New York – Czech hockey goalkeeper Karel Vejmelka made 11 saves in the NHL, helping Utah win 3:2 in overtime on the ice of Montreal and pick up their third win of the season. Boston with David Pastrňák and Pavel Zacha lost to Vancouver 0:2.
Vejmelka started the seventh game in a row and started as the team’s number one for the ninth time this season. In Montreal, he faced only 13 shots in 65 minutes of play, caught the puck from the net twice, and for only the third time this year, he finished the duel with a success rate of less than 85 percent.
Nick Schmaltz had two assists and Dylan Guenther had a goal and an assist in Utah’s win. Mikhail Sergačov scored the winning goal half a minute before the end of extra time.
“We don’t have to score five or six goals in every match, sometimes two or three are enough. But we have to help the goalkeepers, just like we did today. If we continue like this, we will be successful,” said Sergačov.
Boston’s interim coach Joe Sacco put Pastrňák and Zacha in the second offensive formation for only the second time this season, but his move did not work. The Bruins didn’t score a goal against Vancouver. Defender Filip Hronek, who played 22 and a half minutes, could rejoice at the win and the visitors’ clean sheet.
The winning goal was scored by Jake DeBrusk, who came to Boston for the first time as an opponent. The Bruins drafted him in 2015 and the Canadian forward spent seven seasons with them.
“It was probably the strangest match of my career. I didn’t feel the best, but the guys supported me all the time and managed to keep me mentally in the game,” said De Brusk, who was the only one to beat goalkeeper Jeremy Swayman at 25:53. For the second time, the visitors scored into an empty net.
On the other hand, Kevin Lankinen killed all 32 attempts of the Bruins and became the first star of the game. The Finnish goalkeeper also blocked three attempts by Pastrňák and two by Zach. “Kevi was the first, second and third star of the game today. He was great. He found every puck and made some very difficult saves. We won mainly because of him,” said Canucks coach Rick Tocchet.
NHL:
Boston – Vancouver 0:2 (0:0, 0:1, 0:1)
Goals: 26. DeBrusk, 60. Garland. Shots on goal: 32:15. Spectators: 17,850. Stars of the match: 1. Lankinen, 2. DeBrusk (both Vancouver), 3. Swayman (Boston).
Montreal – Utah 2:3 in overtime. (0:0, 1:1, 1:1 – 0:1)
Goals: 29. Struble, 41. Newhook – 27. Guenther, 45. McBain, 65. Sergachev. Shots on goal: 13:29. Karel Vejmelka he caught the entire game for Utah, conceding two goals from 13 shots and had a save success rate of 84.6 percent. Spectators: 21,105. Stars of the match: 1. Sergachev, 2. Guenther (both Utah), 3. Caufield (Montreal).
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Source: www.ceskenoviny.cz
