Utah Mammoth host Chicago Blackhawks in season opener Thursday night

The Utah Mammoth open their third NHL season against the Chicago Blackhawks at 7:30 p.m. MDT on Thursday. This matchup mirrors their inaugural season, where Utah won 5-2 against Chicago. The Mammoth, looking to improve after losing all four games to the Blackhawks last season, will debut new players Anders Lee, Vincent Trocheck, and Andrew Peeke. Meanwhile, Chicago returns to Utah with a promising but inexperienced roster, but will be without their captain Connor Bedard, who is sidelined due to a shoulder injury. Patrick Kane makes his second appearance after rejoining the team, having scored in their last game against the Vegas Golden Knights.

• 1:00 AMYahoo Sports — Everything you need to know ahead of Utah Mammoth’s season opener