With the Vancouver Canucks Thatcher Demko injured, it makes Game One’s victory muted. He made as much of a difference between the two teams as anyone.
According to Frank Seravalli, Thatcher Demko is out for Game Two tonight.
Demko Injured
With the extent of his injury unknown, Demko’s return is a mystery. Most players will push themselves through some pain come the playoffs, so this is very bad news for Vancouver. If an injury is enough to take him out for one game, then it’s likely enough to take him out for at least the first round.
With Demko injured late in the season, Casey DeSmith and Arturs Silovs took the reins for his five-week absence. The Canucks played well enough to keep a hold of first in the Pacific Division, but their numbers weren’t as good as with their starter. For most of the season, Demko was one of the front-runners for the Vezina Trophy and will still get votes despite the time missed.
He returned for Vancouver’s final two regular season games, winning against the Calgary Flames and losing to the Winnipeg Jets. All told, he stopped 61 of 65 shots, but more importantly, he looked completely healthy. That changed sometime during Game One.
Now What
Demko stopped 20 of 22 shots in a lively opener against the Nashville Predators, including one incredible stretch to the right early on. If that is where he re-injured himself, then adrenaline kept him in the net for the win. Hopefully, the team won’t come to regret it.
Silovs is going to return to Vancouver from Abbotsford, backing up DeSmith for the rematch. What was an unquestioned advantage for Vancouver is now one for Juuse Saros and the Predators. That being said, the Canucks have spent the past season and a half locking down structured play. The chances they give up are few and far between, making life as easy as possible for their goaltenders.
Nashville was already going to turn on the jets to tie the series. However Vancouver plays, that job just got easier.
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