With the Vancouver Canucks and Nashville Predators tied one game each in their Western Conference first-round playoff series, the biggest issue is the absence of Vancouver’s No. 1 goaltender Thatcher Demko going into Game 3 on Friday night in Nashville.
Demko sustained a lower-body injury in backstopping the Canucks to a 4-2 win in the opener on Sunday, and the team announced on Monday that he would miss Game 2 Tuesday and might be out for the remainder of the series.
Nashville tied the series with a 4-1 win with backup Casey DeSmith in goal for the Canucks. It was his second career playoff game and he made 12 saves.
“Obviously bummed for (Demko) but excited to play,” DeSmith said on nhl.com “Playoffs, it’s a different animal and it’s fun to be out there.”
DeSmith will start on Friday, but there was no word on veteran defenseman Tyler Myers, who missed Tuesday’s Game 2 because of the flu. He was replaced in the lineup by Noah Juulsen.
Meanwhile, it was a block party for Nashville in Game 2. The Predators blocked 30 shots and only 18 got through to goalie Juuse Saros, who had to make only 17 saves.
“Maybe (we) weren’t quite as committed to the pain,” Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said Tuesday of the series-opening loss on nhl.com, “and tonight, with the blocked shots and the things that we did sacrificing our body, we learned and we’re still growing.
“We’re not where we want to be, but we’re getting better and today was a good step.”
Vancouver missed great opportunities and struggled on the power play, going 0-for-4.
“We had some chances, some looks on the (power play), some empty nets we didn’t capitalize on,” Canucks coach Rick Tocchet said. “Maybe we got a little frustrated, but we threw a lot of rubber around that area. We’ve got to keep doing that. I think the game plan is there, we’ve just got to start executing.”
Predators sniper Filip Forsberg said they may have relied too much on blocked shots in the third period.
“We defended well, but the third period is definitely not a recipe that we necessarily want to repeat for the whole series,” he said on nhl.com. “But at the same time, they’re doing a lot of good things. You’ve got to give them credit. They’re a great team, and at the end of the day, I think the sacrifice and the shot blocking was the reason, and phenomenal goaltending as well.”
Saros is looking forward to playing in front of the home crowd with the series shifting to Nashville.
“Really excited to play in front of them.,” he said. “We love the crowd there and they really get us going.”
Vancouver forward Teddy Blueger talked about being the visitors in playoff games in raucous environments, such as at Bridgestone Arena.
“It’s going to be loud, they’re going to be on top of you,” Blueger said. “… just kind of keeping your composure in these environments. If you don’t, you just lose your game and you’re not playing your best.”
–Field Level Media