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Utah Hockey Club Putting Faith in Goaltending During Playoff Push

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The Utah Hockey Club is still right in the mix for the final wild card spot in the Western Conference. The next set of games are crucial for Utah and they have found themselves relying on goaltending for wins. Karel Vejmelka has stood out all season for Utah and is a big reason why his team is close to a playoff berth.

Utah Hockey Club Goaltending Crucial Especially their Starter

Most teams prefer not to depend on the goalie all the time, but that has not been the case for Utah this season. They are certainly putting all their faith in Vejmelka to lead them to the postseason.

The 28-year-old most recently made 25 saves in Utah’s 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. This was Vejmelka’s 12th straight start. He has won seven games during the stretch, including a three-game win streak and allowed just one goal in each. He gave up three or more goals five times, but Vejmelka did all he could.

Vejmelka’s Consistency

Although Vejmelka is just 20-18-6 in 46 games played this season, he is still boasting respectable numbers. With a save percentage at .908 and a goals-against average of 2.49, he has been a fairly consistent goaltender for Utah. What sets him apart from others, though, is his ability to perform when a game is tilted against Utah.

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In games where Utah was outplayed, Vejmelka stood on his head and gave his team a real chance to win. He even stole some games along the way, showing Utah’s reliance on their netminder. Starting goalies play many games throughout a season, but it is rare to play this many consecutively.

More importantly, Vejmelka has provided the strength in goal that’s allowed Utah to stay competitive despite some of their other challenges. The defence in front of him hasn’t always been perfect, and the offence dried up at times. According to Moneypuck, Vejmelka is 14th among all NHL goaltenders with 14.5 goals saved above expected. Whether it was to preserve a lead or keep Utah in a game, Vejmelka answered the call. 

However, his ability to bail out the team when it mattered most has kept them within striking distance of the playoffs. Vejmelka brought consistency into the Utah crease and he put the team on his back. 

Handling Pressure 

As the regular season heads into its final lap, the stakes couldn’t be higher for Utah. The team is in a tight race for the last playoff spot, and every point counts. The pressure on Vejmelka to maintain his high level of play is intense, but he seems to thrive in such situations. Vejmelka also ranks 14th in the NHL with 2.41 wins above replacement. 

Due to his strong play this season, Utah awarded Vejmelka with a new five-year contract. He was a pending unrestricted free agent, but now Vejmelka will be Utah’s starting goaltender in the future. It is up to him to live up to the contract and lift Utah into the playoffs.

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Looking Ahead

For Utah, they are now four points behind the St. Louis Blues for the final playoff spot. The other two teams they are battling with are the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames. Utah has 13 games remaining in the regular season, including important dates with the Blues and Flames in April. 

With backup goaltender Connor Ingram still in the NHL’s Player Assistance Program, Vejmelka will likely see many of the starts to end the season. Utah is 5-3-2 in their last 10 games and the goaltending has to be at the top of its game to continue the playoff push. Utah also cannot keep relying on goaltending to win.

Main Photo Credit: Rob Gray – Imagn Images

The post Utah Hockey Club Putting Faith in Goaltending During Playoff Push appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.