After some questions as to who would start the second-half of the Vancouver Canucks’ weekend back-to-back at home, Kevin Lankinen was named tonight’s starter against the Colorado Avalanche, as per Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote via pre-game media availability.
The questions of who would start this weekend’s games arose when the Canucks called up goaltender Jiří Patera from the Abbotsford Canucks under emergency conditions on Friday. Foote explained later that day that this was due to Thatcher Demko requiring some time off for maintenance, though the team was quick to specify that he did not have a set time frame for this period.
Vancouver’s goaltending issues grew even more on Friday night. With Patera on his way to Vancouver, Ty Young started for Abbotsford, but exited the game by the start of the third period after sustaining an injury. With Abbotsford starter Nikita Tolopilo still out due to injury as well, both Jonathan Lemieux and Aku Koskenvuo were recalled to Abbotsford from the Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL.
As a result of the goaltending complications, Lankinen started last night, helping Vancouver along to a resilient 4–3 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The goaltender currently sports a 3-4-0 record on the season and will look to put himself on a .500 record by the end of tonight.
The Canucks continue their homestand tonight against the Avalanche tonight, hoping to stop a red-hot Colorado team that took the Edmonton Oilers down by a score of 9–1 the night before. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT.
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