The Vancouver Canucks got some good news in net but will also be without two important forwards for the next few games.
Thatcher Demko was activated from injured reserve and started against the New Jersey Devils on Monday. However, forwards Elias Pettersson and Nils Hoglander left the team's road trip and returned to Vancouver after both were injured on Saturday against the Rangers.
Demko's start was his first since Feb. 8, when he was injured in a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He made 22 saves in the 4-3 shootout win including a sprawling stretch save in overtime.
“Maybe not 100 per cent yet,” Demko said after the win, “but, you know, that's how it goes with coming back (from injury). This time of year, there's not a lot of practices, and things can change quick with lineups and whatever else is going on. You've just got to kind of trust yourself, trust the guys are going to play a good game and they did tonight."
A Vezina Trophy finalist last year, Demko has been limited to just 17 games so far this season due to multiple injuries. In those games, he has just six wins with a .891 save percentage, a significant dip from the .918 SV% he had last season.
Not much is known about Pettersson and Hoglander's injuries, but both left the Rangers game early and missed practice on Sunday. After the Devils win, the Canucks visit the Islanders, Blue Jackets and Jets before returning home on April 2 against the Kraken.
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