When the Utah Mammoth traded for Sebastian Cossa, hopes were high that the Mammoth finally fixed its goaltending woes. In the AHL, Cossa established himself as one of the league’s premier goaltenders. Averaging a 0.913 save percentage in his last three years with the Grand Rapids Griffins. After being named a two-time AHL All-Star, Cossa’s pedigree is undeniable.
Paired with Karel Vejmelka’s Ironman spirit, the two have a chance at getting the Mammoth back to the postseason. However, Cossa has only played two and a half games, after being pulled during the first period in a game against the Bruins.
If Utah wants a formidable goalie tandem, Cossa has to see more of the net.
Tired Times for Vejmelka
Last season, Vejmelka played the most games (64 games) of any NHL goaltender. Ending the regular season with a 38-20-3 record, Veggie carried the Mammoth to a postseason berth. Once the playoffs started, fans and pundits could tell the goalie looked exhausted. Vejmelka let 3.83 goals a game, and with no competent backup goalie to share the load, the Mammoth’s postseason run ended in six games.
The exhaustion may have returned for the Czech goalie. In back-to-back starts against the Edmonton Oilers (Oct. 17) and Seattle Kraken (Oct. 22), Vejmelka allowed a combined nine goals.
If coach Andre Tourigny truly wants to preserve Vejmelka for the playoffs, he needs to play Cossa more. When rested, Vejmelka has proven he can produce great performances, as he did at the start of the season against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Time to Develop
Another thing the coaching staff needs to think about is Cossa’s development. Before this season, Cossa only played one NHL game with the Detroit Red Wings. While he did help the Wings win in the shootout, he didn’t even start the game. If the Mammoth want Cossa playoff-ready, he needs more games to experience and manage the highs and lows.
Plus, if you have two battle-ready goaltenders going into the postseason, great things can happen. Just look at the Carolina Hurricanes. Without Frederik Andersen, the Hurricanes couldn’t have made it to the Stanley Cup Final, and without Brandon Bussi, they couldn’t have won.
So Far, So Good
After his blunder in Boston on Oct. 8, Cossa has played well in every game he’s started. Starting against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Cossa only allowed one goal in a 4-1 victory.
While it was a soft goal, Cossa made up for it with 18 saves and a .947 save percentage. Cossa shined in his start against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 19. After Utah led 5-2 early in the third period, the Mammoth and fans alike felt confident they would win this game.
The Penguins then rallied with two more goals in the late third period and looked to tie the game. After some stellar defense stifled the comeback attempt, the Penguins went six-on-five with an extra attacker on the ice. All Mammoth fans remember how a six-on-five advantage destroyed Utah in the playoffs. Against the Pens, the Mammoth couldn’t win a faceoff and were pinned in their defensive zone.
In the dying seconds, the Penguins got the puck down low, and Cossa stretched out for a timely last-second save. From that moment, Mammoth fans fell in love with the goaltender. He showed that no matter the circumstances, he can battle.
Just a Little More Time
That said, Cossa and Vejmelka shouldn’t split the net 50/50. It just means that at this stage Cossa should play after Vejmelka starts two to three games. The Colorado Avalanche have a decent goalie tandem in Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood, and they have been successful with a similar split to keep their goalies fresh and ready for the playoffs. Carolina uses that split as well, and they have the option to change it if one goalie is outperforming the other.
The Mammoth organization is facing an important season. If they are to make the playoffs and go far, they can’t burn out their goalie tandem. This Mammoth team looks strong already and could be a contender as early as this year. Cossa is ready to back up Vejmelka. He’s honed his skills in the AHL for three years, and he continues to show that skill in each of his NHL appearances.
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