Playoff game, pre-season game or scrimmage – Arturs Silovs answers the call as the Vancouver Canucks examine their crucial next steps in net. Arturs Silovs [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA5NTM4NjQxNjc5MDk5NTQy/usatsi_24317544_168400847_lowres.jpg] Arturs Silovs It’s like he never left. Five months after Arturs Silovs stepped in admirably for injured Thatcher Demko in the playoffs, he picked up right where he left off with a first-star showing in the Vancouver Canucks’ first pre-season game of 2024. The Canucks kicked off their campaign with an energetic 3-1 home-ice win [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/game-day/vancouver-canucks-kick-off-2024-pre-season-with-3-1-victory-over-the-seattle-kraken] over the Seattle Kraken in front of a boisterous crowd at Rogers Arena. Silovs stopped 18 shots while playing the full 60 minutes. “It’s nice,” he said of the workload. “You get in a rhythm and just take the game better.” Seattle’s only goal came 10 seconds into the third period when Jaden Schwartz and Ben Meyers broke in virtually unimpeded. One of Silovs' teammates in AHL Abbotsford for the last two seasons was impressed overall with his performance. “Only letting in one, and obviously a great play from Schwartz and the goal-scorer there,” said Aatu Raty. “He obviously made, like, five or six saves that could have been goals on any given night. So I think he definitely won us the game.” Last spring, Silovs stepped up from a third-string role to seize the job of playoff starter. Now, he's tasked once again with proving that he’s the right man for the job. Demko remains out indefinitely as he rehabs an unusual muscle issue [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/latest-news/report-canucks-demko-recovering-from-a-popliteus-muscle-injury] around his knee, and GM Patrik Allvin shored up his depth in net last Saturday when he signed journeyman Kevin Lankinen to a one-year contract [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/latest-news/vancouver-canucks-sign-goaltender-kevin-lankinen-to-a-one-year-contract]. Everyone’s preaching patience around Demko’s recovery, so it’ll likely be 23-year-old Silovs and 29-year-old Lankinen who dress for Game 1 of Vancouver's regular season on Oct. 9. Silovs has 19 games of NHL experience, 10 of which came in the 2024 playoffs. Lankinen has a solid .905 career save percentage over 112 NHL games through four seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators. He has never played an NHL playoff game — although he helped his native Finland win a gold medal at the 2019 World Championship. While it should be too soon to worry about who will remain with the Canucks once Demko is healthy again, Silovs is wasting no time demonstrating his own knee issues [https://thehockeynews.com/news/vancouver-canucks-goalie-situation-gets-hazier-with-arturs-silovs-update] that caused him to miss Latvia’s Olympic qualification tournament in late August were minor, and are now in the rearview mirror. And while he remains waiver exempt for another 61 games, per CapWages [https://capwages.com/tools/waivers-calculator], he wants to play in the NHL this year. “You have to perform,” he said. “It doesn’t matter which game you play. Do your best as you can.” After Silovs' playoff run last spring, Vancouver coach Rick Tocchet is inclined to give his young stopper the benefit of the doubt. “When you call his name, it doesn't matter if it’s a playoff game or the first pre-season game or the blue-and-white scrimmage game,” Tocchet said. “He's a very calm kid. He's very confident. He looks at (Demko) — he looks up to him because Demmer’s the same way.” Asked to describe Silovs’ performance on Tuesday, defenseman Tyler Myers could only smile. “He was great," he said. "Mid-season form.” Get the latest news and trending stories right to your inbox by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here [https://info.thehockeynews.com/mail/microsites/951/1/gTeQVf?_gl=1*ustlbj*_ga*NjkyMzUxMy4xNjYzNjIwMzQ3*_ga_PK63FB1PME*MTcxMzUwOTExNi40NDguMS4xNzEzNTA5MjA5LjU5LjAuMA..]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or by visiting our forum [https://thehockeynews.rtb.io/THNHOME/posts].
