Shortly before tonight’s game in Colorado, the Utah Mammoth shared that starting goaltender Karel Vejmelka is unable to play, due to an upper-body injury. Vítek Vaněček has gotten the start, looking to improve upon his 2-7-1 record this season.
As such occurred on short notice, the team signed Utah native Colten McIntyre to an Amateur Try-Out Agreement. McIntyre, 21, will live out a dream tonight having played in the NA3HL and EHL, at the Tier 3 Junior A level, fairly different than #2 goaltender against the best team in the NHL.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Islanders forward Bo Horvat was a participant in practice this morning, donning a non-contact jersey, per Ethan Sears of the New York Post. The center hasn’t played since December 11, leaving mid-game due to a lower-body injury. Fearing the worst, the club received favorable news on his diagnosis, and Horvat should return by early January. Despite showing some regression last season, the 30-year-old has 31 points in 32 games, and will be a huge boost for an Islanders group which has continued to win and exceed expectations.
- Another New York star was spotted this morning in a non-contact jersey, albeit elsewhere, as Adam Fox eases back in from his shoulder injury (shared by Mollie Walker of The New York Post). The defenseman first returned to practice last week, having been absent all of December. With 23 points in 27 games, Fox was playing at peak level prior to going down, and while they do not want to rush him, New York is facing mounting pressure to get their season on track which has been pushed back without their hometown hero. Fox will most likely return after the New Year.