It was a whirlwind day for Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko.

Nearly eight months after he was injured in the first game of Vancouver91裸聊视频檚 playoff run, Demko returned to the crease Tuesday for his first start of the season.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e talked about managing expectations and not putting too much weight on that first game back, but obviously, as the moment builds, you91裸聊视频檙e excited to play and you want to perform,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淪o definitely a little bit of a weird day just getting back into the room and things.91裸聊视频�

Demko stopped 21 of the 25 shots he faced as the Canucks fell 4-3 to the St. Louis Blues in overtime.

91裸聊视频淚 thought he was good tonight. It91裸聊视频檚 good to see him in net,91裸聊视频� said Rick Tocchet, Vancouver91裸聊视频檚 head coach. 91裸聊视频淗e looks big. I love seeing him back in. He91裸聊视频檚 worked really hard, so I thought he did a great job for us tonight.91裸聊视频�

The result was a difficult one for the all-star netminder.

91裸聊视频淔elt rusty for sure,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚 thought I could have played a couple of goals differently. I91裸聊视频檓 sure that there91裸聊视频檚 stuff that I can pull to keep building. But obviously it91裸聊视频檚 frustrating right now.91裸聊视频�

Demko backstopped the Canucks (14-8-5) to a playoff run last season. He posted a 35-14-2 record with a .918 save percentage, a 2.45 goals-against average and five shutouts in regular-season action and played in the all-star game for the second time in his career.

Then, on April 24, he injured the popliteus muscle in his left knee during Vancouver91裸聊视频檚 4-2 win over the Nashville Predators in Game 1 of a first-round playoff series.

The 28-year-old goalie from San Diego, Cali., has been working his way back from the rare injury ever since.

Demko admitted the ailment was in the back of his mind on Tuesday.

91裸聊视频淥bviously, I was out for a long time. You have anxiety about things like that,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淎nd, admittedly, there91裸聊视频檚 a couple of times during the game where I91裸聊视频檓 thinking about it a little bit, just to kind of work through those things. And that91裸聊视频檚 just part of the mentality of the game day and just building that confidence back up.91裸聊视频�

Having Demko back in the crease is 91裸聊视频渁 big add,91裸聊视频� said Canucks winger Conor Garland, calling his teammate 91裸聊视频渁 top goalie in the world.91裸聊视频�

The team should have performed better in front of Demko, he added.

91裸聊视频淵ou don91裸聊视频檛 want to give a guy four or five breakaways or odd-man rushes. So it91裸聊视频檚 not very good,91裸聊视频� Garland said. 91裸聊视频淏ut he91裸聊视频檚 a battler, hangs in there, makes big saves. That91裸聊视频檚 why he91裸聊视频檚 the greatest.91裸聊视频�