The Vegas Golden Knights eliminated the Utah Mammoth in Game 6 of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs, ending Utah's season. Vegas will advance to face the Anaheim Ducks in the Western Conference semifinals.
Key points
Vegas Golden Knights eliminated Utah Mammoth
Game 6 of NHL Stanley Cup playoffs
Utah's second NHL season ends
Golden Knights advance to face Anaheim Ducks
Vegas reached Western Conference semifinals in three of four years
Vegas Golden KnightsUtah MammothAnaheim DucksNHL Stanley Cup playoffs
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (61) and Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore (27) celebrate after the Vegas Golden Knights scored a goal during Game 6 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, May 1, 2026.
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (61) and Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore (27) celebrate after the Vegas Golden Knights scored a goal during Game 6 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, May 1, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
The clock has struck midnight for the Mammoth.
Utah’s second NHL season came to a bitter end Friday night at the Delta Center, as it suffered elimination at the hands of the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup playoffs’ opening round.
In conquering the Mammoth, Vegas will keep on dancing for a second round date with the Anaheim Ducks, now having reached the Western Conference semifinals in three of the past four years.
“The thing I loved about the team is they just kept their head down through the momentum swings against a really good hockey team we were playing against,” Vegas head coach John Tortorella said postgame.
“(Utah is) a very well-coached hockey team, but we just found our way.”
Q&A
How did the Vegas Golden Knights eliminate the Utah Mammoth?
The Vegas Golden Knights eliminated the Utah Mammoth by winning Game 6 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs.
What was the outcome of the Golden Knights vs. Mammoth playoff series?
The Golden Knights won the playoff series against the Mammoth, securing their advancement to the next round.
When did the Golden Knights defeat the Mammoth in the playoffs?
The Golden Knights defeated the Mammoth on May 1, 2026, during Game 6 of the series.
Who will the Vegas Golden Knights face next in the playoffs?
The Vegas Golden Knights will face the Anaheim Ducks in the Western Conference semifinals.
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Utah Mammoth right wing JJ Peterka (77) loses possession of the puck defended by Vegas Golden Knights center Nic Dowd (26) and Vegas Golden Knights right wing Cole Smith (22) during Game 6 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, May 1, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
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Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart (79) blocks a shot by Utah Mammoth center Alexander Kerfoot (15) during Game 6 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, May 1, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
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Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb (3) warms up before Game 6 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Utah Mammoth at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, May 1, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
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Utah Mammoth fan Rich Bradley poses outside the Delta Center before Game 6 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, May 1, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
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Daniel Breisch holds his daughter Claire Breisch, 5, as they walk to the Delta Center before Game 6 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, May 1, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
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Utah Mammoth fans cheer during Game 6 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, May 1, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
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Utah Mammoth left wing Brandon Tanev (13) falls while skating with the puck during Game 6 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, May 1, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
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Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (61) and Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore (27) celebrate after the Vegas Golden Knights scored a goal during Game 6 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, May 1, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
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Utah Mammoth left wing Brandon Tanev (13) reacts during Game 6 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, May 1, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
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Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart (79) blocks Utah Mammoth left wing Brandon Tanev (13) from scoring during Game 6 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, May 1, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
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Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore (27) and Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Kaedan Korczak (6) fist-bump after winning against the Utah Mammoth during Game 6 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, May 1, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
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Utah Mammoth fans leave during the third period of Game 6 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, May 1, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
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Vegas Golden Knights center Nic Dowd (26) celebrates with teammates after they won against the Utah Mammoth during Game 6 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, May 1, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
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Utah Mammoth center Kevin Stenlund (82) reacts during Game 6 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, May 1, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
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Vegas Golden Knights players celebrate after winning against the Utah Mammoth during Game 6 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, May 1, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
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Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Kaedan Korczak (6) raises his fist in the air after the Vegas Golden Knights won against the Utah Mammoth during Game 6 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, May 1, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
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Vegas Golden Knights center Nic Dowd (26) celebrates with teammates after they won against the Utah Mammoth during Game 6 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, May 1, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
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Vegas Golden Knights players celebrate after winning against the Utah Mammoth during Game 6 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, May 1, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
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A Utah Mammoth fan winces while watching the third period of Game 6 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, May 1, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
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Utah Mammoth players high-five Vegas Golden Knights players after they lost to the Vegas Golden Knights during Game 6 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, May 1, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
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Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) and Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart (79) exchange words after the Vegas Golden Knights won against the Utah Mammoth during Game 6 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, May 1, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
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Utah Mammoth center Nick Schmaltz (8) and teammates skate off the ice after losing to the Vegas Golden Knights during Game 6 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, May 1, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
It was far from a comfortable operation for the Golden Knights, who came dangerously close to letting Utah take firm control of the series on two different occasions this week.
The Mammoth held third period leads in both Monday’s Game 4 and Wednesday’s Game 5. Winning the former would have given them a 3-1 series advantage, while a victory in the latter would have set up a clinching scenario at home in Game 6.
But Utah never secured that third win.
Vegas rallied for an overtime upset in Game 4, then knotted the score in Game 5’s final minute of regulation before netting the killshot in the second bonus period.
“We’ve been here before. We don’t have the panic that maybe some other teams do,” Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone said.
“We calm ourselves pretty quickly. You look at Games 4 and 5, they got away from us a little bit, but we were able to calm ourselves down, tie the game and win in overtime.”
Perhaps flustered from the pair of tight heartbreakers, the Mammoth folded for a 5-1 loss in Friday’s do-or-die Game 6, allowing three Golden Knights goals in the third period alone.
But as much as the extended drama and intensity may have hindered Utah, Vegas fed off of it to further thrive.
“I think it helps having a mature group,” Vegas right wing Mitch Marner said. “This group has been through some adversity in past few years that doesn’t really slow them down or doesn’t back them off. We just try to go in there with the same confidence.
“We know that we’re a great late period team. We gave up a couple leads (during the series) that we’re not very happy with, but you just get right back to work whenever it happens and trust who’s going out there next, trust you’re going to set up the next line after you. I think that’s what we did a lot of times in this series when we got down, we just trusted in the next line up.”
The Golden Knights likely don’t get past Utah without their outstanding penalty-killing performance, as they held the Mammoth to just a single power play goal across 17 total attempts in the series.
Even more impressive was Vegas scoring two shorthanded goals during Utah power plays — the Golden Knights had better success with fewer men on the ice than the Mammoth did when they had an extra skater.
“Johnny Stevens, our coach who runs (power play defense), had a really good game plan for them,” Tortorella said. “We blocked some shorts, (goaltender) Carter (Hart) made some key saves all through this series. We gained momentum off of it and we stayed with it.”
While Vegas got the best of Utah this time around, Tortorella offered plenty of praise for the Mammoth and expressed high optimism for their future.
“It’s been a hard-fought series. I have tremendous respect for (head coach) André (Tourigny) and his staff. That’s a good hockey team,” Tortorella said of the Mammoth.
“... That’s a team that’s going to be reckoned with for quite a while, as far as some of the kids, skill and speed that they have. We’re fortunate moving on, but I think Andre and his staff have done a fantastic job with that team.”
