It was a whirlwind day for Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko.

Nearly eight months after he was injured in the first game of Vancouver香蕉视频直播檚 playoff run, Demko returned to the crease Tuesday for his first start of the season.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e talked about managing expectations and not putting too much weight on that first game back, but obviously, as the moment builds, you香蕉视频直播檙e excited to play and you want to perform,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淪o definitely a little bit of a weird day just getting back into the room and things.香蕉视频直播�

Demko stopped 21 of the 25 shots he faced as the Canucks fell 4-3 to the St. Louis Blues in overtime.

香蕉视频直播淚 thought he was good tonight. It香蕉视频直播檚 good to see him in net,香蕉视频直播� said Rick Tocchet, Vancouver香蕉视频直播檚 head coach. 香蕉视频直播淗e looks big. I love seeing him back in. He香蕉视频直播檚 worked really hard, so I thought he did a great job for us tonight.香蕉视频直播�

The result was a difficult one for the all-star netminder.

香蕉视频直播淔elt rusty for sure,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚 thought I could have played a couple of goals differently. I香蕉视频直播檓 sure that there香蕉视频直播檚 stuff that I can pull to keep building. But obviously it香蕉视频直播檚 frustrating right now.香蕉视频直播�

Demko backstopped the Canucks (14-8-5) to a playoff run last season. He posted a 35-14-2 record with a .918 save percentage, a 2.45 goals-against average and five shutouts in regular-season action and played in the all-star game for the second time in his career.

Then, on April 24, he injured the popliteus muscle in his left knee during Vancouver香蕉视频直播檚 4-2 win over the Nashville Predators in Game 1 of a first-round playoff series.

The 28-year-old goalie from San Diego, Cali., has been working his way back from the rare injury ever since.

Demko admitted the ailment was in the back of his mind on Tuesday.

香蕉视频直播淥bviously, I was out for a long time. You have anxiety about things like that,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淎nd, admittedly, there香蕉视频直播檚 a couple of times during the game where I香蕉视频直播檓 thinking about it a little bit, just to kind of work through those things. And that香蕉视频直播檚 just part of the mentality of the game day and just building that confidence back up.香蕉视频直播�

Having Demko back in the crease is 香蕉视频直播渁 big add,香蕉视频直播� said Canucks winger Conor Garland, calling his teammate 香蕉视频直播渁 top goalie in the world.香蕉视频直播�

The team should have performed better in front of Demko, he added.

香蕉视频直播淵ou don香蕉视频直播檛 want to give a guy four or five breakaways or odd-man rushes. So it香蕉视频直播檚 not very good,香蕉视频直播� Garland said. 香蕉视频直播淏ut he香蕉视频直播檚 a battler, hangs in there, makes big saves. That香蕉视频直播檚 why he香蕉视频直播檚 the greatest.香蕉视频直播�