Tampa Bay Lightning vs Utah Mammoth Picks and Predictions for Saturday, October 24, 2026

Tampa Bay has been picking up wins lately, but Utah has enough scoring to make Saturday an interesting matchup. The Tampa Bay Lightning visit the Utah Mammoth at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, with puck drop scheduled for 9:00 pm ET on ESPN+. Tampa Bay is second in the Atlantic Division at 7-2-0 after beating Vegas 6-2 on Tuesday. Utah leads the Central Division with a 7-4-0 record, although the Mammoth are coming off a 5-3 loss to Seattle on Thursday. The Lightning have won three straight, while Utah has split its last four games. Check our free NHL picks for more Saturday action.

Tampa Bay Lightning Looking to Keep Rolling

The Lightning have been playing some good hockey, winning four of their last five games. Tampa Bay beat Seattle 4-3 in overtime, followed that with a 4-2 victory against Vancouver, and then scored six goals against Vegas on Tuesday. That latest performance was particularly impressive considering the Golden Knights had been playing well themselves. Tampa Bay is averaging 3.44 goals per game while giving up just 2.56. The Lightning also allow only 24.2 shots per game, which has helped keep pressure off their goaltenders. Saturday presents another challenge against a Utah team that generates plenty of offense.

Nikita Kucherov has been busy setting up his teammates, leading Tampa Bay with 13 points and nine assists. Brandon Hagel has seven goals, the most on the team, while Jake Guentzel has contributed nine points. Andrei Vasilevskiy has a 5-2-0 record with a 2.46 goals-against average and .898 save percentage. Dennis Hildeby has also looked good in limited action, going 2-0-0 with a 2.01 GAA and .920 save percentage. Tampa Bay's penalty kill has been reasonably dependable at 79.2%, but the Lightning will need to stay disciplined against Utah's dangerous power play.

Injuries: Anthony Cirelli is day-to-day, while Yanni Gourde remains on injured reserve.

Utah Mammoth Have Been Scoring Plenty of Goals

Utah has been involved in some entertaining games lately, although the results haven't always gone its way. The Mammoth beat Toronto 5-4 and Edmonton 4-2 before losing 6-2 in their second meeting with the Oilers. Utah bounced back with a 5-4 victory over Pittsburgh, then fell 5-3 to Seattle on Thursday. The Mammoth average 3.73 goals per game, but they've also surrendered 3.27. That has made things difficult when the offense isn't producing. Utah gets 30.6 shots on goal per game, so creating opportunities hasn't been the main concern.

Clayton Keller leads Utah with 14 points and 10 assists, while Nick Schmaltz has scored seven goals. Mikhail Sergachev also has 10 assists and 13 points, giving the Mammoth another player who can create scoring chances. Utah's power play has been particularly dangerous, converting 38.5% of its opportunities. Goaltending has been a different story. Karel Vejmelka is 5-3-0 with a 3.04 goals-against average and .872 save percentage. Sebastian Cossa owns a 3.33 GAA and .820 save percentage. Those numbers are concerning against a Tampa Bay team that's been scoring consistently.

Injuries: John Marino is out, while Michael Carcone and Maveric Lamoureux remain on injured reserve.

Key To The Game

Utah's power play could cause problems for Tampa Bay, especially with the Mammoth converting nearly 39% of their chances. The Lightning need to avoid unnecessary penalties and continue limiting shots. Utah must also improve defensively against Kucherov and Hagel.

Tampa Bay Lightning vs Utah Mammoth Game Pick

• Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa Bay has won three straight games and has been getting contributions throughout its lineup. Kucherov and Hagel have been particularly dangerous, while the Lightning have done a good job limiting shots against. Utah can score, especially on the power play, but the Mammoth have struggled to keep opponents off the scoreboard. Tampa Bay has the stronger goaltending numbers and should be able to take advantage of Utah's defensive problems. The Lightning win Saturday.

Tampa Bay Lightning vs Utah Mammoth Over/Under Pick

• Over

Utah has scored at least three goals in four of its last five games, but the Mammoth have also allowed four or more goals in four of those contests. Tampa Bay has scored 14 goals during its three-game winning streak, and Utah's goaltenders have struggled with save percentages. Both teams have dangerous scorers who can take advantage of defensive mistakes. Expect enough chances at both ends for this game to finish over.