Mammoth learning life lessons through playoff hockey

While they’d love to capture the trophy this year, their true goal is for the young guys to learn these exact lessons.

One player in that boat is JJ Peterka.

After he saw just three shifts in the third period and none in overtime, social media flooded with speculation as to whether it was an injury or a coaching decision that kept him off the ice.

“That can happen to any player. It can happen in any circumstance. I always say, ‘In life, it’s not about if you will stumble. It’s you will stumble, whatever you’re doing in life.’ It’s (about) how you react to it; how you bounce back to it; how you get better because of it.”

Utah Mammoth coach André Tourigny

Though hesitantly, Tourigny ended the speculation in his Tuesday presser, stating that it was a coaching decision. He didn’t give any specifics, but a high-sticking penalty he took in the third did set off a chain reaction that led to the Golden Knights’ game-tying goal.

The 24-year-old was primarily brought in as an offensive threat, but the extra attention he has paid to defensive details this season seems to have cut into his production throughout both the regular season and the first four games of the playoffs.

Veteran defenseman Ian Cole, a two-time Stanley Cup champion, noted that as a team, they need to focus on the things they can control.

“Each individual game stands on its own, and right now, it’s a best-of-three,” he said. “So, (it’s) obviously unfortunate about the outcome, but (it’s) not one we can dwell on. We look at it, we try to figure out what we can do better, and move forward.”

Tourigny ended his Tuesday interview with a line that applies to hockey players and common folk alike.

“Adversity will happen, so you need to find ways to bounce back.”

Utah Mammoth head coach André Tourigny looks to his players during the third period of an NHL game against the Edmonton Oilers held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News