The Utah Mammoth (28-21-4) take on the Carolina Hurricanes (32-15-5) in an interconference clash that could have playoff implications for both teams. Utah, in the midst of a rebuild but showing signs of contention, has won three straight road games, relying on strong goaltending and opportunistic scoring. Carolina, a perennial contender, enters on a four-game winning streak, dominating with their high-pressure forecheck and balanced attack. This is the second meeting this season, with Carolina winning the first 4-2 on November 15 behind Sebastian Aho’s two goals. Injuries loom large for both sides, potentially leading to a defensive battle at PNC Arena, where Carolina’s home dominance (16-6-3) could prevail, but Utah’s resilience on the road (14-11-2) keeps them in the mix for an upset.
Venue Location
PNC Arena, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET (4:00 p.m. PT). The game will be broadcast on FDSSE, BSSO, and ESPN+, with radio coverage on SiriusXM.
Recent Team Forms
The Mammoth rank 16th in goals per game (3.00) and 14th in goals against (2.90), with a power play at 19.8% (17th) and penalty kill at 80.5% (16th). The Hurricanes are 8th in goals per game (3.35) and 10th in goals against (2.75), with a power play at 23.5% (9th) and penalty kill at 82.0% (12th).
Utah Mammoth (Last 10 Games: 6-3-1, Avg. 3.1 GPG)
Recent Streak: Won 3 straight.
Key Results:
Jan. 27 @ NSH: W 3-2 (SO) (Hellebuyck 35 saves; Ehlers GWG in SO).
Jan. 25 @ STL: W 4-3 (OT).
Jan. 23 vs. ARI: L 2-4.
Jan. 21 @ DAL: W 5-3.
Jan. 19 vs. MIN: W 4-2.
Strengths: Goaltending depth (Hellebuyck .910 SV%); Road warriors (14-11-2 away). Weaknesses: Inconsistent power play; Allowing 2.90 GAA.
Carolina Hurricanes (Last 10 Games: 7-2-1, Avg. 3.5 GPG)
Recent Streak: Won 4 straight.
Key Results:
Jan. 28 @ FLA: W 4-3 (Aho 2 G; Andersen 30 saves).
Jan. 26 vs. BUF: W 5-2.
Jan. 24 @ TBL: W 3-1.
Jan. 22 vs. NYI: W 4-2.
Jan. 20 vs. CBJ: L 3-4 (OT).
Strengths: Balanced scoring (Aho 25 G, 35 A); Home dominance (16-6-3). Weaknesses: Occasional defensive breakdowns in OT; Power play efficiency dips vs. top PK teams.
Injury Report
Injuries affect depth for both teams, with Utah missing key defensemen and Carolina potentially without their top center.
Utah Mammoth:
OUT: Haydn Fleury (D, Upper Body; week-to-week).
OUT: Neal Pionk (D, Undisclosed; week-to-week).
DAY-TO-DAY: Nikolaj Ehlers (LW, Lower Body).
DAY-TO-DAY: Mason Appleton (RW, Illness).
Carolina Hurricanes:
OUT: Shayne Gostisbehere (D, Upper Body; expected return Feb. 5).
OUT: Frederik Andersen (G, Knee; expected return Feb. 10).
DAY-TO-DAY: Sebastian Aho (C, Upper Body; questionable after last game).
DAY-TO-DAY: Jesperi Kotkaniemi (C, Lower Body).
Key Player Matchups
Expected starting lineups amid injuries:
Mammoth Forwards: Kyle Connor – Mark Scheifele – Gabriel Vilardi; Nikolaj Ehlers (questionable) – Vladislav Namestnikov – Cole Perfetti; Nino Niederreiter – Adam Lowry – Mason Appleton (questionable); Morgan Barron – Rasmus Kupari – Alex Iafallo.
Hurricanes Forwards: Seth Jarvis – Sebastian Aho (questionable) – Martin Necas; Andrei Svechnikov – Jordan Staal – Jesper Fast; Jack Drury – Jesperi Kotkaniemi (questionable) – William Carrier; Stefan Noesen – Jordan Martinook – Jackson Blake.
Mammoth Defense: Josh Morrissey – Dylan DeMelo; Logan Stanley – Dylan Samberg; Ville Heinola – Colin Miller.
Hurricanes Defense: Jaccob Slavin – Brent Burns; Dmitry Orlov – Brett Pesce; Jalen Chatfield – Ty Smith.
Goalies: Mammoth – Connor Hellebuyck (35 GP, 18-13-4, 2.85 GAA, .905 SV%); Hurricanes – Pyotr Kochetkov (30 GP, 17-8-3, 2.65 GAA, .908 SV%) if Andersen out.
Key Matchups:
Mark Scheifele vs. Jordan Staal: Scheifele (20 G, 25 A) faceoff edge vs. Staal’s shutdown role.
Kyle Connor vs. Brent Burns: Connor’s speed (25 G) tests Burns’ mobility (10 G, 25 A).
Gabriel Vilardi vs. Jaccob Slavin: Vilardi (15 G) net-front vs. Slavin’s defense.
Goalie Duel: Hellebuyck vs. Kochetkov: Hellebuyck’s experience vs. Kochetkov’s agility.
Series History
All-time: Hurricanes lead 45-40-5 in 90 regular-season games (including Whalers era). Playoffs: No meetings. Recently: Hurricanes 4-1 in last 5; Mammoth won last 3-2 on March 10, 2025. This season: First meeting (0-0).
Betting Trends
ATS Trends: Hurricanes 5-5 ATS in last 10 (strong as favorites); Mammoth 4-6 ATS in last 10 (decent as underdogs). Hurricanes 4-6 ATS at home; Mammoth 5-5 ATS on road. Over in 5 of Hurricanes’ last 7; Over in 4 of Mammoth’s last 6 vs. Metropolitan teams.
Game Odds
Utah Mammoth 6.5
Carolina Hurricanes – 192
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Wednesday, January 28, 2026
