All-star Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko will make his first start of the season Tuesday.

Head coach Rick Tocchet confirmed after morning skate that Demko will be in net when the Canucks host the St. Louis Blues.

The 28-year-old netminder from San Diego, Calif., last played on April 24 when the Canucks bested the Nashville Predators in Game 1 of a first-round playoff series.

He suffered an injury to the popliteus muscle in his knee during the game and has been working his way back ever since.

A number of factors led to Demko starting Tuesday, Tocchet said.

香蕉视频直播淵ou want him to feel comfortable. You want to, obviously, communicate with him,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播�(Kevin Lankinen) was playing well, too. So there wasn香蕉视频直播檛 a pressing issue to get him in. But we want to get him in. We香蕉视频直播檙e excited. Obviously he香蕉视频直播檚 a huge part of our team.香蕉视频直播�

Demko had a 35-14-2 record with a .918 save percentage, a 2.45 goals-against average and five shutouts in regular-season play last year and played in the all-star game for the second time in his career.

The veteran goalie is managing his personal expectations as he returns to game action, however.

香蕉视频直播淚 think it香蕉视频直播檇 be foolish to say that I香蕉视频直播檓 going to come back and be perfectly sharp and feel like I have my 香蕉视频直播楢香蕉视频直播� game in game one. Obviously, that takes a little bit of time,香蕉视频直播� Demko told reporters last week. 香蕉视频直播淛ust seeing game reps and things is kind of a last step of fully doing rehab. So I香蕉视频直播檓 not really putting an expectation on that.

香蕉视频直播淥bviously, the way Lanks has played kind of takes a little bit of pressure off of myself to come in and not feel like I have to save the world.香蕉视频直播�

Demko returned to Vancouver香蕉视频直播檚 lineup last week, backing up Lankinen for games against the Columbus Blue Jackets and Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Canucks signed Lankinen to a US$875,000 deal during training camp and the Finnish goaltender has split the crease with Arturs Silovs this season, backstopping Vancouver to a 14-8-4 record.

Lankinen has been 香蕉视频直播渦nbelievable香蕉视频直播� this season, Demko said.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 been really fun to get to know him and be able to watch him play,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a challenging position he was put in, coming into a new team and being able to manage the workload that he香蕉视频直播檚 been given.香蕉视频直播�

Demko香蕉视频直播檚 return to the crease should act as motivation for the Canucks香蕉视频直播� skaters as the team takes on the Blues, Tocchet said.

香蕉视频直播淚 think, when you look at the way Demmer has worked hard to get back, a lot of lonely times by himself, it should give guys juice that you want to play well in front of him,香蕉视频直播� the coach said. You香蕉视频直播檇 be crazy not to.

香蕉视频直播淢aybe there香蕉视频直播檚 extra shot blocking, situations to get the puck in deep when we香蕉视频直播檙e tired to give him a break, things like that. I think we need to do that tonight for him.香蕉视频直播�