SALT LAKE CITY — The necessary level of desperation has not been where it needs to be with this Rangers team.

Dropping their season-high fourth game of the season Saturday night at Delta Center, the Blueshirts did not have the urgency or the drive to successfully combat a skidding Mammoth team in a 3-2 loss.

The defeat capped the Rangers three-game road trip at a disconcerting 0-3-0.

“I feel like we’re disconnected,” Mika Zibanejad said. “I think we’re too far away from each other. It’s a lot of one-and-dones in the O-zone, try to get on the forecheck, it’s one guy, one guy, one guy. We don’t come up with five together and I just feel like we’re a bit late everywhere.”

In a clash between two teams riding multi-game losing streaks, Utah’s energy was palpable in front of their rowdy home crowd. They were first on pucks more often than not, and their speed was difficult to contain each and every shift.

For a team sliding down the standings, the Rangers lacked fire and played an east-west game that was not effective against the youthful Mammoth.

With the win, the Mammoth snapped a four-game winless streak that included three overtime losses.

“I just didn’t think, for whatever reason, we had the juice, the energy,” head coach Mike Sullivan said after the team dipped below .500. “If you don’t bring a certain amount of energy to the game, it’s hard. Today’s game is fast, and that’s a young, fast team. I just didn’t think we won a whole lot of foot races, and I didn’t think we won a lot of puck battles. When you don’t win foot races or puck battles, you don’t tend to have the puck. I felt like that was the case for a lot of the night.”

Nick DeSimone broke a 2-2 tie at the 7:32 mark of the third period, when the Mammoth defenseman blasted a one-timer that pinballed into the back of the net for the 3-2 Utah lead.

The Mammoth celebrate a goal during their 3-2 home win over the Rangers on Nov. 22, 2025. NHLI via Getty Images

The Rangers, who were without captain J.T. Miller and defenseman Will Borgen, had a chance to tie the game once again on a power play in the back-half of the final frame.

But they ultimately went 0-for-2 on the night with the man-advantage.

“We can’t rely on the power play all the time,” Sullivan said. “We needed more of a complete game five-on-five.”

The Rangers celebrate a goal during their loss to the Mammoth NHLI via Getty Images

Having already racked up 13 saves going into the first intermission, on the way to finishing with 31 on the night, Rangers goalie Jonathan Quick was as sharp as he could be with the way the team skated in front of him.

Denying multiple Utah scoring opportunities off the rush, the Mammoth weren’t able to get one past him until just over the halfway point of the first period, when the Rangers lost possession along the end boards.

Nate Schmidt’s shot bounced off the post and JJ Peterka jammed in the loose puck to open the scoring.

Artemi Panarin skates with the puck during the Rangers’ Nov. 22 loss to the Mammoth. Imagn Images

Vladislav Gavrikov tied it up for the Rangers just over five minutes later, redirecting an Adam Fox shot past Utah goalie Karel Vejmelka for his third goal of the season.

Utah held the Rangers to just three shots on goal through the second period, but both clubs managed to score.

Sprung for a clean breakaway, Artemi Panarin’s hard wrist shot was initially stopped by Vejmelka. The Utah netminder, however, lost control of the puck and it squeezed through to give the Rangers their first lead of the night.

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An errant clearing attempt from rookie Scott Morrow in the D-zone less than three minutes later gave the Mammoth possession once again.

Clayton Keller then roofed one on Quick, but play continued. At the next stoppage, referees reviewed the sequence and ruled it a good goal to even the score at two-all.

“Hitting the reset button,” Will Cuylle said of the key to bouncing back at Madison Square Garden on Monday against the Blues. “It’s a quick one day off and then right back at it. We got to make sure we’re ready to play and have a good start at home.”