Remember Luongo vs. Schneider? Miller vs. Lack? Essensa vs.
Potvin? Hirsch vs. McLean? Gamble vs. McLean? In Vancouver, it’s a tale as old as time — the backup is playing very well and the No.
1 is not. And that’s where the current edition seems to find itself. Kevin Lankinen’s performances in the past two games were head and shoulders above anything Thatcher Demko managed in the previous four.
If the Canucks are going to stay in this playoff chase — assuming that Calgary doesn’t ...
wait for it ...
flame out — they are going to need outstanding goaltending. The kind of goaltending they have been used to getting from Demko. But Demko’s average play hasn’t been enough.
The Canucks haven’t played well in front of him, but they’ve played well enough some nights that in past years Demko would have bailed them out a couple times and they’d have a couple more wins because of it. And that’s the rub in all this. The Canucks really need their guy to be the guy.
Former goalie and current president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford is focused on the play of his star forwards at the moment — there’s a rift, he acknowledged to the Globe and Mail on Tuesday, further confirmation of what everyone has been reporting for weeks — so you can’t help but think he’s watching what has gone on with his goalies as well. Rutherford knows well the importance of getting quality starts. Look at all three of his cup winners: — they were powered by solid performances.
