Vejmelka has 49 saves as Utah Hockey Club tops Stanley Cup contender Carolina

SALT LAKE CITY — The usual stoic Karel Vejmelka let loose.

The Utah Hockey Club goaltender skated onto the Delta Center ice to the roar of the crowd, and he joined right in. He pumped his fists and screamed right back as he celebrated.

After what he did on Wednesday, he can celebrate however he wants.

Vejmelka saved 49 of 50 saves and helped kill off 25 penalty minutes, including over 10 minutes alone in the third period, to lift Utah to a 4-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes.

Against one of the league's best offenses in the league, Vejmelka stood on his head, giving Utah a surprise victory over a supposed Stanley Cup contender.

By the end of the grand performance, the Delta Center was serenading him with chants of "Veggie. Veggie. Veggie."

"It's unreal," he said. "This is a moment to remember, for sure. This is a night to remember for me and for everybody. This is a huge game for us."

Utah came into the night having lost seven of their last nine games, and a get-right game against Carolina wasn't expected to be in the cards. The Hurricanes had a top-five offense and defense and are one of the early favorites to make a deep run in the playoffs.

Thanks to Vejmelka, the Hockey Club was able to grab an improbable win.

"In those games with a lot of shots, I feel really, really good," he said. "It's kind of easier to play than if I have only 10 shots, so it's different, and I'm more tired now."

Hopefully, he gets a well-earned rest. And maybe he earned some more time on the ice, too.

Carolina outshot Utah 50-21. Utah had 25 penalty minutes to the Hurricane's two. Carolina won more faceoffs, converted on one power play, and dominated possession for large chunks of the game.

Yet, Utah still won.

"Unbelievable. We're thankful for him. He had an amazing night," said forward Nick Bjugstad, who scored two goals.

Vejmelka was a man under fire as Carolina's potent offense fired shot after shot his way. He faced 15 shots in the first period and 17 more in the second. Becuase of his heroics the game was tied 1-1 heading into the third — but he was just getting started.

And in the final frame, Vejmelka got something he had been waiting for in each of his five appearances this season: some goal support.

Over a span of two and a half minutes, Utah scored three goals (and had another apparent one overturned) to help lift the Hockey Club to the win.

Michael Kesselring got things started with a speedy rush toward goal. He split the Carolina defense and drew a man to him before firing a pass to Jack McBain who finished it off to give Utah a 2-1 lead.

After Lawson Crouse's apparent slapshot goal was ruled not to have fully crossed the goal line, Mikhail Sergachev left no doubt with a laser of a wrister to give the Hockey Club a 3-1 advantage.

Bjugstad finished off the barrage when he rebounded in a goal for his second tally of the game and suddenly Utah had a three-goal advantage.

It didn't matter that Carolina had mostly dominated possession on shot attempts; Utah had control of the game.

"I don't know," Bjugstad said when asked what sparked the offense. "It was getting in their zone. We were kind of rolling the lines ... guys really stepped up tonight. Most importantly, Veggie."

And Vejmelka had one more chance to take a bow.

Utah forward Michael Carcone was sent off the ice after instigating a fight, earning a two-minute instigation penalty and a five-minute fighting game misconduct, That led to a seven-minute power play for the Hurricanes, which was extended after Maveric Lamoureux was called for hooking during that run.

In all, Utah was on the penalty kill for nearly nine minutes straight (which included a portion of 5-on-3 hockey, too). Vejmelka still kept everything out of the net.

"I just tried to focus for another shot, just helped my team so they don't get a goal," he said. "So it was kind of the same mindset all night long."

It certainly worked, and led to a career night for the goaltender.

"One of the best for sure," he said when asked if it was the best game he's ever played. "Maybe the best one."

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