WASHINGTON — Canucks centre Elias Pettersson wasn't back on the ice when Vancouver met the Capitals in Washington on Wednesday, but another major player returned to the lineup.
All-star goalie Thatcher Demko was on the bench as Kevin Lankinen's backup after Demko missed Vancouver's two previous games with back spasms.
Demko has played just seven games this season after working his way back from a rare knee injury, and has a 2-1-3 record with a .881 save percentage and a 3.34 goals-against average.
Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet said earlier on Wednesday that Pettersson was a game-time decision in Washington, depending on whether he felt comfortable.
The 26-year-old Swede has not played since Dec. 23 when he left Vancouver's 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks with an undisclosed injury after scoring two goals.
The Canucks (18-12-9) also assigned top-pair defenceman Filip Hronek to the American Hockey League's Abbotsford Canucks for a conditioning stint Wednesday after he missed six weeks with a lower-body injury.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 8, 2025.
The Canadian Press
