Puck drop is scheduled for 4:00 PM ET
Venue: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
TV: ESPN+ / CHSN (Chicago) / Utah16 / SN
Radio: Chicago Blackhawks Radio Network / Utah Mammoth Audio / SiriusXM NHL / NHL App
Game Context
The Mammoth sit 4th in the Central Division and 6th in the Western Conference with 66 points, holding the first wild-card spot and fighting to secure home-ice advantage in the first round. The Blackhawks are 7th in the Central and 14th in the West with 53 points, mathematically eliminated from playoff contention and focused on development, lottery positioning, and spoiling contenders. Chicago is on the second night of a back-to-back after a Saturday night loss in Colorado; Utah is well-rested after a Friday home win.
Recent Form
Utah Mammoth (6-4-0 in last 10, 3-1-0 in last 4):
- W 5-2 vs. Minnesota (Feb 27) – Crouse 2G, Keller 1G-2A
- L vs. Colorado
- W vs. Detroit
- W vs. Vancouver
- L vs. Dallas (recent stretch)
Utah is averaging 4.3 GF/G and 2.3 GA/G during the hot stretch, with elite 5-on-5 play and strong goaltending. Home record is dominant at 18-9-2.
Chicago Blackhawks (2-6-2 in last 10, 0-3-0 in last 3):
- L 1-3 at Colorado (Feb 28) – Bedard’s lone goal
- L vs. Nashville
- L vs. Columbus
- W vs. San Jose (recent)
Chicago is scoring just 2.6 GF/G while allowing 3.2 GA/G. The offense has been inconsistent, and the defense is depleted on the back end.
Injury Report
Chicago Blackhawks
- Shea Weber (D) — OUT (season – ankle)
- Wyatt Kaiser (D) — Day-to-Day / IR (lower body)
- Colton Dach (C) — Day-to-Day (undisclosed)
- Sam Rinzel (D) — Day-to-Day (illness)
The Blackhawks are especially thin on defense and missing depth forwards, forcing younger or call-up players into heavy minutes.
Utah Mammoth
- No reported injuries. Full roster available, with top players healthy and rolling.
Key Player Matchups
- Connor Bedard (CHI, 25G-30A-55P) vs. Utah’s top checking line (Keller / Guenther / Schmaltz) — Bedard remains Chicago’s offensive engine, but Utah’s speed and structure have neutralized similar threats lately.
- Tyler Bertuzzi (CHI, 26G-18A-44P) vs. Utah shutdown D-pair (Sergachev / Marino) — Bertuzzi has been a bright spot; Utah’s blueline depth should limit his zone time.
- Goalie Duel: Arvid Söderblom / Drew Commesso (CHI, recent struggles – 12 GA in last 3 starts for Söderblom) vs. Karel Vejmelka (UTA, 7 GA in last 3 starts, strong .894 team SV%) — Utah’s goaltending has been a major strength; Chicago’s tandem has been leaky on the road.
- Special Teams & Physicality — Chicago leads the NHL in PK% (85.6%) but ranks 21st on the PP (19.2%). Utah’s PP is 28th but their 5-on-5 defense (2.76 GA/G, 5th in NHL) dominates.
Series History
- 2025-26 season: Chicago leads the season series 1-0 (won Oct 13 in Chicago; JJ Peterka scored Utah’s lone goal).
- All-time: Limited history as Utah’s first full season under the Mammoth banner.
- Trend: First meeting this year favored the road underdog; Chicago has covered as a big dog in several recent Western road games.
Betting Trends
- Utah is 18-9-2 at home and 6-4-0 in last 10 overall; strong favorite at Delta Center (covering -1.5 in many wins vs. sub-.500 teams).
- Chicago is 10-14-4 on the road, 0-3 SU in last 3, and 2-6-2 in last 10.
- Back-to-back for Chicago: poor record in such spots this season.
- Total has gone Under in 7 of Utah’s last 10 home games and in 4 of Chicago’s last 6 road contests.
- Utah 3-1 SU/ATS in last 4; Chicago has lost 3 straight by 2+ goals.
Game Odds
Chicago Blackhawks 6.5
Utah Mammoth – 340
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Saturday, February 28, 2026
