COLUMBUS (Interstat) — Nick Schmaltz scored two goals and the Utah Mammoth used a productive power play to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1 on Saturday at Nationwide Arena. Sebastian Cossa made 17 saves in his Utah debut. Utah improved to 2-0-0, while Columbus dropped to 1-1-0. The announced attendance was 17,176.

Utah opened the scoring on the power play at 11:55 of the first period. Mikhail Sergachev took a slap shot that beat Columbus goaltender Jet Greaves, with Dylan Guenther and Clayton Keller picking up assists. The Mammoth doubled their lead later in the period when Schmaltz scored on a wrist shot at 16:31. Keller and John Marino assisted. Utah’s forecheck created several early chances, and Cossa turned aside Columbus attempts from Valeri Nichushkin and Denton Mateychuk to keep the Blue Jackets off the board.

The first period also included heavy play along the walls. Michael Carcone delivered a hit on Jake Christiansen, and Dmitri Voronkov answered with a hit on Dmitri Simashev. Carcone had a wrist shot saved by Greaves, and Lawson Crouse put a backhand on net that Greaves stopped. Voronkov was called for tripping against Jack McBain, and Utah converted soon after. MacKenzie Weegar hit the left post with a wrist shot. Columbus had a late chance when Kent Johnson tipped a shot toward Cossa, but the Utah netminder made the save. Faceoff wins from Sean Monahan, Charlie Coyle, Barrett Hayton and Kevin Stenlund kept the period moving, and Keller had a shot blocked by Adam Fantilli before the horn.

Columbus got back into the game early in the second period. Kent Johnson scored on a wrist shot at 2:30, with Matthew Knies recording the assist. The goal cut Utah’s lead to 2-1 and gave the Blue Jackets momentum. Cossa answered with saves on Johnson, Monahan and Cole Sillinger, while Greaves stopped Utah bids from Guenther, Keller, Cooley and Andrew Peeke. Logan Cooley hit the left post with a wrist shot. Adam Fantilli won several faceoffs and delivered a hit on Nate Schmidt. Erik Gudbranson hit Michael Carcone, and Mathieu Olivier hit Anders Lee. The Blue Jackets pressed for an equalizer, but Utah’s defense blocked shots and cleared rebounds. Utah also had chances from Mikhail Sergachev and Dylan Guenther, but Greaves held the deficit at one.

Utah regained control in the third period. Guenther scored on a slap shot at 15:59, with Cooley and Sergachev assisting. The power-play goal restored a two-goal cushion. Schmaltz then scored his second of the night on a wrist shot late in the period, with Cooley and Guenther assisting. Schmaltz finished with two goals, eight shots on goal and one hit. Guenther had one goal, two assists and five shots on goal. Sergachev added one goal, one assist, four shots on goal, two penalty minutes and one hit. Cooley contributed two assists, and Keller had two assists, two shots on goal and two hits. Marino added an assist and two penalty minutes.

Columbus had chances to cut into the lead. Kent Johnson put a wrist shot on Cossa, and Mathieu Olivier followed with a wrist shot that Cossa saved. Adam Fantilli won faceoffs and tested Cossa, while Danton Heinen had a short wrist shot and a batted attempt go wide. Utah’s penalty kill handled a holding call on Sergachev and a holding call on Marino. The Blue Jackets also had a slashing penalty on Emil Andrae and a high-sticking penalty on Mateychuk. Utah’s Barrett Hayton, Kevin Stenlund and Vincent Trocheck won key faceoffs, and Jack McBain, Daniil But and Lawson Crouse delivered hits. The Mammoth blocked shots from Kent Johnson and Andrew Peeke, and Weegar continued to clear pucks from the crease.

Columbus’s best offensive moments came from Johnson, who had one goal, five shots on goal and one hit. Adam Fantilli had one shot on goal and two hits. Knies finished with one assist, one shot on goal and one hit. The Blue Jackets pressured late, but Cossa held firm. Cossa, listed at 6-foot-6 and 210 pounds, stopped 17 of 18 shots in his first appearance for Utah. Greaves made several saves for Columbus, including stops on Schmaltz, Guenther and Lawson Crouse, but the Blue Jackets could not close the gap.

Cossa’s debut was steady. He stopped 17 of 18 shots, including saves on Kent Johnson, Sean Monahan, Cole Sillinger and Adam Fantilli. Greaves kept Columbus within reach with saves on Schmaltz, Guenther, Keller, Cooley, Sergachev, Crouse and Peeke. Utah’s defensemen blocked shots and limited rebounds. Sergachev and Marino each served penalties, while Columbus’s Mateychuk was called twice. The Blue Jackets could not solve Cossa after Johnson’s second-period goal.

Utah scored three times on the power play and killed off its penalties. Columbus finished with several power-play opportunities of its own but could not convert. Utah also blocked shots from Adam Fantilli and Zach Werenski at key moments, and MacKenzie Weegar was active with hits and blocked shots. The Mammoth defense limited second chances in front of Cossa, clearing rebounds and disrupting Columbus’s cycle. Jack McBain and Daniil But also added physical play for Utah, while Carson Soucy and Gudbranson delivered hits for Columbus.

The Blue Jackets had opened their season with a win over Buffalo, while Utah had opened with a win over Chicago. The win gave Utah its second straight victory to open the season. The Mammoth have scored 10 goals in two games. Utah next plays at the New York Rangers. Columbus next hosts the Pittsburgh Penguins. Utah’s road trip continues with games against the Rangers, Devils, Bruins and Sabres. Columbus will play the Penguins, Blues, Panthers, Rangers, Wild, Maple Leafs, Golden Knights, Flyers, Hurricanes and Stars over its next stretch.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Columbus 3, Utah 2. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Columbus with a 53.4 percent probability to win. Columbus had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The over/under line was 5.5.