Demko and the importance of letting go in big-game preparations
- Demko's 48 saves in Game 6 set the NHL record for saves in a non-overtime playoff game, surpassing previous marks by Craig Anderson, Patrick Roy, and Dominik Hasek.
- Demko became the first goalie since Jacques Plante in 1953 to win his first two playoff starts with his team facing elimination each time.
- Demko had not started a game in six months before being thrust into the lineup after Jacob Markstrom was injured in Games 3 and 4.
- Learning to let go of over-preparation and mental burnout before big games was a key part of Demko's mental development as a goaltender.
- Demko discussed his big-game preparation approach in an InGoal Podcast interview during the 2018-19 season, when he first earned a regular backup role with Vancouver.
There may not be enough superlatives to describe Thatcher Demko’s first two NHL playoff games.
That they ended with historical comparisons to Jacques Plante is enough said.
When Demko followed up his 42-save effort in Game 5, a 2-1 win against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, with a 48-save shutout in a 4-0 win in Game 6 on Thursday, he became the first goalie since Plante in 1953 to win his first two playoff starts facing elimination.
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