All-star Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko will make his first start of the season Tuesday.

Head coach Rick Tocchet confirmed after morning skate that Demko will be in net when the Canucks host the St. Louis Blues.

The 28-year-old netminder from San Diego, Calif., last played on April 24 when the Canucks bested the Nashville Predators in Game 1 of a first-round playoff series.

He suffered an injury to the popliteus muscle in his knee during the game and has been working his way back ever since.

A number of factors led to Demko starting Tuesday, Tocchet said.

B次元官网网址淵ou want him to feel comfortable. You want to, obviously, communicate with him,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址�(Kevin Lankinen) was playing well, too. So there wasnB次元官网网址檛 a pressing issue to get him in. But we want to get him in. WeB次元官网网址檙e excited. Obviously heB次元官网网址檚 a huge part of our team.B次元官网网址�

Demko had a 35-14-2 record with a .918 save percentage, a 2.45 goals-against average and five shutouts in regular-season play last year and played in the all-star game for the second time in his career.

The veteran goalie is managing his personal expectations as he returns to game action, however.

B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檇 be foolish to say that IB次元官网网址檓 going to come back and be perfectly sharp and feel like I have my B次元官网网址楢B次元官网网址� game in game one. Obviously, that takes a little bit of time,B次元官网网址� Demko told reporters last week. B次元官网网址淛ust seeing game reps and things is kind of a last step of fully doing rehab. So IB次元官网网址檓 not really putting an expectation on that.

B次元官网网址淥bviously, the way Lanks has played kind of takes a little bit of pressure off of myself to come in and not feel like I have to save the world.B次元官网网址�

Demko returned to VancouverB次元官网网址檚 lineup last week, backing up Lankinen for games against the Columbus Blue Jackets and Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Canucks signed Lankinen to a US$875,000 deal during training camp and the Finnish goaltender has split the crease with Arturs Silovs this season, backstopping Vancouver to a 14-8-4 record.

Lankinen has been B次元官网网址渦nbelievableB次元官网网址� this season, Demko said.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been really fun to get to know him and be able to watch him play,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a challenging position he was put in, coming into a new team and being able to manage the workload that heB次元官网网址檚 been given.B次元官网网址�

DemkoB次元官网网址檚 return to the crease should act as motivation for the CanucksB次元官网网址� skaters as the team takes on the Blues, Tocchet said.

B次元官网网址淚 think, when you look at the way Demmer has worked hard to get back, a lot of lonely times by himself, it should give guys juice that you want to play well in front of him,B次元官网网址� the coach said. YouB次元官网网址檇 be crazy not to.

B次元官网网址淢aybe thereB次元官网网址檚 extra shot blocking, situations to get the puck in deep when weB次元官网网址檙e tired to give him a break, things like that. I think we need to do that tonight for him.B次元官网网址�