Karel Vejmelka performs strongly despite the loss of the Utah Hockey Club

Winnipeg It was difficult for Karel Vejmelka to get a good feeling about his game this season.

But it's not his fault.

The Utah Hockey Club goaltender has started in three games, replacing partner Connor Ingram in one. In eleven periods with Vejmelka between the pipes this season, Utah has scored one goal. The team was eliminated three times with the Czech net.

That was the case Tuesday night at the Canada Life Centre, where the first-place Winnipeg Jets defeated the Utah Hockey Club 3-0. Vejmelka made 25 saves in the loss.

I feel sorry for him, he was really good, said head coach Andr Tourigny. This is now the third time he has gone in and we are not supporting him offensively. I really feel sorry for him because he played really solid.

The Hockey Club entered the second period with a 0-0 draw against Winnipeg, having weathered the offensive attacks and countered with strikes of their own. It wasn't a bad performance per se for Utah, but the Jets' steadfast experience and skill ultimately prevailed.

Gabriel Vilardi gave Winnipeg a 1-0 lead at the end of the middle frame when Dylan Guenther was in the box for a hooking penalty. Josh Morrissey's blast from the point tapped in to Vilardi at 17:57 for the Jets League-best 16th power-play goal of the season.

Winnipeg strengthened its lead in the third period after the rush. Nino Niederreiter grabbed the puck as he flashed to the left side and pulled it to his backhand before tucking it past Vejmelka to make it 2-0 at 7:30. Niederreiter's second of the evening, an empty-netter at 17:01, sealed the 3-0 victory.

Utah had four chances on the power play to make a dent in a closely contested game, but were unable to score on any of them. It was 0-for-4 that evening. In the hockey club's first power play of the match, no shot was scored on goal.

I think we could be a little more selfish at times and shoot the puck a little more. “It ultimately came down to a special teams battle, and we lost that tonight,” said forward Lawson Crouse, who had three shots, four hits and one block. They benefited from one of their power plays and we didn't.

While Utah's offensive woes reappeared in Winnipeg, the team played a well-rounded defensive game against a Jets group that averaged 4.92 goals per game heading into Tuesday's matchup.

“I think we did a lot of good things defensively today against a very good team,” Tourigny said.

Vejmelka was an important part of that defense structure. The goaltender made 12 saves in the first 20 minutes of the match and provided Utah with poise from the opening minute.

The Hockey Club has called on starter Ingram for 10 of the 13 games this season, so if Vejmelka gets the nod, he will want to be as sharp as possible.

I felt I was getting better throughout the match. A few good saves early in the first period, and after that I felt better and better, Vejmelka said. I just wanted to get some points out of the match, but hopefully next time.

After an unconventional path to his first NHL contract with the Arizona Coyotes in May 2021, Vejmelka isn't taking any time for granted in the league.

The native of Teb, Czech Republic, was selected in the fifth round by the Nashville Predators in the 2015 NHL Draft, but opted not to sign and became a free agent. Vejmelka then played five seasons at home for HC Kometa Brno in the Czech Extraliga league before joining the Coyotes for the 2021-2022 season.

He has a 2.75 goals against average and a .899 save percentage so far this season as he continues to prove the team can rely on him against top competition.

Playing in the NHL was a dream for me, just like it is for everyone else. “I would like to play in the NHL as long as possible,” Vejmelka said. Enjoy every minute here with a great group of guys around.

Vejmelka's father and grandfather both played hockey; it seemed a natural progression for him. However, the NHL was never a guarantee. Vejmelka also played football and tennis, which he said was difficult to give up. He said the agility skills of those sports have helped him as a goaltender.

Tourigny said he thinks Vejmelka can play every night, but given the nature of Utah's starting schedule for the season, it has worked with a consistent starter in Ingram. However, with a back-to-back at the end of the month and fewer days between games as the season progresses, Tourigny said they will need both of our goaltenders every week.

It's the coaches' decision every time, so I just focus on being ready every time, every game. It's my job, Vejmelka said.

Not interested in moral victories, Utah Hockey Club was able to build its game against two top-tier opponents this week and saw strong performances from individual players like Vejmelka on Tuesday.

Learn from it, move on and prepare for the next one, Crouse said.

Next up is another divisional matchup on Thursday against the St. Louis Blues, as Utah will work to get its first win of the four-game road trip.