The Vancouver Canucks are set to hit the ice in Minnesota this afternoon for the first game of their four-game road trip before Christmas.
With the Canucks playing back-to-backs, today against the Minnesota Wild and Sunday against the Chicago Blackhawks, Rick Tocchet has made a decision on who will get the start for this afternoon's game, that being Casey DeSmith.
A big reason for DeSmith getting the start is his strong numbers against the Minnesota Wild in his career, as Michael Russo of The Athletic points out below.
"Casey DeSmith, 5-0 with a 1.78 GAA and .943 SV% lifetime vs. #mnwild, starting for the #canucks"
The 32-year-old has been solid for the Canucks this season after being acquired from the Montreal Canadiens in September. In nine games, DeSmith has a record of 5-2-1 with a 2.57 goals against average, a .917 save percentage and one shutout.
Puck drop for Saturday's game is set for 11 a.m. PT/2 p.m. ET and can be viewed in the Vancouver region on Sportsnet Pacific.