Tampa Bay vs Utah Mammoth Prediction 27 January 2026
🔊 After suffering a road defeat in Columbus, where they conceded eight goals, Tampa Bay return home to embark on an extended home stand before the Olympic break. Their first matchup is against the Utah Mammoths, who are on an impressive run in their quest for the club's inaugural playoff appearance. Will the Mammoths pass the test against one of the league's powerhouses? Let's dive into the upcoming NHL regular season game on January 27 in our game prediction.
Head-to-Head
📊 In the brief history of Utah's existence in the NHL, the teams have faced off three times. While the debut game ended in a high-scoring victory for the Mammoths (6-4), the subsequent two encounters favored the Lightning (8-0 and 4-2).
During the 2025/2026 season at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Tampa had to come from behind during the match. In the final 10 minutes, Jake Guentzel played a pivotal role, scoring the game-winning goal (4-2).
Head-to-head statistics Tampa Bay - Utah Mammoth
Tampa Bay Lightning Team Overview
Tampa, who had been on a roll, received a significant blow over the weekend in Columbus, conceding eight goals (5-8) to the Blue Jackets. In defense of this result, it's worth noting that Andrei Vasilevskiy, one of the main contenders for the Vezina Trophy, was replaced by Jonas Johansson in that game.
However, this loss shouldn't greatly affect the overall picture for the Lightning. Firstly, they still managed to score five goals, and secondly, their record over the last 16 games (14 wins and 2 losses) is impressive. This performance allows Jon Cooper's team to sit second in the Atlantic Division (68 points in 50 games) and, in terms of points lost, to be the best in the Eastern Conference.
The Lightning are facing some injury issues: on defense, Ryan McDonagh (who might return soon) and Victor Hedman were already out, and Charles-Edouard D'Astous was added to the list after the Columbus game. Offensively, Tampa continues to play without Brayden Point.
Match Results: Tampa Bay Lightning
Utah Mammoth Team Overview
The Mammoths have accumulated as many points in the last three weeks (17 in 9 games) as they did in the previous month and a half. Andre Tourigny's team is currently riding a five-game winning streak. In addition to their successful home games, Utah kicked off their road trip with a victory over the Nashville Predators (5-2).
Utah Mammoths' position in the Western Conference standings isn't as secure-they're fourth in the Central Division, clinging to a playoff spot via the wild card (58 points in 51 games). However, the Sharks, Kings, and Kraken are all ready to challenge for a top-eight spot, each sitting just a few points behind with 55 points.
Lawson Cruz, who missed the game in Nashville, is set to return to the ice in the upcoming match. However, Utah will have to make do without Alexander Kerfoot for at least another month and Logan Cooley for even longer.
Match Results: Utah Mammoth
⚡️ Leaders
Russian forward Nikita Kucherov has hit an incredible run of form for the Lightning, going pointless in just one of 16 games over the past month. In the other 15 games, Tampa's attacking leader has racked up a remarkable 13 goals and 23 assists. Kucherov is currently the third-highest scorer in the NHL with 78 points and ranks second in assists with 52.
The main offensive force for Utah comes from their top-line forwards Clayton Keller (16 goals, 34 assists) and Nick Schmaltz (18 goals, 28 assists). Keller's scoring streak has now reached four games, with 3 goals and 4 assists, while Dylan Guenther has registered points in four of his last five outings, tallying 3 goals and 5 assists.
🥅 Goalies
If Andrei Vasilevskiy is healthy, he is likely to return to the net for the home game against the "Mammoths." The recent setback with Johansson, who conceded eight goals and had a save percentage of just 79.3%, was a significant blow and drew criticism from fans. Vasilevskiy has shown more consistency, boasting a save percentage of 91.8, the second-best in the league.
Utah's coaching staff places high hopes on Czech goaltender Karel Vejmelka. The 29-year-old netminder has missed just one game out of 11 in 2026, performing admirably in the others. In Nashville, he handled 27 shots on target in the previous game, and during January's home series, his save percentage dipped below 90 only twice.
Editor's Prediction
Tampa Bay are looking to bounce back after a high-scoring shootout in Columbus, aiming to quickly erase the memory of that defeat for their fans. With Vasilevskiy likely returning between the pipes, the Lightning are expected to focus less on defense and more on outscoring their opponent.
In their brief head-to-head history with Utah, the Lightning have consistently scored at least four goals per game. Moreover, at the Benchmark International Arena, Tampa have been dominant, winning their last five matches while scoring at least four times in each encounter. It's reasonable to expect Kucherov and company to deliver once again for the home crowd-Tampa Bay's individual total over 3.5 goals.
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Betting Tips: Tampa Bay Lightning - Utah Mammoth
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