tying the game again at 2-2 with another slot deflection, this one at 6:31 of the second.
MacKenzie Weegar put Utah back ahead 1:42 into the middle frame, sending the puck off Jake Allen’s right pad and into the net. Schmaltz then restored the lead on a power-play snap shot from near the left post at 12:05.
Lawson Crouse gave the Mammoth breathing room late in the second, pouncing on a loose puck at the left side of the crease with 57 seconds remaining in the period. Utah carried a 4-2 edge into the third.
The Mammoth had a concern before intermission when defenseman Mikhail Sergachev departed with 29 seconds left in the second after being struck near his left ear by a clearing attempt from Weegar. Sergachev had three assists before leaving the game.
Boqvist, making his season debut, pulled New Jersey within a goal at 9:49 of the third. His backhand from the slot made it 4-3, but the Devils could not find the equalizer.
Vincent Trocheck sealed it at 16:52, taking a centering feed from Schmaltz and scoring from the slot for his first goal with Utah. Trocheck arrived from the New York Rangers in a July 1 trade.
Vejmelka turned aside 30 shots for the Mammoth, while Allen made 27 saves for New Jersey, which slipped to 1-2-0 with its second straight defeat. Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler did not return after an awkward fall at 3:50 of the third period caused a lower-body injury.
