Dylan Guenther has 1st career hat trick to send Mammoth to 7-2 victory over Isles

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NEW YORK (AP) — Dylan Guenther had his first career hat trick and added an assist and the Utah Mammoth topped the New York Islanders 7-2 on Thursday.

Nick Schmaltz scored twice and added an assist, Clayton Keller and Mikhail Sergachev each had a goal and two assists, while Lawson Crouse and Barrett Hayton each had two assists. Karel Vejmelka returned from a two-game absence and finished with 20 saves as the Mammoth snapped a two-game skid.

Cal Ritchie and Matthew Schaefer scored for New York, and Max Shabanov had two assists. David Rittich made nine saves on 14 shots, but was replaced by Marcus Hogberg 5:41 into the third period.

Guenther scored his second goal of the game when he buried a backhand feed from Crouse to give Utah a 2-1 lead midway through the second period. He also opened the scoring just 36 seconds into the middle period.

The Islanders briefly tied it 1-1 early in the second period when Ritchie fired a wrist shot over the glove of Vejmelka.

Schmaltz beat Rittich with less than four minutes remaining in the second period to extend Utah’s lead to two goals.

Mammoth forward Alex Kerfoot took a four-minute high-sticking penalty late in the second, but the Islanders didn't capitalize on the ensuing power play.

Sergachev and Keller scored in the first six minutes of the third period to stretch Utah’s lead to 5-1 and prompt the Islanders to change goaltenders.

Guenther completed the hat trick and scored his 20th goal of the season by sliding the puck between the legs of Hogberg with less than seven minutes remaining.

Schaefer scored a power-play goal midway through the third period for his 10th of the season.

Mammoth: visit the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.

Islanders: host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL