Nick Schmaltz scored two goals and reached 500 career points on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, as the Utah Mammoth defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1 in Columbus, Ohio. The victory secured the Mammoth's second straight win to open the season.
The Mammoth offense relied heavily on the power play, scoring three times during the contest. Mikhail Sergachev opened the scoring with a power-play goal from near the blue line at 11:55 of the first period. Schmaltz followed less than five minutes later to double the lead.
Dylan Guenther added a power-play goal at 5:59 of the third period, marking his third power-play goal in the team's first two games. Schmaltz secured his 500th NHL point with a power-play goal at 14:13 in the final period.
In Utah's debut, Sebastian Cossa stopped 15 shots to help secure the win. Assist contributors for the Mammoth included Mikhail Sergachev, Dylan Guenther, and Logan Cooley, with Guenther and Cooley each recording two assists.
Clayton Keller also contributed two assists during the game, bringing his season total to four assists and his career total to 600 NHL points. Keller has recorded 17 points in 17 career games against the Blue Jackets.
The Blue Jackets' lone goal was scored by Kent Johnson on a breakaway 1:30 into the second period, which briefly narrowed the lead to 2-1. Jet Greaves made 21 saves for Columbus.
Matthew Knies provided an assist for Columbus, totaling four points in his first two games with the team. The game served as the start of a five-game road trip for Utah and represented the first half of a back-to-back schedule.
The Mammoth's victory on Oct. 3, 2026, marks the beginning of a five-game road trip for the team.
