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Utah HC at Sharks (game 33): Lines, game thread and how to watch

Posted on by Erika Towne

The San Jose Sharks are back from the team’s six game road trip and ready to take on the Utah Hockey Club in the second of three meetings between these two teams this season. The last time the Sharks and Utah played was in Utah, where the Sharks lost 5-4 in overtime.

The Utah Hockey Club continues to be competitive and is 6-2-2 in the team’s last ten games. Utah HC is fifth in the Central Division, trailing behind the Dallas Stars, who are third in the division with 34 points. Utah currently has 31 points and just beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-1 on Thursday night.

Dylan Guenther had two goals and an assist in the win. He is Utah HC’s leading scorer with 28 points in 29 games. He also leads the team with 12 goals. Usual top scorer Clayton Keller is in a bit of a slump. He had just one goal in November and two goals this month.

In net, Karel Vejmelka and Connor Ingram are sharing duties. Vejmelka doesn’t have a winning record, he’s 5-7-2 this season, but he has a .917 save percentage and has limited teams to 2.36 goals against. Meantime, Ingram has the better record at 6-4-3, but he’s allowed 3.61 goals against and has a .871 save percentage.

If the Sharks want a little extra incentive, the team could spoil one of those silly stat streaks that only the NHL seems to track. Right now, Utah HC has five straight road wins. The Sharks can end that with a win tonight.

San Jose Sharks lines tonight

According to San Jose Hockey Now’s Sheng Peng, Will Smith is back, but Klim Kostin may not be. Kostin, as you may recall, left Thursday’s game with an undisclosed injury. Peng reports Tyler Toffoli was not on the ice either.

As a result of all that, here’s what the lines are likely to look like tonight. Unfortunately, if Toffoli is out as well, that will break up Thursday’s most productive line of Macklin Celebrini, Toffoli, and Nikolai Kovalenko.

Forwards
William Eklund – Mikael Granlund – Luke Kunin
Nikolai Kovalenko – Macklin Celebrini – Fabian Zetterlund
Barclay Goodrow – Alex Wennberg – Will Smith
Carl Grundstrom – Nico Sturm – Ty Dellandrea

Defense
Jake Walman – Cody Ceci
Mario Ferraro – Timothy Liljegren
Shakir Mukhamadullin – Jan Rutta

Goaltenders
Vitek Vanecek
Alexandar Georgiev

Utah HC lines vs. San Jose Sharks Dec. 14, 2024

According to Belle Fraser, who covers the Utah Hockey Club for the Salt Lake Tribune, these are the practice lines for the Utah HC. We expect the team will ice something similar tonight.

Fraser says Vejmelka was first off the ice, so he’ll likely be in the net.

Forwards
Clayton Keller – Barrett Hayton – Nick Schmaltz
Jack McBain – Logan Cooley – Dylan Guenther
Matias Maccelli – Nick Bjugstad – Lawson Crouse
Alex Kerfoot – Kevin Stenlund – Michael Carcone

Defense
Mikhail Sergachev – Olli Maatta
Ian Cole – Michael Kesselring
Juuso Valimaki – Vladislav Kolyachonkok

Goaltenders
Karel Vejmelka
Jaxson Stauber

How to watch Utah HC at San Jose Sharks Dec. 14, 2024

The puck drops at 7 p.m. PT/8 p.m. MT at SAP Center in San Jose.

Sharks fans can watch the game on NBC Sports California, or listen on the Sharks Audio Network at sjsharks.com/listen.

Utah fans can watch on Utah 16 (KUPX-TV Channel 16) or stream on UtahHC+.

Be sure to join Fear the Fin fans back here at puck drop to talk about the latest trade rumors and what’s happening on the ice.

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