The Vancouver Canucks are gearing up for their upcoming home game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, continuing their six-game homestand. Ahead of Sunday’s contest, head coach Rick Tocchet has made the decision to start goaltender Kevin Lankinen, with Thatcher Demko serving as his backup. This comes after a series of roster moves, including Demko’s return to the team on Friday night, where he served as the backup to Lankinen during the Canucks’ win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
In a further roster update, the Canucks assigned goaltender Arturs Silovs to the American Hockey League’s Abbotsford Canucks, clearing up space for Demko and Lankinen. With Silovs now in the AHL and Demko recovering from a knee injury, the Canucks have been juggling goaltender responsibilities. Lankinen has been performing exceptionally well this season, with a 13-3-3 record in 19 appearances, a 2.62 goals against average, a .908 save percentage, and two shutouts.
Despite Demko’s return, Tocchet has opted to start Lankinen for Sunday’s game against the Lightning, who have won six of their last ten. It’s unclear why Demko won’t be starting today, but it could be a move to ensure he’s fully prepared for future games, with the possibility of him making his first start since last April’s postseason against the Nashville Predators, potentially in Tuesday’s match against the St. Louis Blues.
The puck drop for the Canucks vs. Lightning game is set for 1 p.m. PT and will be broadcast nationally on Sportsnet across Canada.
