SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Leave it to the Utah Mammoth to turn a sure loss into a viral classic.
Down 4-2 late in the third period and watching the Philadelphia Flyers control the puck with Utah’s net empty, the Mammoth pulled off a stunning comeback Wednesday night at the Delta Center. With 34.2 seconds left in regulation, Clayton Keller ripped an unassisted backhander to tie the game, then ended it 2:01 into overtime to complete a jaw-dropping 5-4 overtime victory.
The Flyers appeared to have the game in hand. Philadelphia built an early 2-0 lead in the first period and pushed it to 3-1 with a power-play goal in the second. Even after Utah clawed back, the Flyers went ahead 4-3 and had the puck with an empty net and a chance to ice it. Instead, Utah stripped possession, pushed the pace and watched Keller deliver one of the most clutch sequences of the season.
Utah received goals from JJ Peterka, Lawson Crouse and Barrett Hayton before Keller’s late heroics. Goaltender Karel Vejmelka turned aside 25 shots, steadying things long enough for the Mammoth to rally.
The win marked Utah’s fourth straight victory and extended its points streak to eight games, further fueling momentum in a tight Western Conference race. For Philadelphia, which has struggled of late, it was a brutal collapse — the kind that lives on highlight loops and team meeting room tape.
In a building that is quickly becoming one of the league’s toughest stops, the Mammoth showed exactly why. They never quit, punished a mistake and turned a lost night into a roaring celebration. For the Flyers, it was a harsh reminder: no lead is safe, especially when the net is empty and the clock is still ticking.
