Vancouver Canucks Player News

Demko has started three straight games for the Canucks and will start again on Monday, the front end of a back-to-back. Demko has been solid all season but is amid a weaker run of play, allowing three or more goals in four of his last five games (3-1-1), posting an uncharacteristically low .891 SV%. The Canucks are coming off a 6-4 win over the New Jersey Devils on the weekend but are +129 road underdogs against a New York Rangers club that has collected at least a point in three of their last four (2-1-1).

Demko has started three straight games for the Canucks and will likely start again on Monday, the front end of a back-to-back. Demko has been solid all season but is amid a weaker run of play, allowing three or more goals in four of his last five games (3-1-1), posting an uncharacteristically low .891 SV%. The Canucks are coming off a 6-4 win over the New Jersey Devils on the weekend but are +129 road underdogs against a New York Rangers club that has collected at least a point in three of their last four (2-1-1).

Declan Carlile and Sean Day have both been reassigned to the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL, prompting the Lightning to recall Thompson and Emil Martinsen-Lilleberg. In 31 games with Syracuse (AHL), Thompson has 20 points (2G / 18A).

Demko will start his second straight game and look for his third consecutive victory for the Canucks on Thursday. The 28-year-old Demko has helped his team collect a point in his last seven games (6-0-1), allowing three or fewer goals five times and posting a serviceable .917 SV%. The Canucks are -147 road favourites against a St. Louis Blues team that has lost two straight, being outscored 6-3.

Karlsson is expected to skate on a line with Andrei Kuzmenko and Nils Aman in his first game since December 5th. Through three games this season, Karlsson has yet to record a point while averaging 10:26 time-on-ice.

Karlsson had seven goals, 16 assists, 10 PIMs and +8 plus/minus through 25 games played with Abbotsford (AHL) and has been recalled to Vancouver for the second time this season. The 24-year-old last appeared on December 5th for the Canucks and has yet to pick up a point in three games and only 10:26 TOI/GP.

Demko and Casey DeSmith have split starts over the last six games, but the Canucks will turn back to Demko on Tuesday. The 28-year-old Demko has been stellar for the Canucks all season, highlighted by a current six-game stretch (5-0-1), where he has posted a .916 SV%. The Canucks have not played since December 28th, a 4-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, and should be well rested as -143 home favourites against the Ottawa Senators, who have won three of their last four games (3-1-0).

Demko and Casey DeSmith have split starts over the last six games, but the Canucks will likely turn back to Demko on Tuesday. The 28-year-old Demko has been stellar for the Canucks all season, highlighted by a current six-game stretch (5-0-1), where he has posted a .916 SV%. The Canucks have not played since December 28th, a 4-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, and should be well rested as -143 home favourites against the Ottawa Senators, who have won three of their last four games (3-1-0).

Lankinen missed Friday and Saturday's game with an illness, but was back at practice on Monday. With no back-to-back this week, it unclear if Lankinen will get a start until next week.

Lankinen, who last played on December 19th, saving 11 of 11 shots in relief of Juuse Saros, is battling an illness and will not suit up for the Predators on Wednesday. The team has recalled Yaroslav Askarov, who will serve as the backup to Saros.

Demko will return to the crease after serving as the backup on Tuesday as the Canucks will search for their seventh win in their last eight games. Demko is riding a personal four-game winning streak, allowing only five total goals while posting a stellar .940 SV%. In his last matchup against the Dallas Stars, Demko saved all 27 shots he faced for a 2-0 shutout victory. Even so, the Canucks are listed as +134 against a Stars team that has scored three or more goals in four straight games (3-0-1).

The Predators are opting to defy the conventional approach to a back-to-back and give Lankinen the start on Friday, meaning Juuse Saros is likely to get the nod against the Capitals on Saturday. Lankinen took a tough-luck loss his last start on December 9th in Toronto, allowing three goals on 36 shots in the 4-0 defeat. He'll have his hands full again tonight with the Predators being +145 underdogs in Caorlina.