Canucks' Thatcher Demko exits with lower-body injury

Vancouver goalie Thatcher Demko sustained a lower-body injury and had to make an early exit from the Canucks' Thursday home game against the visiting Florida Panthers.

With 47 seconds remaining in the first period, Demko stopped the first two shots during a Panthers flurry in front of net before Ryan Lomberg deposited the next rebound for a goal. Demko was down on the ice after the play and needed to be helped to Vancouver's locker room.

Demko stopped 15 of 18 shots faced in 18:56 of play as Florida delivered consistent pressure throughout the period before finally breaking through with a late surge. Lomberg's goal was the third tally in a 59-second span for the Panthers.

Spencer Martin replaced Demko in net.

Demko entered Thursday's game with a 3-9-2 record, a 3.81 goals against average and an .885 save percentage over 14 appearances this season. Due to Demko's struggles, Martin has been receiving an increasingly large share of the starting duties.