Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko exits game with apparent lower-body injury

Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko, centre, is helped off the ice by a trainer and Ilya Mikheyev (65), of Russia, after being injured as Tyler Myers (57) and Elias Pettersson, of Sweden, watch during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers in Vancouver, on Thursday, December 1, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

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VANCOUVER - Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko left Vancouver's game against the Florida Panthers on Thursday with an apparent lower-body injury.

He went down while making a save late in the first period and grabbed his right leg as Ryan Lomberg batted in the rebound to give the Panthers a 3-0 lead.

Demko stayed down in the crease as a trainer came out to look at him. The goalie was helped off the ice and appeared to avoid putting any weight on his right leg.

Spencer Martin took over Vancouver's crease for the final seconds of the first period and started the second. The Canucks said in a tweet that Demko would not return to the game.

It has been a difficult start to the season for Demko. He entered play with a 3-9-2 record over 14 starts with a 3.81 goals-against average and .885 save percentage.

He went 33-22-7 last season with a 2.72 GAA and .915 save percentage before missing the final three games of the campaign due to a lower-body injury.

This report by ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥was first published Dec. 1, 2022.

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