NHL Game Preview: Utah Mammoth (0-0-0) vs. Colorado Avalanche (1-0-0)

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Colorado Avalanche logo

Venue & Game Info

Location: Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver, CO 80204

Time: 9:00 PM ET (7:00 PM MT local)

Broadcast: ESPN+, Altitude, Utah16 Radio: 92.5 FM Altitude Sports (COL), KSL Sports Zone (UTA)

Injury Report

Utah Mammoth

Alexander Kerfoot (C) – Lower Body (Out, IR)

Juuso Välimäki (D) – ACL (Out, long-term)

Liam O’Brien (C) – Undisclosed (Out)

Barrett Hayton (C) – Day-to-Day (Undisclosed)

Kevin Stenlund (C) – Day-to-Day (Undisclosed)

Terrell Goldsmith (D) – Undisclosed (Out)

Anson Thornton (G) – Undisclosed (Out)

Colorado Avalanche

Mackenzie Blackwood (G) – Lower Body (Day-to-Day)

Logan O’Connor (RW) – Hip (Out)

Jacob MacDonald (D) – Hip (Out)

Ronnie Attard (D) – Lower Body (Out)

Sean Behrens (D) – Undisclosed (Out)

Ilya Solovyov (D) – Not Injury Related (Out)

Nikita Prishchepov (C) – Undisclosed (Out)

Projected Player Matchups

Clayton Keller – Logan Cooley – Dylan Guenther (UTA) vs. Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Nečas – Artturi Lehkonen (COL)
Keller (90 pts last year) leads Utah’s top line, but MacKinnon and Nečas already combined for 6 points in Colorado’s opener.

JJ Peterka – Brandon Tanev – Nick Schmaltz (UTA) vs. Gabriel Landeskog – Brock Nelson – Valeri Nichushkin (COL)
Utah’s new additions face a veteran-heavy Avalanche second line.

Mikhail Sergachev & John Marino (UTA D) vs. Cale Makar & Devon Toews (COL D)
Sergachev brings stability, but Makar-Toews remains one of the NHL’s elite pairings.

Karel Vejmelka (UTA, G) vs. Scott Wedgewood (COL, G)
Vejmelka (26 wins last year) starts for Utah; Wedgewood likely goes again after a stellar 24-save performance in the opener.

Team Records & Recent Form

Utah Mammoth (2024–25): 38-31-13 (89 pts), missed playoffs by 7 pts. Preseason: 2-4-1.

Colorado Avalanche (2024–25): 49-29-4 (102 pts), eliminated in Round 2. Opened 2025–26 with a 4-1 win over LA Kings.

Series History

2024–25 Season Series: Avalanche won 2 of 3.

Head-to-Head: Colorado has dominated at home; Utah’s lone win came in Salt Lake City.

Key Note: Nathan MacKinnon tallied 5 points (1G, 4A) in 3 games vs. Utah last season.

Betting Trends

Avalanche as Favorite (2024–25): 47-29 overall.

Mammoth as Underdog (2024–25): 14-27 overall; 5-7 when +150 or longer.

Totals: Over 6.5 hit in 35 of Utah’s 82 games last year; Colorado went Over in 40 of 89.

Game Odds

Utah Mammoth               6.5

Colorado Avalanche       – 185

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Wednesday, October 8, 2025