The Buffalo Sabres most controversial deal of the offseason was swaping restricted free agent winger JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth for defenseman Michael Kesselring and winger Josh Doan. The deal may have been spurred by a combination of factors on the part of Peterka and the club, but the swap thus far has benefited both clubs.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — When the Buffalo Sabres traded JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth in June, they didn’t post any social media thank-yous or well-wishes to him on his way out. General manager Kevyn Adams barely said his name in the news conference after the trade.

The Mammoth are one of the hottest teams in the NHL to start the season, and it looks like they could sustain it on the way to the playoffs.

UTA 2 | BUF 1 OT, 0:47 – Clayton Keller (5) from Mikhail Sergachev (8) and Karel Vejmelka (1) The Sabres conclude their three-game homestand against the St. Louis Blues on Thursday at KeyBank Center. Coverage on MSG begins at 6:30 p.m. with puck drop set for 7 p.m. Tickets are available here.

Clayton Keller's game-winner 47 seconds into overtime lifted the Utah Mammoth past the host Buffalo Sabres 2-1 on Tuesday. Keller finished with two points as he recorded the primary assist on Nick Schmaltz's third-period goal.

JJ Peterka is returning to Western New York for the first time since he was traded from the Buffalo Sabres to the Utah Mammoth.

BOTTOM LINE: The Buffalo Sabres host the Utah Mammoth after the Sabres defeated the Washington Capitals 4-3 in a shootout. Buffalo is 5-4-3 overall and 5-2-1 in home games. The Sabres rank fourth in NHL play with 58 total penalties (averaging 4.8 per game).

After a long road trip last week, the Utah Mammoth got to go home…for one game before embarking on a four-game road trip that brought them all the way on the other side of the country.