Logan Cooley Hits Late Hat Trick as Mammoth Beat Penguins in Overtime

Late drama in Pittsburgh

Logan Cooley had a night to remember against his hometown team on Thursday. The Utah Mammoth forward completed a hat trick with just one second left on the clock to force overtime against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Utah then secured a 4-3 win when Mikhail Sergachev scored at 3:27 of the extra period.

The end of regulation was wild. Ben Kindel put Pittsburgh ahead 3-2 with 25 seconds remaining. Cooley responded by batting the puck in from the left side of the net to tie the game. Sergachev later beat Pittsburgh goaltender Arturs Silovs off a rebound to claim the victory.

Local star shines

Cooley grew up in Pittsburgh and took part in Sidney Crosby's first Little Penguins Learn to Play Hockey program when he was five years old. Playing in his third NHL game in Pittsburgh, he became the third local native to score a hat trick against the Penguins, joining Brandon Saad and R.J. Umberger.

The goals were his first in seven games against Pittsburgh. Cooley built an early 2-0 lead for Utah with two goals in the first period, and scored again in the third. He now has seven goals this season, six of which came in his last four games. It was also the third hat trick of his career.

Rickard Rakell scored short handed for Pittsburgh, and Erik Karlsson also scored. Silovs made 30 saves for the Penguins, while Sebastian Cossa stopped 31 shots for Utah. The Mammoth have won three of their last five games overall, are 5-0-0 after a loss, and are 8-0-0 when leading after two periods.

This was the tenth game in NHL history where opposing teams exchanged a go-ahead or game-tying goal in the final 30 seconds of regulation, and the first since April 7, 2015.

What it means for the next game

Pittsburgh Penguins at Montreal Canadiens (NHL, Sat, 31 Oct): Montreal Canadiens win 45%, Pittsburgh Penguins win 55%; projected score Montreal Canadiens 3, Pittsburgh Penguins 3. Our safest pick: Canadiens +2.

Utah Mammoth at Philadelphia Flyers (NHL, Sun, 01 Nov): Philadelphia Flyers win 35%, Utah Mammoth win 65%; projected score Philadelphia Flyers 2, Utah Mammoth 3. Our safest pick: Over 4 goals.