4 p.m., Nationwide Arena, TV: SNET; Radio: SNET 650 AMUnless Thatcher Demko was spectacular or had a light workload Saturday in Toronto — or if Travis Green wants to keep riding the stopper to get him into a rhythm — expect Louis Domingue to make his Canucks debut after being acquired at the trade deadline from the New Jersey Devils for goalie Zane McIntyre.
With Jacob Markstrom nursing a knee injury, the onus could be on Domingue to deliver in a crucial test with the Canucks trying to maintain playoff positioning. And because the Blue Jackets have won but one of their last 10 games , have the 27th-ranked offence and 26th-rated penalty kill, it could allow Domingue to gain traction with his new club. And it could give Demko time to work on technique with goalie coach Ian Clark.
Oliver Bjorkstrand is the only Blue Jackets forward to crack the 20-goal mark with 21 goals — Zach Werenski has 19 and Dubois has 18 — so Domingue will look to build on his last NHL start before the deadline, a 36-save effort, even though it was a 3-0 loss to the Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues.
Domingue extended his win streak to 11 games a year ago with the Tampa Bay Lightning. However, he cleared waivers in September and was sent to the minors. He was dealt to the Devils on Nov. 1 and recalled to back up Mackenzie Blackwood, but won just three times in 16 appearances and had a bloated 3.79 GAA and .882 saves percentage. Placed on waivers again, he was assigned to the AHL and then the Canucks came calling.
“Going into it , I wasn’t sure what my future would hold,” said Domingue. “But ultimately, if you focus on that, you’re not going to have success. I’m going to look at it and help get the team to a level it needs to be at. It’s playing without thinking. I’m ready for the challenge. This is nothing new to me.”Regardless of who starts, there must be a better commitment to team defence. Jacob Markstrom was the safety net in winning seven of eight games when he faced at least 40 shots.