Karel Vejmelka starts for Mammoth vs. Wild

The first sign came from morning skate, where the starting goalie is usually the first one off the ice.

Cole Bagley

@BagleyKSLsports

Karel Vejmelka is the first goaltender off the ice this morning. That indicates he should start against Minnesota tonight. #TusksUp #MNWild

Tourigny sticking with Vejmelka was not a sure thing. Utah's goaltending has been shaky to start the year. After a 5-3 loss in Seattle last Thursday, the Deseret News asked outright whether the Mammoth should look at other options. Vejmelka was 6-3-0 at that point and Cossa was 2-1-0, and both had a save percentage under.900. The skaters keep scoring enough to cover for it, which is why Utah has a good record and still has a goalie question.

Then came Saturday's 5-4 overtime win over Tampa Bay, when Vejmelka made 29 saves. Not a shutout, but it was something to build on, and Tourigny made clear that's exactly how the staff sees it. Then he added the part that actually matters.

Cole Bagley

@BagleyKSLsports

Tourigny said that they’ve continued to have conversations with Vejmelka during this tough stretch and want to build on the positive from Tampa. He also added that as they go on the road, Cossa will play. Didn’t specify when or how many but Cossa will see the net on the road.

Read that 2 ways. Vejmelka keeps the job tonight, and the coach is publicly backing him. But Cossa is guaranteed starts on the trip, with no number given. If the rookie plays well in those games, nobody will be calling Vejmelka the clear No. 1 for long. Tourigny didn't say anything about a timeshare. He also didn't say anything that rules one out.

There's a lineup change up front too. Liam O'Brien showed up in the morning lines, and Tourigny confirmed it right after.

Cole Bagley

@BagleyKSLsports

Tourigny confirms that O’Brien is going in for But. Said they had a good conversation with But about adversity and he understands. Noted he’ll “have his chance back.”

Cole Bagley

@BagleyKSLsports

Lines from this morning: Keller - Schmaltz - Crouse Cooley - Trocheck - Guenther Lee - Hayton - Yamamoto McBain - Stenlund - O’Brien Sergachev - Weegar Schmidt - Peeke Simashev - DeSimone Duda #TusksUp #MNwild

That's how you handle a healthy scratch for a young guy. Tourigny frames it as adversity, not a demotion, and promises the job comes back. O'Brien slots onto a 4th line with McBain and Stenlund, and he's there for energy and physicality in a divisional game that should get chippy. The top 6 also went back to its old look.

Brogan Houston

@houston_brogan

Back to the old top 6. Also, it looks like Liam O’Brien may be making his season debut vs. Minnesota today. Keller - Schmaltz - Crouse Cooley - Trocheck - Guenther Lee - Hayton - Yamamoto McBain - Stenlund - O’Brien #TusksUp #MNWild

The stakes are real for an October game. Utah came in 8-4-0 and Minnesota came in 8-3-2, the top 2 teams in the Central meeting in Salt Lake City. Vejmelka has handled the Wild well over his career, going 8-4-1 with a.911 save percentage in 14 games against them. If he gives Utah a clean game, he heads into the trip with some cushion. If he doesn't, Cossa's road starts start to look like an audition.