DETROIT (Interstat) — Clayton Keller had a goal and an assist, Karel Vejmelka made 27 saves and the Utah Mammoth defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 on Wednesday night at Little Caesars Arena. The Mammoth scored twice in the second period on goals from Jack McBain and Keller, then added two more in the third from Dylan Guenther and Kevin Stenlund. Emmitt Finnie scored Detroit’s lone goal in the third before a crowd of 19,515. Vejmelka was sharp in net for Utah, which improved to 17-19. Keller, named the game’s top star, extended his point streak. Cam Talbot stopped 23 shots for the Red Wings, who fell to 19-16. Utah’s victory defied pregame projections that favored Detroit.

DETROIT (Interstat) — The Utah Mammoth, propelled by a dominant second period and a 27-save performance from goaltender Karel Vejmelka, snapped a two-game road skid with a decisive 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday night at Little Caesars Arena. A crowd of 19,515 watched as the Mammoth (17-19-0) systematically broke down the Red Wings (19-16-0), who entered the contest as heavy favorites. National Statistical’s game simulator had projected a Detroit win by a score of 3-2, with the Red Wings given a 55 percent probability to win. The result defied those projections and the pregame betting line, which had Detroit favored by 1.5 goals. The game’s first period was a goaltending duel, with Vejmelka and Detroit’s Cam Talbot turning aside all 15 shots they faced each. The Red Wings controlled much of the play, outshooting Utah 15-8, but could not solve Vejmelka, who made several key stops, including two on Detroit center Andrew Copp in quick succession late in the frame. Utah broke the stalemate early in the second period. Just 2:44 into the middle frame, center Clayton Keller notched his 11th goal of the season, converting a feed from Nick Schmaltz to beat Talbot. The goal seemed to energize the visitors, who began to tilt the ice in their favor. The Mammoth extended their lead late in the period on a play started by defenseman Sean Durzi. He fired a shot that was stopped, but the rebound came to Jack McBain in the slot. The Toronto native buried a wrist shot for his fourth goal of the year at the 28:17 mark, giving Utah a 2-0 lead heading into the second intermission. Any hope of a Detroit comeback was extinguished early in the third period. Just 45 seconds in, Utah winger Dylan Guenther collected a loose puck after a Detroit turnover and fired a quick wrist shot past Talbot for his 16th goal, making it 3-0. The Red Wings finally broke through on Vejmelka at 27:55 of the third. Rookie Emmitt Finnie scored his eighth of the season, tipping a point shot from John Leonard to cut the deficit to 3-1 and provide a brief spark for the home side. Utah, however, snuffed out that momentum less than a minute later. On the ensuing shift, Keller returned the favor from his earlier goal, setting up Kevin Stenlund in the high slot. The Swedish center wired a shot past Talbot at 28:23 for his third goal, restoring the three-goal cushion and sealing the victory. Vejmelka was stellar throughout, earning his first win in his last three starts. His counterpart, Talbot, made 23 saves on 27 shots in the loss. Keller, named the game’s top star, finished with a goal and an assist, three shots on goal, and two penalty minutes. His linemate, Schmaltz, added an assist. Durzi was a force on the Utah blue line, logging an assist and a game-high five shots on goal. For Detroit, Copp assisted on Finnie’s goal and led his team with three shots on goal. The game featured eight minor penalties, four per side. Utah’s penalty kill was perfect, nullifying all four Detroit power plays, including a critical two-minute minor to Lawson Crouse for roughing midway through the third period with the game still in reach. The loss halted a modest two-game win streak for the Red Wings, who had defeated the New York Islanders and Chicago Blackhawks in their previous contests. Detroit will look to rebound on the road Saturday against the Washington Capitals. The Mammoth, who were coming off a 4-1 loss in Boston on Tuesday, improved to 3-2-0 on their current road trip. They will return home to face the New Jersey Devils on Friday, seeking to build on this convincing road victory.

Preview: Utah Mammoth at Detroit Red Wings DETROIT (Interstat) — The Detroit Red Wings, riding a surge of momentum from a dominant road victory, return home to face the Utah Mammoth in an NHL matchup Wednesday night at Little Caesars Arena. The Red Wings (18-15-0) enter on a high note after shutting out the Chicago Blackhawks 4-0 on Saturday. Detroit has won four of its last five games, with forward Alex DeBrincat leading the charge. DeBrincat recorded two goals and an assist in the win over Chicago, part of a hot streak that has seen him tally five goals and five assists over his last seven contests. “We’re playing with confidence and sticking to our structure,” DeBrincat said after Saturday’s win. “When we play that way, we can be a tough team to handle.” The Mammoth (16-18-0) are looking to build on an emotional overtime win of their own, a 5-4 victory in Pittsburgh on Sunday that snapped a three-game skid. Winger Michael Carcone was the hero, scoring both the tying and game-winning goals among his five shots on net. “It was a character win for the group,” Carcone said. “We showed resilience. We need to carry that effort into Detroit.” Utah’s recent form has been inconsistent, with a 4-6-0 record in its last 10 games. The Mammoth will need secondary scoring behind Carcone’s line, which included Nick Schmaltz and JJ Peterka in the Pittsburgh victory, to challenge a Detroit team that has been strong at home. The Red Wings’ recent success has been bolstered by goaltender John Gibson, who stopped all 26 shots he faced in the shutout of Chicago. Detroit’s offense, averaging 3.5 goals per game during its 4-1 run, will test a Utah defense that has allowed three or more goals in seven of its last 10 outings. According to National Statistical’s game simulator, the projected final score is Detroit 3, Utah 2. Following Wednesday’s contest, Detroit begins a home-and-home series with the Washington Capitals on Saturday. Utah returns home to host the New Jersey Devils on Friday.