NHL Predictions: March 1st Chicago Blackhawks vs Utah Mammoth

Welcome back to NHL Predictions. Each day, our writers here at Last Word On Hockey look at the games and give in-depth analysis. Our team breaks down the key matchups, storylines, and stats, then makes predictions based on how they might play out. Our featured game of this edition is the Chicago Blackhawks taking on the Utah Mammoth. Don’t forget to check out more NHL Predictions, as our writers continue this series throughout the 2025-26 season.

NHL Predictions: Chicago Blackhawks vs Utah Mammoth

2025-2026 Season Series: Blackhawks 1-0 Mammoth

How to Watch: 

TV: CHSN; Utah16; ESPN+

Time: 4 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)

Location: Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah

The Blackhawks close out their back-to-back with a road game in Utah against the Mammoth. Chicago is 22-28-9 with 53 points, while Utah is 31-24-4 with 66 points. This is the second meeting of the season between these two teams. The Blackhawks won the first on October 13th 3-1.

The Blackhawks Side

After a 3-1 defeat against the Colorado Avalanche yesterday, the Blackhawks look to bounce back against the Mammoth. They’ve lost each of their first two games out of the Olympic break, the first was 4-2 in Nashville. The main bright spot for Chicago continues to be star Connor Bedard. Despite missing time due to injury, Bedard’s had quite the campaign and should surpass his career-high of 67 points. However, a surprising player for the Blackhawks has been Tyler Bertuzzi. He has 26 goals and 44 points and is on pace for a new career-high in tallies.

Spencer Knight (16-17-7) played against the Avalanche, so expect backup Arvid Soderblom (5-9-2) to start in Utah.

The Mammoth Side

The Mammoth are coming off an impressive 5-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild, who are the fourth-best team in the NHL. Minnesota also saw their six-game winning streak snapped. The return of Logan Cooley certainly gives Utah a huge boost to their lineup. He scored a short-handed goal against the Wild. Although he may not match the 90 points last year, Mammoth captain Clayton Keller has been one the team’s best forwards. Keller has been playing a much stronger two-way game, along with Nick Schmaltz.

Karel Vejmelka (27-14-2) continues to have a great season and is making a case to be Utah’s MVP. He’s expected to start in this game.

NHL Prediction

These are two teams that are somewhat on the opposite sides of each other. The Blackhawks sit towards the bottom of the NHL, while the Mammoth remain in the first wild card spot in the Western Conference. Chicago’s a team that doesn’t score much and gives up a lot. They’re 26th in goals for and 22nd in goals against. Meanwhile, the Mammoth are 13th in goals for and 5th in goals against. The edge in this matchup goes to Utah because of their strong defence and the play of Vejmelka. The Blackhawks are in the midst of a difficult stretch, having lost seven of their last eight games. It’ll likely take a strong offensive showing for Chicago to beat Vejmelka and Utah. The Mammoth are also one of the best home teams with a record of 18-9-2. We believe the Utah defence will stand tall and secure the victory.

Prediction: Mammoth win 3-1

Prop Bets

Any time goal scorers:

Lawson Crouse (+280)- scored another pair of goals Thursday; plays on the top line.

Frank Nazar (+350)- he’s in bit of a slump since returning from injury; still plays on the top power play with Bedard.

Projected lineups are based on available data at time of writing. Please check social media and official team sources for the very latest lineup news before locking in any daily fantasy roster or prop wagers.

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