SAN JOSE — All things taken into account, San Jose Sharks goaltender Vitek Vanecek has been resting quite well recently, particularly since his wife, Kristyna, welcomed a baby boy at the end of last month.
Vanecek attributes his ability to rest at night to his wife and mother, who take care of the baby’s needs, though he acknowledges that certain problems may arise soon.
“I’m very grateful that (my mom) is assisting me, and my wife also realizes that I need to rest and recharge my energy.” “Therefore, it’s truly excellent,” Vanecek mentioned. “(But we’re) going to find out when the mom will depart.”
Making his initial NHL appearance in nearly eight weeks — due to injury, not the baby — Vanecek seemed focused Thursday as he recorded 21 saves during the first three periods of the Sharks’ matchup against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center. However, he was unable to block a penalty shot from forward Drew O’Connor just 33 seconds into overtime, leading the Canucks to a 2-1 victory over the Sharks.
Macklin Celebrini was penalized for hooking O’Connor during a Canucks odd-man rush in overtime. During the penalty shot, O’Connor maneuvered to Vanecek’s right before cutting back to the center of the ice and launching a shot that slid past the far post.
“I believe it wasn’t a penalty shot,” Vanecek commented regarding the referee’s decision on the ice. “However, it is as it is.”
Sharks winger Tyler Toffoli netted his 20th goal of the season with 1:28 remaining in the third period, which helped push the game into overtime. Nevertheless, the Sharks’ defeat marked their ninth in the past 10 matches — and their 18th by a single goal this season — as they continued to occupy 32nd and last position in the NHL’s overall rankings.
“We put in a lot of effort and gave it our all,” stated Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky. “Our puck handling was somewhat uncertain at moments, but I believe we did enough to secure a victory in hockey, that’s for certain.”
It was a successful evening for Vanecek, who recorded 22 saves and aims to prove he can still compete at this level.
Vanecek came into Thursday holding a 3-8-1 record and a disappointing .885 save percentage over 14 games with the struggling Sharks this season. He recorded 49 saves in San Jose’s victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Nov. 5, but his only other wins were on Oct. 29 versus Los Angeles and Nov. 29 versus Seattle.
It’s a stark contrast to when he joined the league with the Washington Capitals during the pandemic-limited 2020-2021 season, posting a record of 21-10-4 and placing sixth in Calder Trophy voting for the NHL’s Rookie of the Year.
Since joining the league in 2021, Vanecek has achieved 94 victories in 177 NHL career games with a commendable .904 save percentage.
However, the previous two seasons have been challenging. Vanecek had to sit out the last two months of the previous season with the New Jersey Devils due to a groin injury that later necessitated surgery. In February 2023, he was acquired by the Sharks in the trade that involved sending winger Timo Meier to the Devils.
Currently, Vanecek is in the last season of a three-year, $10.2 million deal he agreed to with the Devils in July 2022. He’s an upcoming unrestricted free agent who will be looking for a new deal when this season concludes, and whether he secures one may at least partly hinge on his performance during the finale, regardless if it’s in San Jose or another location.
“Certainly, since it’s a contract year, you aim to perform well this season,” Vanecek stated. “It’s been tough, you see?” “Thus, we will attempt to fight and then observe the outcome.”
On Thursday, Vanecek benefited from 24 blocked shots by the Sharks, aiding the experienced goalie in his return to the NHL following a strange injury he incurred in December.
Vanecek saved 36 out of 40 shots in a 4-3 defeat against the Utah Hockey Club on December 14. Three days later, he suffered a broken cheekbone when an uncontrolled puck flew into the Sharks bench and hit him in the face during a match against the Winnipeg Jets.
Although Vanecek’s cheekbone had fully healed by the time he returned to practice on the ice last month, he still faced the mental challenge of imagining being hit in the face by a puck again, even with a mask on.
Vanecek moved past that after several practices, then participated in a conditioning assignment with the Barracuda last Friday to enhance his performance. He blocked 22 of 24 shots during San Jose’s 6-2 victory against Henderson.
“Certainly, you consider it for a while,” Vanecek remarked about the injury. “However, if you aim to be a goalkeeper, you must stop overthinking and simply play.” And if they strike you in the head, you’ll witness what unfolds and allow it to occur.
“It was definitely a bit challenging during the initial three practices, but after that, it went quite well.”
Vanecek’s record this season stands at 3-8-2, with a save percentage of .887. He might be set to begin once more on Saturday when the Sharks take on the Dallas Stars in their last match before the NHL pauses for the 4 Nations Face-Off, taking place from Feb. 12-20.
However, a well-rested Vanecek was pleased to have played at least one game prior to the break.
“It’s significant to acquire the game.” “I played one game in the AHL as well to get started a bit,” Vanecek mentioned. “They relied on me today to place me in the goal, so I’m truly pleased with that.” It’s always nice before the break, and the break is quite lengthy now, so I’m really pleased I have this one, and then we’ll find out what will occur in the final one.”
