Backup goalie leads Canucks past Knights in Game 5

[September 02, 2020]  Thatcher Demko made 42 saves in his first career playoff start as the Vancouver Canucks recorded a 2-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5 on Tuesday in Edmonton to stay alive in their Western Conference semifinal series.

The Canucks reduced the Golden Knights' lead to 3-2 in the best-of-seven series. Game 6 is scheduled for Thursday in Edmonton.

Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser scored for Vancouver, with Boeser also recording an assist. J.T. Miller had two assists.

Pettersson's seventh goal of the 2020 playoffs put Vancouver ahead 3:19 into the third period. Boeser's shot from the blue line made its way through traffic in front of Vegas goaltender Robin Lehner before deflecting off Pettersson for the game-deciding goal.

Shea Theodore scored the Golden Knights' only goal, and Lehner stopped 15 of 17 shots.

With regular goalie Jacob Markstrom sidelined due to a groin injury, the Canucks turned to Demko for just his second career playoff game. Demko's previous playoff resume consisted of 8:26 of relief duty for Markstrom in Vancouver's 5-0 loss to Vegas in Game 1.

In Game 5, however, the third-year goalie looked like a seasoned veteran while stopping every shot he faced except one.

The Golden Knights outshot Vancouver by a 43-17 margin, including a 28-10 margin through the first 40 minutes. The Canucks didn't record their first shot until 10:26 into the game, and their first shot of the second period didn't arrive until the 12:38 mark.

Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko (35) blocks a shot from Vegas Golden Knights center Paul Stastny (26) during the third period in game five of the second round of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place. The Vancouver Canucks won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Gerry Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Despite holding the offensive advantage, Vegas couldn't solve Demko apart from a tremendous individual effort by Theodore.

At the 15:12 mark of the second period, Theodore took the puck at the blue line and skated into Vancouver's zone. Theodore maneuvered amid four Canucks players before firing over Demko's shoulder for his fifth goal of the postseason.

Only 24 seconds later, Boeser equalized on one of only four second-period shots for the Canucks. The forward converted his fourth goal of the 2020 playoffs after combining with Miller on an impressive give-and-go play.

--Field Level Media

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