Canucks' Pettersson will play in Game 1; Silovs starts
Published
Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet confirmed that forward Elias Pettersson will play Wednesday as the team opens their second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers.
Tocchet added that Pettersson is not nursing an injury, saying it was an illness that caused him to miss Tuesday's practice.
Pettersson did not score and had three assists in Vancouver's six-game victory over the Nashville Predators in the opening round. He had 34 goals and 55 assists for 89 points in 82 games during the regular season.
Meanwhile, Tocchet said Arturs Silovs will start in net for Vancouver in Game 1 after backstopping the team to wins in two of his three starts in round one. After playing in just four games during the regular season, Silovs has a 2.47 goals-against average and .881 save percentage in three playoff games. The 23-year-old Latvian was filling in for Casey DeSmith, who sustained and injury in Game 3 of the Nashville series. He was starting in place of Vezina Trophy finalist Thatcher Demko, who has not played since April 21 because of a knee injury and does not have a firm timetable for his return.
The Canucks will host Games 1 and 2 of their showdown with the Oilers before the series shifts to Edmonton on Sunday for Game 3.