The Dallas Stars and the Utah Mammoth will collide Thursday in a Central Division game that is important for both of these teams. Utah enters this game riding a wave of momentum after a dominant win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, while Dallas is desperate for wins as they try to keep up with the Colorado Avalanche at the top of the division. Here, I break down this matchup on the ice and give you my Stars vs Mammoth prediction.
Our Stars vs Mammoth Pick
| Pick: | |
| Confidence: | 2/5 |
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Dallas Stars vs Utah Mammoth
- Date & Time: Thursday, January 15, 2026, 9:00 p.m. ET
- Venue: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT
- Broadcast: ESPN+
Key Storylines
Recent form
The Utah Mammoth come into this game with strong form, having dominated the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-1 in their last outing behind multi-point efforts from Dylan Guenther and Jack McBain. That win snapped Toronto’s long point streak and gave Utah its fourth win out of its last five games.
Meanwhile, Dallas has cooled off slightly after a blistering start to the season. The Stars are just 2-4-4 in their last 10 games and have shown inconsistency in both special teams and even-strength play. An overtime loss to Anaheim in their latest contest highlights a club that has struggled to maintain the same attacking fervor that we saw early in the year.
Goaltending
Expect Karel Vejmelka to start in goal for Utah. He has been the backbone of their defensive effort and boasts a league-high number of wins (21) with a sub-2.60 goals against average. Vejmelka’s consistency in net has helped Utah stay competitive against high-end offensive units. For the Stars, Jake Oettinger has a strong 2.70 GAA but has allowed soft goals in recent outings and carries a save percentage below his season average in his last few starts.
Key skaters
Offensively, Dallas has dynamic scoring threats in Mikko Rantanen and Jason Robertson, both capable of producing at high rates. Wyatt Johnston provides scoring and power-play value as well. Utah counters with a balanced attack led by Guenther, who just became the first Mammoth player to reach 50 career goals, and Clayton Keller is also a key playmaker.
Betting Trends & H2H
- Dallas won the first meeting between these teams this season by a score of 4-3 at home.
- Utah is 12-7-2 on home ice so far this season.
- Dallas enters this Thursday night division game with a 15-5-6 record on the road.


