Cossa wins third straight start, giving Utah Mammoth a glimmer in goal

Two nights after Karel Vejmelka surrendered five goals to the Philadelphia Flyers and sent Mammoth fans into a spiral, Sebastian Cossa skated out against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday and did exactly what Utah needed: he held.

Cossa stopped 27 of 29 shots in a 3-2 Utah win, his third consecutive victory and fourth in five starts this season. He was sharpest when it mattered most — in the final minutes, as Toronto pressed hard for a tying goal, the 23-year-old made a series of key saves against some of the best offensive players in the world, aided by a lucky bounce and a few well-timed blocks from his defensemen.

He made some great saves — clutch saves at crucial moments. He played a heck of a game, and obviously that's awesome for him and awesome to see. Makes us feel comfortable back there as we keep growing as a team.— Andrew Peeke, Mammoth defenseman

Key saves at key moments. Came up big when we needed him the most, and that was great.— André Tourigny, head coach

The win came at a moment of real pressure. Vejmelka had just allowed five goals on 20 shots against Philadelphia — a .750 save percentage in a game Utah desperately needed — his fourth loss in five starts. Through 12 games, the veteran starter carries a 6-5-0 record, a 3.31 goals-against average and an .868 save percentage.

Cossa's own numbers are far from elite. His .855 save percentage on the season ranks near the bottom of the league. But wins are wins, and he has four of them.

Cossa arrived in Salt Lake City this past offseason via a trade with the Detroit Red Wings, where a logjam of established goalies — John Gibson, Cam Talbot, and prospect Trey Augustine — left him without a path to regular starts. The Mammoth signed him to a two-year, $4 million contract, expecting him to back up Vejmelka. His only NHL experience before this season was 45 minutes of ice time for Detroit in 2024-25, though he went 26-8-4 with a .915 save percentage and five shutouts in 39 AHL games for Grand Rapids last season.

His one stumble this season came in his second start, when he allowed three goals on eight shots before Vejmelka relieved him 16 minutes in. He said afterward he wasn't going to let it linger.

I feel like throughout my career, I've done a really good job of bouncing back and (I) expect nothing less. The next game I get, (I'll) go in with a good mindset and just play my game.— Sebastian Cossa, goaltender

He has done exactly that. He steadied himself in a close Oct. 19 win against Pittsburgh, then won again in Pittsburgh in overtime, 4-3. Tuesday's performance in Toronto was his most consequential yet, coming directly on the heels of Vejmelka's worst outing of the season.

The coaching staff now faces a genuine decision. Utah plays in Montreal on Thursday, where the team will also debut its new 'Hometown Remix' jerseys. Vejmelka received new equipment to match the uniforms — but given Cossa's recent run, the veteran may not get the chance to break it in right away.

The opponent adds an interesting wrinkle. Montreal's own young goalie, 21-year-old Jacob Fowler, currently holds the third-best save percentage in the league and has drawn Calder Trophy buzz — a reminder that rookie goalies can, in fact, carry NHL teams. Whether Cossa is that kind of goalie remains an open question. But for now, he's the one giving Utah reasons to believe.

It's kind of the life in the NHL, just so much hockey that whether it's a good game or a bad game, you've just got to reset. It's a new day the next day.— Sebastian Cossa, goaltender

Why it matters — With Utah's goaltending under a microscope and trade rumors swirling around stars like Connor Hellebuyck, Cossa's recent run is the most concrete evidence yet that the Mammoth may already have a viable answer on their own roster.

Reported by deseret.com, utahonice.com, heavy.com, clutchpoints.com, nhl.com, thehockeynews.com