The Vancouver Canucks had a completely new look in goal as the team hit the practice at the University of British Columbia in the noon hour on Saturday.
After Kevin Lankinen made a season-high 37 saves and Arturs Silovs backed up in a 3-1 win over Minnesota on Friday, neither netminder was on the ice with the group on Saturday.

What we know

With the heavy workload in his third straight start and with a tough assignment Sunday against Dallas on the horizon, Lankinen was given the day off by the hockey club. 
Silovs was assigned to AHL Abbotsford, where he will start on Saturday night against the San Jose Barracuda. The club wanted to get Silovs some game action, considering he hadn’t played since a 5-2 loss in Anaheim on February 27th.
With Lankinen resting and Silovs down on the farm, Nikita Tolopilo was recalled by the Canucks under emergency conditions Saturday morning. He tended one net at UBC while the Canucks enlisted a practice goaltender to guard the other cage during Saturday’s session.

Other news and notes

The Canucks skated in the same line combinations and defensive pairings used to beat the Wild. 
Quinn Hughes took a scheduled day off the ice in his recovery from his latest injury, which has kept him out of action for the past two games. Beyond that, the team didn’t have much of an update on the captain, who remains day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. However, without a practice on Saturday, it seems like a longshot to have Hughes back in action against the Stars on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Thatcher Demko skated on his own at UBC prior to the main group. Today marks one month since Demko left a February 8th game against Toronto with a lower-body injury. He has not practiced with the full group and would likely need a couple of practices before he becomes an option to play again. With a compressed schedule, including a pair of back to backs over the next nine days, it’s unlikely the Canucks will have much practice time during this busy stretch.
The Canucks host Dallas on Sunday. The Stars stop off for a game in Edmonton tonight. Jake Oettinger is getting the start in goal against the Oilers which means the Canucks will likely see former teammate Casey DeSmith in goal at Rogers Arena. Dallas beat the Canucks 5-3 on January 31st – the day JT Miller was traded and the night Quinn Hughes injured his oblique.

What we heard

Rick Tocchet on finding ways to get Lankinen rest between games: “I talked to him after the game. Obviously he was going to go on the ice either today or tomorrow. We felt give him today and he’ll go on the ice in the morning. I like talking to the goalies about it and his preference was to do this and so you give the starter his preference.”
Tocchet on employing a practice goalie to face NHL shooters: “They’re here early and stretching (with the guys). It’s not like beer league where they’re showing up as the Zamboni is going on. These guys are into it. They’re in the meals. And we want them to be part of the team. It’s fun for them, but it also kind of loosens the practice up, too.”
Tocchet on facing the Stars, who are the best team in the league since Christmas: “The balance they’ve got. Their fourth line can score. Their five-six defencemen can score. Now, you give Rantanen a couple of looks he’s going to put it in. We have to limit their looks and play tight D. But good defence is also having the puck on your stick. We just can’t be happy throwing the puck away or getting the puck out, we want to attack. But we have to be more calculated.”
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