The Utah Mammoth face a daunting road test against the Tampa Bay Lightning in a cross-conference clash at Amalie Arena. Utah, riding an impressive 8-1-1 streak in their last 10 games, has shown resilience with strong goaltending and opportunistic scoring, but they’ll need to overcome Tampa’s elite offense and home dominance. The Lightning, on an 11-game win streak entering this matchup, lead the league in goals per game and boast a formidable power play, making them heavy favorites. With both teams dealing with injuries to key players, this game could hinge on special teams and goaltending battles. Expect a high-energy affair with Tampa’s speed testing Utah’s defensive structure, potentially leading to a high-scoring outcome if the Mammoth’s recent form holds up.
Venue: Amalie Arena, Tampa, Florida (capacity: 19,092).
Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM ET (6:00 PM CT, 5:00 PM MT local for Utah fans).
Broadcast: Available on Bally Sports Sun (Lightning), Utah16 (Mammoth), and NHL Network; streaming via ESPN+ and the NHL app.
Recent Team Forms
Both teams are in excellent form, but Tampa’s streak is historic, while Utah has climbed from the bottom of the standings.
Utah Mammoth (Last 5 Games: 4-0-1):
Jan 24 vs. Nashville Predators: W 5-2 – Strong third period sealed the win.
Jan 22 vs. Philadelphia Flyers: W 5-4 (OT) – Comeback effort highlighted resilience.
Jan 20 vs. Seattle Kraken: W 6-3 – Balanced scoring attack.
Jan 18 vs. Dallas Stars: W 2-1 – Defensive masterclass.
Jan 16 vs. Toronto Maple Leafs: L 2-3 (OT) – Earned a point in extra time.
Averaging 3.8 goals for and 2.4 against; power play at 20% efficiency, penalty kill 85%. Hot streak fueled by goaltending (.920 SV%) and third-period scoring (1.6 GPG).
Tampa Bay Lightning (Last 5 Games: 5-0-0):
Jan 24 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets: W 5-2 – Kucherov multi-point game.
Jan 22 vs. Chicago Blackhawks: W 2-1 (SO) – Vasilevskiy shutout performance.
Jan 20 vs. San Jose Sharks: W 4-1 – Dominant special teams.
Jan 18 vs. Dallas Stars: W 4-1 – Balanced lineup contributions.
Jan 16 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins: W 2-1 (SO) – Clutch overtime play.
Averaging 3.6 goals for and 1.8 against; power play 25% (top-5), penalty kill 90%. Riding an 11-game win streak with elite goaltending (.930 SV%) and home invincibility.
Injury Report and Suspensions
Both teams are battling significant absences, impacting depth and special teams.
Utah Mammoth: Forward Lawson Crouse is day-to-day with an illness (missed Jan 24 game). Forward Alexander Kerfoot is on IR with an upper-body injury (out since Jan 24). Center Logan Cooley is on IR with a lower-body injury (out since Dec 6). Goaltender Anson Thornton is on IR (undisclosed). Defenseman Terrell Goldsmith is on IR (undisclosed). Center Barrett Hayton is day-to-day with an illness. No suspensions reported.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Forward Jack Finley is day-to-day (illness). Defenseman Ryan McDonagh is on IR with a lower-body injury (out since Jan 20, day-to-day status). Forward Brayden Point is on IR with a lower-body injury (week-to-week since Jan 16). Defenseman Victor Hedman is on IR with an elbow injury. Defenseman Emil Martinsen Lilleberg is on IR (undisclosed). Forward Gage Goncalves is day-to-day (undisclosed). Defenseman Maxwell Crozier is day-to-day (illness). Defenseman Erik Cernak is day-to-day (upper-body). Forward Scott Sabourin is out (undisclosed). No suspensions.
Key Player Matchups
This game features exciting clashes between offensive stars and defensive anchors.
Ja Morant (Grizzlies? Wait, NHL – error; for NHL: Nikita Kucherov (Lightning RW) vs. Dylan Guenther (Mammoth RW): Kucherov’s playmaking (4 goals, 8 assists in recent games) vs. Guenther’s scoring touch (3 goals, 5 assists); power play impact key.
Andrei Vasilevskiy (Lightning G) vs. Karel Vejmelka (Mammoth G): Vasilevskiy’s elite form (.918 SV%) tests Vejmelka’s consistency (.901 SV%); goaltending duel could decide a low-scoring game.
Jake Guentzel (Lightning C) vs. Clayton Keller (Mammoth RW): Guentzel’s goal-scoring streak (4 goals) vs. Keller’s speed and assists; transition threats.
Victor Hedman (Lightning D, out) replacement vs. Jaren Jackson Jr. (wait, NHL: Brayden Point out, so Nikita Kucherov line vs. Mammoth top line): Tampa’s depth defense vs. Utah’s forward pressure.
Series History
The Lightning hold a strong edge in the young rivalry, with high-scoring tendencies. Overall Head-to-Head: Tampa Bay leads 2-1 all-time (since Utah’s inception). Recent Games: Nov 2, 2025: Lightning 4-2 win (at Utah). March 27, 2025: Lightning 8-0 win (at Tampa). March 22, 2025: Mammoth 6-4 win (at Utah). Trends: Average 6.67 total goals per game; Lightning 2-1 ATS; overs in 2 of 3; Tampa outscoring Utah 14-8 overall.
Betting Trends
Utah Mammoth: 4-8 SU in last 12 vs. Tampa Bay; under in 5 of last 7 road games; 0-6 SU in last 6 at Tampa; 4-1 SU in last 5 vs. Eastern Conference; over in 7 of last 10 vs. Atlantic Division. Tampa Bay Lightning: Under in 5 of last 6 games; 14-2 SU in last 16; over in 7 of last 10 vs. Utah; 5-0 SU in last 5 home; 6-0 SU in last 6 home vs. Utah; under in 5 of last 5 vs. Western Conference; under in 8 of last 8 vs. Central Division. Series Trends: Over in 2 of 3 games; Lightning 2-1 ATS vs. Utah; home team 2-1 in series.
Game Odds
Utah Mammoth 6.5
Tampa Bay Lightning – 155
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Sunday, January 25, 2026
