Karel Vejmelka #70 of the Utah Hockey Club looks on during a break in the third period against the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome on January 02, 2025, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Leah Hennel/Getty Images)
(Photo by Leah Hennel/Getty Images)
EDMONTON, ALBERTA, Canada— It’s not how he wanted to take a break. Still, Utah Hockey Club goalie Karel Vejmelka is getting a much-needed rest after allowing three first-period goals against Edmonton.
Utah HC (30-26-11, 71 points) faces the Oilers (39-24-4, 82 points) at Rogers Place on Tuesday, March 18. Edmonton is second in the Pacific Division, in firm control of a playoff spot. Utah continues battling with the Vancouver Canucks (73 points), St. Louis Blues (73 points), and Calgary Flames (71 points) for the final Western Conference Wild Card spot.
Utah is 17-13-4 on the road, while Edmonton has defended home-ice with a 20-11-2 Rogers Center record. The Oilers have won two straight and are 5-5 in their past ten games. Utah HC is 6-2-2 in its past ten. Edmonton is 2-0 against Utah this season. They snatched a late-November 4-3 overtime win in Salt Lake City, then handed Utah a 4-1 road loss on New Year’s Eve.
Vejmelka has been pulled.
Stauber is between the pipes to start the second period.
This is the first time Vejmelka hasn't manned the net since February 22nd.
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 19, 2025
The Utah HC defense looked flat-footed to start the night, giving up Zach Hyman’s 23rd goal less than five minutes into the first 20 minutes. Minutes later, Utah thought it had momentum with a power play, but a short-handed goal from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins gave the Oilers a 2-0 advantage.
All-Star Connor McDavid broke lose in the final second of the period, netting Edmonton’s third goal with seconds left.
The three-goal deficit led Utah head coach André Tourigny to insert seldom-used backup goaltender Jaxson Stauber to open the second period.
Edmonton didn’t slow down during the intermission, netting its fourth goal early in the middle 20.
Utah Hockey Club games can be viewed on SEG+. Fans can also tune in on the KSL Sports app or 97.5 and 1280 The Zone. Click here for the full schedule.
Cole Bagley is the Utah Hockey Club insider for KSL Sports. Keep up with him on X here. Listen to Cole break down the team on KSL Sports Zone and KSL 5 TV.
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Brian Preece is a KSLSports.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on X and Instagram and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
