The Vancouver Canucks will be without goalie Thatcher Demko when they face the Nashville Predators in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series Tuesday.

Coach Rick Tocchet said the 28-year-old netminder is going to be evaluated later Tuesday and is B次元官网网址渄ay to day.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淗e skated yesterday. HeB次元官网网址檚 not going to play tonight,B次元官网网址� Tocchet said. B次元官网网址淚t wasnB次元官网网址檛 the old injury and thatB次元官网网址檚 all I really got for you guys.B次元官网网址�

Demko played all of Game 1 for the Canucks on Sunday, backstopping the team to a 4-2 victory. Tocchet said he wasnB次元官网网址檛 sure whether the injury happened during the game.

B次元官网网址淚t might have been in the game, but IB次元官网网址檓 not quite sure because he skated yesterday,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know the exact timeline. ThatB次元官网网址檚 why I donB次元官网网址檛 want to speculate whether itB次元官网网址檚 this time or whatever.B次元官网网址�

Demko missed 14 games after suffering a knee injury on March 9, but returned for VancouverB次元官网网址檚 two final games of the regular season. He finished with a 35-14-2 record, a .918 save percentage and five shutouts.

Demko showed his work ethic as he rehabilitated and got back into the lineup ahead of the playoffs, said Canucks forward J.T. Miller.

B次元官网网址淗e works harder than anybody on a day-to-day basis when heB次元官网网址檚 not injured, let alone when heB次元官网网址檚 trying to get back in for stuff like this. So you feel for the guy,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 a big part of our team, but weB次元官网网址檝e got to find a way to be resilient as a group and move forward. WeB次元官网网址檙e not the only team going through this type of stuff. So itB次元官网网址檚 gonna happen. We need to find a way to be resilient, like I said.B次元官网网址�

Casey DeSmith will take over the CanucksB次元官网网址� net for Game 2.

The 32-year-old goalie had a 12-9-6 record with a 2.89 goals-against average and .895 save percentage for Vancouver this season.

He went 4-5-1 while Demko was out with the knee injury. Arturs Silovs B次元官网网址� who will be DeSmithB次元官网网址檚 backup on Tuesday B次元官网网址� also played four games, going 3-0-1.

DeSmith is a well-liked goalie with a great demeanor, Tocchet said.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 very confident (in DeSmith),B次元官网网址� the coach said. B次元官网网址淎ny time you get in the playoffs, thereB次元官网网址檚 stories and heB次元官网网址檚 looking to be a contributor to his team,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎nd we expect, the way heB次元官网网址檚 played all year for us, really solid hockey. WeB次元官网网址檙e not looking for him to be spectacular. WeB次元官网网址檙e looking for him to be Casey.B次元官网网址�

DeSmith has made one playoff appearance in his NHL career.

Playing for the Penguins, he stopped 48 of the 51 shots he faced in PittsburghB次元官网网址檚 4-3 overtime win against the New York Rangers in Game 1 of a first-round series on May 3, 2022. DeSmith was injured in the second overtime and had to be replaced by Louis Domingue.

The Penguins announced the following day that DeSmith would undergo core surgery.

The Canucks know how they need to play in front of DeSmith on Tuesday, Miller said.

B次元官网网址淚f we play the way weB次元官网网址檙e supposed to play, it should be an easier night for Casey, in the sense of giving up big chances,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淲hen that happens, I know (the goalieB次元官网网址檚) lifeB次元官网网址檚 a hell of a lot easier. So, like I said, worry about us. ThereB次元官网网址檚 things we canB次元官网网址檛 control and thatB次元官网网址檚 obviously one of them as a player. So we need to be able to just focus on the game. Normal game for us.B次元官网网址�

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