23-year-old 3rd Vancouver goalie to appear in series, Tolopilo will back up

Arturs Silovs VAN to start

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NASHVILLE — Arturs Silovs is starting Game 4 for the Vancouver Canucks against the Nashville Predators in Game 4 of the Western Conference First Round at Bridgestone Arena on Sunday.

The Canucks lead the best-of-7 series 2-1.

Casey DeSmith, who started Games 2 and 3 for an injured Thatcher Demko, was not on the ice for warmups. He made 29 saves in a 2-1 victory in Game 3 on Friday with Demko is week to week because of an undisclosed injury.

Canucks risking development of Silovs to win games in Abbotsford

Silvos, 23, is making his Stanley Cup Playoff debut. He went 3-0-1 with a 2.47 goals-against average and .881 save percentage in four games this season and is 6-2-1 with a 2.62 GAA and .898 save percentage in nine NHL games.

Nikita Tolopilo will back up Silovs. The undrafted 24-year-old was recalled from Abbotsford of the American Hockey League on April 23.