Hockey Club's Karel Vejmelka: Great ratios opening eyes
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Kejmelka made 23 saves in a 5-2 win over Buffalo on Saturday.
He was beaten early on a redirection and late on a rebound. Other than that, Vejmelka shut the door. He doesn't have a lot of wins this season -- he's just 4-7-1 overall -- but Vejmelka sports a 2.35 GAA and a .917 save percentage despite that record. Connor Ingram (upper body) isn't close to a return, so the net is Vejmelka's. Given his strong play, it wouldn't be surprising to see Vejmelka push Ingram for starts once the veteran returns.
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Hockey Club's Karel Vejmelka: Making start in Buffalo
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Vejmelka will start on the road against the Sabres on Saturday, Cole Bagley of KSL Sports reports.
Vejmelka has lost four of his last six outings, going 2-3-1 in that span. He'll face a Sabres team that isn't having much better luck -- they've lost five in a row (0-3-2) with just a total of nine goals scored in that span. Vejmelka may be a popular streaming option for Saturday's slate.
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Hockey Club's Karel Vejmelka: Makes 19 saves in loss Monday
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Vejmelka stopped 19 of 21 shots in Monday's 2-1 loss to the Stars.
Vejmelka has taken over the starting role for Utah due to the absence of Connor Ingram (upper body). Although he delivered a solid showing in this one, his performance wasn't enough to get the win since the offense didn't provide him enough support. Vejmelka has started in six of Utah's past seven games, going 2-3-1 with a 2.17 GAA and a .919 save percentage in that span.
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Hockey Club's Karel Vejmelka: Starting against Dallas
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Vejmelka will serve as the starting goaltender for Monday's home game against the Stars, Cole Bagley of KSL Sports reports.
Vejmelka didn't appear in Saturday's win over the Golden Knights, but he'll start in net for the sixth time in the last seven games Monday. Over 12 appearances this season, he's logged a 3-6-1 record, 2.40 GAA and .917 save percentage.
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Hockey Club's Karel Vejmelka: Loses in overtime
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Vejmelka stopped 28 of 32 shots in Friday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Oilers.
Vejmelka's four goals allowed were the most he's given up in a game since allowing five to the Avalanche on Oct. 24. The 28-year-old has started five games over the last nine days, so it's possible he's feeling a bit worn down. He's now 3-6-1 with a 2.41 GAA and a .917 save percentage over 12 appearances (10 starts) this season. Connor Ingram (upper body) won't be ready for Saturday's game in Vegas, and it's still possible Vejmelka starts on back-to-back days if Utah doesn't want to throw Jaxson Stauber into a tough matchup. Vejmelka split a road back-to-back last weekend, winning last Saturday in Pittsburgh before taking a narrow loss to the Maple Leafs a day later.
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Hockey Club's Karel Vejmelka: Light workload in win
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Vejmelka stopped 11 of 13 shots in Tuesday's 3-2 overtime win over the Canadiens.
Vejmelka's workload Tuesday was his lowest in a start this season, and that's likely a good thing since the Canadiens were efficient with their chances. Utah did well to keep the game tied until Mikhail Sergachev sealed the win at 4:33 of overtime. This was Vejmelka's third win over his last seven appearances, and he hasn't allowed more than three goals in any outing in that span. The Czech goalie is up to 3-6-0 with a 2.25 GAA and a .922 save percentage over 11 games this season. Vejmelka figures to continue handling No. 1 duties as long as Connor Ingram (upper body) is out of action.
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Hockey Club's Karel Vejmelka: Tending twine again Tuesday
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Vejmelka will guard the road goal against Montreal on Tuesday, per Belle Fraser of The Salt Lake Tribune.
After posting a 1-2-0 record with a .947 save percentage and a 1.70 GAA in his previous three outings, Vejmelka will start for the fourth time in six days in Tuesday's matchup. He has a 2-6-0 record with a 2.30 GAA and a .926 save percentage through 10 appearances this season. Montreal sits 19th in the league with 2.80 goals per game in 2024-25.
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Hockey Club's Karel Vejmelka: Can't sweep weekend back-to-back
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Vejmelka stopped 32 of 35 shots in Sunday's 3-2 loss to the Maple Leafs.
Vejmelka turned in another solid performance, but a three-goal second period from Toronto handed him his fourth loss in his last seven outings (2-4-0). The 28-year-old has given up just 13 goals on 210 shots in that span, good for a .925 save percentage. Vejmelka will fill the No. 1 role while Connor Ingram (upper body) is on injured reserve, and the fact that Vejmelka played both games of a back-to-back speaks volumes as to how little confidence Utah has in Jaxson Stauber. Consider Vejmelka likely to start again Tuesday in Montreal. He has a 2-6-0 record despite a 2.30 GAA and a .926 save percentage through 10 outings this season.
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Hockey Club's Karel Vejmelka: Between pipes again Sunday
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Vejmelka will guard the road net Sunday against the Maple Leafs, Belle Fraser of The Salt Lake Tribune reports.
After stopping 27 of 28 shots in a win over Pittsburgh on Saturday, Vejmelka will make a second start in as many days with Connor Ingram (upper body) still sidelined. The 28-year-old Vejmelka is 2-5-0 despite a strong .927 save percentage and 2.21 GAA this season.
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Hockey Club's Karel Vejmelka: Back in win column Saturday
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Vejmelka made 27 saves in Saturday's 6-1 win over the Penguins.
Sidney Crosby ruined his shutout bid with a second-period power-play goal, but Vejmelka still came away with his second win of the season, and first since Nov. 13. He's seeing a heavy workload with Connor Ingram (upper body) on the shelf, but Vejmelka is thriving under the pressure -- he's appeared in five straight games and posted a 1.77 GAA and .946 save percentage over that stretch.
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Hockey Club's Karel Vejmelka: Can't buy win despite strong play
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Vejmelka made 30 saves in a 1-0 loss to Boston on Thursday.
The loss wasn't on Vejmelka, who was sharp throughout and beaten just once on the power play. Utah is a fast team, but they looked slow against Boston which slowed the game down and clogged every lane. Utah has lost three straight games, and Vejmelka is 1-5-0 in six starts this season. His 2.37 GAA and .922 save percentage are excellent, though, so watch for his value to rise once his teammates start scoring a few more goals to support him.
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Hockey Club's Karel Vejmelka: In goal Thursday
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Vejmelka will get the starting nod on the road against Boston on Thursday, Cole Bagley of KSL Sports reports.
Vejmelka will likely be between the pipes for three of Utah's next four outings since Connor Ingram (upper body) was placed on injured reserve Wednesday and won't travel with the team. For his part, Vejmelka is 1-4-0 despite a decent 2.58 GAA in his seven appearances this season. Look for the Czech backstop to split a back-to-back Saturday and Sunday against the Penguins and Maple Leafs, respectively, with the recently recalled Jaxson Stauber.
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Hockey Club's Karel Vejmelka: Gives up two goals in relief
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Vejmelka stopped nine of 11 shots in relief during Monday's 6-2 loss to the Capitals.
Vejmelka replaced Connor Ingram midway through the second period, and he was beaten twice over a 2:26 period in the final frame. Vejmelka had a career-best performance in the 4-1 win over the Hurricanes on Nov. 13, stopping 49 of 50 shots, but he's allowed five goals on 39 shots in his two outings since then.
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Hockey Club's Karel Vejmelka: Defeated by Golden Knights
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Vejmelka stopped 25 of 28 shots in Friday's 4-2 loss to the Golden Knights. The fourth goal was an empty-netter with 29 seconds left in the third period.
Vejmelka couldn't repeat the dominant display he delivered in the 4-1 win over the Hurricanes on Wednesday when he recorded a career-high 49 saves. He received a defeat in Friday's contest despite keeping a shutout until the late stages of the second period. Even though Vejmelka has lost in four of his six appearances this season, his overall numbers have turned out to be quite good for a backup netminder, owning a 2.49 GAA and a .921 save percentage.
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Hockey Club's Karel Vejmelka: Tending twine Friday
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Vejmelka will be between the visiting pipes in Vegas on Friday, Cole Bagley of KSL Sports reports.
Vejmelka was sensational as he picked up his first win of the season Wednesday, turning aside 49 shots in a 4-1 win over Carolina. He is 1-3-0 with a gaudy 2.37 GAA and a .926 save percentage. The Golden Knights have averaged 4.13 goals per game this season, good for third overall in the NHL.
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Hockey Club's Karel Vejmelka: Makes career-high 49 saves
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Vejmelka stopped 49 of 50 shots in Wednesday's 4-1 win over the Hurricanes.
The 28-year-old netminder delivered the best performance of his career in Wednesday's win, shutting down one of the best offenses in the Eastern Conference and only allowing a power-play goal in the second period, courtesy of Martin Necas, who happens to be one of the hottest players in the league at the moment. Vejmelka is not expected to steal the starting role from Connor Ingram, but this was undoubtedly an eye-popping performance. Through five appearances this season, Vejmelka has gone 1-3-0 with a 2.37 GAA and a .926 save percentage.
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Hockey Club's Karel Vejmelka: Starting Wednesday
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Vejmelka will patrol the home crease Wednesday versus Carolina, according to Belle Fraser of The Salt Lake Tribune.
Vejmelka is still seeking his first win of 2024-25. He has surrendered 10 goals on 99 shots en route to a record of 0-3-0 through four appearances this season. Carolina ranks second in the league with 4.21 goals per game this campaign.
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Hockey Club's Karel Vejmelka: Third loss of season Tuesday
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Vejmelka stopped 25 of 27 shots in the 3-0 loss to the Jets on Tuesday. The third goal was an empty-netter with 2:59 left in the third period.
Making his third start and fourth appearance of the season Tuesday, Vejmelka couldn't end the woeful run he's going through, and he's now allowed at least two goals in each of his starts. This translates to a 0-3-0 record with a .899 save percentage and a 2.75 GAA. Connor Ingram should return to the Utah crease for the Thursday game at St. Louis, and there's no realistic path that would allow Vejmelka to earn more playing time in the foreseeable future.
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Hockey Club's Karel Vejmelka: Looking for first win of season
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Vejmelka will guard the road crease versus Winnipeg on Tuesday, per Belle Fraser of The Salt Lake Tribune.
Vejmelka will make his third start and fourth appearance of the season Tuesday. The 28-year-old has allowed at least three goals in each of his two starts. Vejmelka hasn't played since Oct. 24 against Colorado, and he'll have a tough assignment with a Jets club that ranks first in the league with a whopping 4.92 goals per game through 12 contests. To this point, Vejmelka is 0-2-0 with an .889 save percentage and a 3.04 GAA.
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Hockey Club's Karel Vejmelka: Allows five goals in loss
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Vejmelka allowed five goals on 26 shots in Thursday's 5-1 loss to the Avalanche.
Vejmelka finally got to see Utah score while he was on the ice -- the team had not given him any support over his first two appearances. Still, the Avalanche's resurgent offense was far stronger, as they went 2-for-3 on the power play. Utah was electric early in the season, but it'll be tough for the goalies to keep the team competitive if the offense continues to be cold. Utah's next game is a visit to Los Angeles on Saturday, and it wouldn't be surprising to see Connor Ingram start that one.
