Canucks have tricky choice for Oilers showdown if Demko's not ready
The Edmonton Oilers are closing in, and the Vancouver Canucks have a big decision to make.
The Canucks lost ground in the race for first place in the Pacific Division on Wednesday. They picked up a point against Arizona, but the Oilers earned two by winning their game against Vegas.
It means that Edmonton is now just four points back of Vancouver, with two games in hand. The Oilers have five games left, while the Canucks have just three to play.
Edmonton will make up one of those games in hand on Friday, at home to the Coyotes.
That makes Saturday’s game between the Canucks and Oilers the biggest one of the season. While the Canucks can’t be passed in the standings on Saturday due to the fact they hold the regulation wins tiebreaker, they can lose control of their own destiny, assuming Edmonton wins the night before.
The biggest decision Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet will have to make is who starts in goal.
Thatcher Demko is back skating with the Canucks at practice, but is not expected to play Saturday in Edmonton, according to CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal. Dhaliwal said that Tuesday’s game against the Calgary Flames is the target for Demko’s return, but noted that things can change.
Is Thatcher Demko returning on Saturday?@DhaliwalSports shared the latest he has heard.https://t.co/h4e2SKM7eJ pic.twitter.com/FZlWR5dYyE
— Donnie & Dhali (@DonnieandDhali) April 11, 2024
If Demko isn’t ready to play in Edmonton, that leaves Arturs Silovs or Casey DeSmith.
And neither goalie is playing at the top of their game.
While Silovs is 3-0-1 in four starts, the 23-year-old’s record is deceiving, given three of his four games came against non-playoff teams. The 6-foot-4 netminder has potential, but has a .881 save percentage, which includes a number of soft goals against.
DeSmith has also been struggling.
The 32-year-old is 3-5-1 in nine starts since Demko was injured, with a .877 save percentage.
DeSmith is on a four-game losing streak, but those starts include games against Los Angeles (x2), Vegas, and Dallas.
DeSmith’s last start in Edmonton may have been his best of the season when he stopped 40 of 43 shots.
But that was back on October 14.
The Oilers team Vancouver faces this time is quite different from the one they played three times in October and November.
Since firing their coach on November 12, the Oilers have the NHL’s best record, at 45-15-4. The Oilers were without Connor McDavid last night, but it didn’t seem to matter, as they blew out Vegas 5-1. The Oilers captain is still listed as “day-to-day,” meaning he could play on Saturday.
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