After achieving a rare playoff feat, the Vancouver Canucks are facing a big question 91裸聊视频� what comes next?
Three different goalies have backstopped the Canucks to victories this post-season, giving Vancouver a 3-1 edge in their first-round series against the Nashville Predators.
Now the team must decide who91裸聊视频檒l be in net for a pivotal Game 5 on Tuesday.
For Canucks forward J.T. Miller, the answer doesn91裸聊视频檛 matter.
91裸聊视频淚t doesn91裸聊视频檛 affect the way we91裸聊视频檙e playing. If anything, you want to play harder for the guy in that situation,91裸聊视频� he said after rookie netminder Arturs Silovs helped Vancouver to a 4-3 overtime win in Game 4 on Sunday.
91裸聊视频淏ut it doesn91裸聊视频檛 matter who91裸聊视频檚 in net. We should be playing on our toes and playing Canucks hockey no matter who91裸聊视频檚 back there. I91裸聊视频檓 just happy that whoever91裸聊视频檚 back there is stepping up big for us.91裸聊视频�
All-star Thatcher Demko 91裸聊视频� who was announced Monday as a finalist for the Vezina Award, handed out annually to the NHL91裸聊视频檚 top goalie 91裸聊视频� got the start when Vancouver kicked off its post-season campaign on April 21.
After missing 14 games with a knee injury, the 28-year-old American returned for the final two contests of the regular season, then turned away 20 shots in Vancouver91裸聊视频檚 Game 1 win.
Demko was sidelined by a lower-body injury ahead of Game 2 and Casey DeSmith stepped in.
With the 32-year-old backup in place, Vancouver dropped a 4-1 decision, then downed Nashville 2-1 in Game 3 for the first playoff victory of DeSmith91裸聊视频檚 six-season-long career.
91裸聊视频淚t couldn91裸聊视频檛 come at a better time,91裸聊视频� he said after the game. 91裸聊视频淚 was really disappointed with how I played the other night. I thought the team played great the other night and didn91裸聊视频檛 get the result they deserved. And tonight I thought we really brought it. We earned that one. So it means a lot.91裸聊视频�
News emerged hours before the puck dropped in Game 4 Sunday that DeSmith was dealing with an undisclosed injury and Silovs would be making his first NHL playoff appearance.
91裸聊视频�(DeSmith91裸聊视频檚) a competitor, he wanted to go. But we wanted to play the safe route,91裸聊视频� said Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet.
Silovs spent much of the season with Vancouver91裸聊视频檚 American Hockey League affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks, making just four regular-season appearances for the NHL club.
Still, there was no panic when staff decided DeSmith couldn91裸聊视频檛 play, Tocchet said.
91裸聊视频淗e doesn91裸聊视频檛 look nervous to me, even before the game,91裸聊视频� the coach said. 91裸聊视频淚 don91裸聊视频檛 think the moment91裸聊视频檚 too big for him. I like his demeanour.91裸聊视频�
The 23-year-old Latvian rose to the occasion, stopping 27 shots as the Canucks rallied late in the third period to erase a two-goal deficit and force the extra frame before Elias Lindholm sealed the victory with a goal 62 seconds into overtime.
Silovs has played under pressure before, leading Latvia to bronze 91裸聊视频� its first medal 91裸聊视频� at the World Championships last May. He was named MVP of the tournament and said the experience helped him stay calm when he got the nod Sunday.
91裸聊视频淚 played in Latvia, my hometown (in the World Championships),91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚t was like the same atmosphere, I would say. Either they boo you or they91裸聊视频檙e for you. It91裸聊视频檚 always great to play.91裸聊视频�
Just one other playoff team has used three different goalies to earn the first three wins of a playoff campaign 91裸聊视频� the 2004 Canucks. That iteration of the club saw Dan Cloutier, Johan Hedberg and Alex Auld all suit up in the conference quarterfinal.
Whether Silovs will be in net Tuesday again is unclear. Tocchet said after Sunday91裸聊视频檚 game that he expects DeSmith to be an option for Game 5, but that the Canucks would wait for more information.
91裸聊视频淥bviously, if (DeSmith) feels good enough to go and he91裸聊视频檚 safe to get in there, obviously you go with Casey. But saying that, we91裸聊视频檝e got Arty. We91裸聊视频檙e confident with him,91裸聊视频� the coach said.
91裸聊视频淚 don91裸聊视频檛 think it91裸聊视频檚 a lose-lose proposition. I think we win either way. I think the prudent thing is to get Casey healthy before we make any decision.91裸聊视频�
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