Vancouver Canucks to start Arturs Silovs in Game 1

Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.

Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet says he also expects Elias Pettersson to play after the star centre missed practice due to illness Tuesday.

Silovs was the third goalie to play for Vancouver in a first-round matchup against the Nashville Predators after all-star netminder Thatcher Demko and backup Casey DeSmith both went down with lower-body injuries.

The 23-year-old Latvian goaltender went 2-1-0 with a 1.70 goals-against average, .938 save percentage and a shutout as Vancouver eliminated the Predators in a six-game series.

The Oilers advanced to the second round after topping the L.A. Kings in a five-game series.

Edmonton is expected to start Stuart Skinner, who went 4-1-0 with a 2.59 goals-against average, a .910 save percentage and a shutout in the first round.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 8, 2024.