Worried about the Canucks missing Thatcher Demko? Backups can succeed

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Vancouver Canucks fans fretting about the team possibly losing starting goalie Thatcher Demko for the playoffs need to know names of guys like Andy Moog, Frank Pietrangelo, Adin Hill, Ken Wregget and, as it happens, Thatcher Demko.

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Here are five times where a backup goalie was thrust into starting duty in the playoffs and stood out.

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Canucks coach Rick Tocchet confirmed after the morning skate Tuesday that Demko (undisclosed) wouldn’t be playing in Game 2 of the opening round this evening against the Nashville Predators. Casey DeSmith will be guarding the net in his place.

So let’s take a look at how other teams have handled a similar situation.

Andy Moog, 1984 playoffs, Edmonton Oilers

Moog and Grant Fuhr had split action through the regular season, but Fuhr carried the load in the playoffs until he hurt his shoulder in a collision with Pat LaFontaine of the New York Islanders in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Moog, whose one previous start in those playoffs had come nearly three weeks earlier, stopped 42-of-46 shots in the fine two games to help the Oilers clinch the title.

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Alex Pietrangelo, 1991 playoffs, Pittsburgh Penguins

A shoulder injury to Tom Barrasso put Pietrangelo into the Penguins net with Pittsburgh trailing the New Jersey Devils 3-2 in the first round and facing elimination on the road. Pietrangelo made 28 saves in a 4-3 win and then pitched a 27-save shutout in a 4-0 triumph in the deciding game. He hadn’t played a game in two weeks before those two outings. He got two more starts in the next round before Barrasso would take the net back. Pittsburgh went on to win the Stanley Cup.

Ken Wregget, 1996 playoffs, Pittsburgh Penguins

Back spasms forced Barrasso to leave Game 4 of the first round against the Washington Capitals in the first period. Wregget came on and made 53 saves to help Pittsburgh to a 3-2 win in four overtimes that night. That game started a 7-1 run for Pittsburgh with him in net, leading to series wins over both the Capitals and New York Rangers. Barrasso got the net back for the third round against the Florida Panthers and the Penguins fell in seven games.

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Thatcher Demko, 2020 playoffs, Vancouver Canucks

People talk all the time about “Bubble Demko,” and how good he was against the Vegas Golden Knights in those COVID-19 playoffs based out of Edmonton but people can forget that Jacob Markstrom got the first 14 starts of Vancouver’s 17-game playoff before coming down with an undisclosed injury.

Adin Hill, 2023 playoffs, Vegas Golden Knights

Laurent Brossoit left Game 3 of the second round against the Oilers in the first period with an undisclosed injury after making a save on Connor McDavid and sliding to get into position to stop a rebound try. Hill, whose last start had come two months earlier, took over the net and never gave it back, leading the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup title. He was one of five goalies that Vegas had used in the regular season.

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@SteveEwen

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Read more of our Canucks playoff coverage:

• Canucks vs. Predators Game Day: Building off incredible buzz, Elias Lindholm’s playoff arrival
• Shame? Unlike Oilers and Leafs, there are no public Canucks viewing parties scheduled
• ‘Moments you live for’: Canucks fans’ energy, noise and towels making a big impression on the ice
• Canucks anthem singer Elizabeth Irving says O Canada for Game 1 was a “goosebumpy moment”
• Canucks coach Rick Tocchet needs perplexing power play in prime playoff attack mode
• Dakota Joshua ’getting better and better’ for the Canucks
• Canucks vs. Predators Game 1: How the goals were scored
• We are all Canucks: Even the Lions guarding the Lions Gate Bridge

GET YOUR CANUCKS PLAYOFF POSTERS: We are proud to partner with the Vancouver Canucks to bring you this year’s edition of the longtime Province tradition, the Canucks Playoff Poster series. CLICK HERE to get a new player poster emailed to you every game day!

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