Vancouver Canucks star goaltender Thatcher Demko has an injury and is questionable for the rest of the series against the Nashville Predators, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on Tuesday.
Canucks coach Rick Tocchet confirmed Demko will not play Game 2 on Tuesday and is considered day-to-day. He added the current injury is not the same as a knee injury that kept him out for more than a month toward the end of the regular season.
The two-time All-Star returned in the final week of the regular season from a knee injury he suffered on March 9. He played two games and then made 20 saves in the Canucks’ series-opening 4-2 win over the Predators on Sunday.
Casey DeSmith is Vancouver’s backup, and figures to be the No. 1 with Demko hurt.
DeSmith, 32, was 12-9-6 with a 2.89 goals-against average and .896 save percentage this season.
Demko was 35-14-2 with a 2.45 GAA (fifth in the league) and .918 save percentage (third in the NHL).
Watch Game 2 of the Canucks-Predators series on Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT on Sportsnet or Sportsnet+.
