VANCOUVER -- The Vancouver Canucks will try to take a 2-0 series lead against the Nashville Predators in the Western Conference First Round at Rogers Arena on Tuesday, but they will have to do it with backup goalie Casey DeSmith.
Thatcher Demko, the Canucks' No. 1 goalie, will not play in Game 2 and is day to day because of an undisclosed injury.
Vancouver coach Rick Tocchet said he has full faith in DeSmith, who was 12-9-6 with a 2.80 goals-against averqge, .896 save percentage and one shutout in 29 games (27 starts) this season. DeSmith will make his second Stanley Cup Playoff start Tuesday and first since 2022 with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
"I'm real confident," Tocchet said. "I love his demeanor. Very well-liked guy. Anytime you get into playoffs there's stories, and he's looking to be a contributor for this team. We expect him to play the way he's played all year for us, really solid hockey. We're not looking for him to be spectacular, we're looking at him to be Casey."
Demko made 22 saves in the Canucks' 4-2 win in Game 1 on Sunday.
The Predators said their game plan will remain the same regardless of who is in the opposing net.
"Obviously [Demko] is a great goalie but there's a lot of great goalies in this league," Nashville captain Roman Josi said. "For us it doesn't really change anything."
Teams that take a 2-0 lead in a best-of-7 Stanley Cup Playoff series have an all-time record of 348-55 (.864).
Here are 3 keys for Game 2:
1. Predators need more from top line
Nashville's first line of Ryan O'Reilly (zero), Filip Forsberg (two) and Gustav Nyquist (one) combined for three shots on goal at even strength in Game 1.
Some of that came from the challenge of trying to match up with Vancouver's top line of J.T. Miller, Pius Suter and Brock Boeser.
"Have to be better defensively, that kind of starts with me," O'Reilly said. "I think I was a little slower to defend. We were just a little hesitant knowing how good they are offensively. Definitely have to be better and just quicker to close in areas. If we can do that I think the offensive stuff will come. Lot of it just starts in our end being better there and build it from that."
With the series on the road, coach Andrew Brunette said there wasn't a lot he could do to control the matchup against the Miller line, but isn't sure he would change it anyway.
"I feel comfortable," he said. "I know that's a strength for their team, down the middle, and I feel like our team is pretty good down the middle too."
2. Pettersson looking to 'move my feet'
Canucks center Elias Pettersson had two shots on goal, one at even strength, and didn't seem happy with his play in Game 1.
"I've got to be better, move my feet more," he said. "I don't think [our line] got that much offensive-zone play. Our forecheck wasn't good enough, so we got the puck stuck down low."
Tocchet said he expects Pettersson to be more aggressive offensively in Game 2, especially on the power play.
"When he gets the puck, just go," Tocchet said. "He's a talented guy. Find that good ice to make those option plays. And then obviously on the PP, I think he's going to get some good looks tonight and he's got to shoot it. He's got a [heck] of a shot, so don't defer, shoot it."
3. Physical but smart
The Canucks (41) and Predators (34) combined for 75 hits in Game 1, and each team will look to continue that heavy play in Game 2. But doing so while staying out of the penalty box is paramount.
"You've got to play between the lines for sure," Nashville defenseman Luke Schenn said. "You don't want to get caught up in crossing it, but in saying that, that's what playoffs are all about. You try to be physical, and it's not for the first game or the second game, it's through the depth of the series is when you know you typically see the benefits."
Being smart with physical play is even more important for Vancouver, which killed off three of four power plays in Game 1 but were tied for 17th in the NHL (79.1 percent) on the penalty kill during the regular season.
"There's going to be times where there's a hit to be made, and there's a time where there isn't," Miller said. "If you're running out of your way to make a big hit, it might look cool, but at the same time you've got to do what's right within the structure. That comes with maturity, being able to pick your time and place."
Predators projected lineup
Filip Forsberg -- Ryan O'Reilly -- Gustav Nyquist
Mark Jankowski -- Colton Sissons -- Jason Zucker
Anthony Beauvillier -- Tommy Novak -- Luke Evangelista
Cole Smith -- Michael McCarron -- Kiefer Sherwood
Ryan McDonagh -- Roman Josi
Jeremy Lauzon -- Alexandre Carrier
Spencer Stastney -- Luke Schenn
Juuse Saros
Kevin Lankinen
Scratched: Tyson Barrie, Jaret Anderson-Dolan, Cody Glass, Dante Fabbro, Gustavs Grigals
Injured: None
Canucks projected lineup
Pius Suter -- J.T. Miller -- Brock Boeser
Nils Hoglander -- Elias Pettersson -- Sam Lafferty
Dakota Joshua -- Elias Lindholm -- Conor Garland
Phillip Di Giuseppe -- Teddy Blueger -- Ilya Mikheyev
Quinn Hughes -- Filip Hronek
Carson Soucy -- Tyler Myers
Ian Cole -- Nikita Zadorov
Casey DeSmith
Arturs Silovs
Scratched: Mark Friedman, Nils Aman, Noah Juulsen, Vasily Podkolzin
Injured: Thatcher Demko (undisclosed)
Status report
Forsberg did not take part in the morning skate and Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said he has a couple of game-time lineup decisions ahead of Game 2. ... Brunette had said Monday that Fabbro, a defenseman, and Glass, a forward who took Forsberg’s spot during line rushes during the morning skate, could be options to play after each was scratched in Game 1. … There is no timeline for Demko's return, Tocchet said. ... Silovs was recalled on an emergency basis from Abbotsford of the American Hockey League on Sunday and will back up DeSmith. ... The Canucks will dress the same 18 skaters they used in Game 1 but Tocchet said he could move some forwards into different spots.
NHL.com independent correspondent Kevin Woodley contributed to this report
