Vancouver Canucks stay quiet on starting goalie for pivotal Game 5

Coach Rick Tocchet isn’t revealing who’ll start in net for the Vancouver Canucks when they face the Nashville Predators in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series tonight.

He says the choice will be a “game-time decision” based on both the health of his goalies and their recent performances.

The Canucks have started three different goalies in the series and each has earned a win, giving Vancouver a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven matchup.

Rookie Arturs Silovs got the start in Game 4, stopping 27 shots in his first NHL playoff appearance as the Canucks came back from a late two-goal deficit to beat the Preds 4-3 in overtime.

He replaced Casey DeSmith, who played Games 2 and 3 before going down with a lower-body injury. All-star goalie Thatcher Demko was in net for Vancouver in Game 1, but sustained a lower-body injury and is currently listed as week to week.

Tocchet says if DeSmith “had a good day” yesterday and if he doesn’t start Game 5, he will likely be the backup.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 30, 2024.

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