Oct 18, 2025, 01:06 AM ET
SALT LAKE CITY — Nick Schmaltz came into the night scoreless over the Utah Mammoth’s first four games this season. He broke through in a big way Friday night against the San Jose Sharks.
Schmaltz had three goals and an assist, and the Mammoth beat the Sharks 6-3 for their third win in four games.
“I feel like I’ve had a lot of chances early on in the season here,” Schmaltz said. “I’m trying to shoot the puck more, take it to the net, be around the net more. Couple guys made some great plays to find me in open areas. It was fun to see [them] go in there for me.”
Utah coach Andre Tourigny believed Schmaltz was due to get on the scoreboard.
Nick Schmaltz came into the night scoreless over the Mammoth’s first four games but broke through in a big way, recording three goals and an assist in Utah’s win over San Jose. Rob Gray/Imagn Images
“Since the start of the season, he’s been playing really good,” Tourigny said. “He’s had a lot of opportunities. He reloads really well, both sides of the puck, he’s a threat. He gets inside a lot. It was a matter of time … today was the day.”
Schmaltz scored his first goal 9:39 into the first period as he converted a one-timer off a pass from Logan Cooley on the inside edge of the right circle on a five-on-three power play.
Schmaltz got his second of the night less than four minutes later as he got a pass from Clayton Keller and fired a shot into the top left corner past Yaroslav Askarov.
The Sharks tied it with a pair of goals 1:50 apart in the second.
After Liam O’Brien regained Utah’s lead with 3:51 left in the middle period, Schmaltz finished his second career hat trick 54 seconds into the third. He got a pass from Keller — who had assists on each of Schmaltz’s three goals — from behind the net and scored from the left side to push Utah’s lead to 4-2.
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“It was awesome, especially in front of our home fans,” said Schmaltz, whose first hat trick came for Arizona against St. Louis on Jan. 26, 2023. “Shout-out to my grandpa, he’s watched me play two times now, in Arizona and here, and he’s seen a hat trick both times.”
Schmaltz then set up Keller for a goal with 8½ minutes to go to push the Mammoth’s lead to 6-2, giving both players four points on the night.
“Just a high give-and-go. I saw him open, and he made a great shot to finish it.”
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