Former Utica Comets Goalie is Starring in the 2020 NHL Playoffs

With a first name like Thatcher, you're bound to stand out from the crowd.

Fans who remember Thatcher Demko stopping pucks for the Utica Comets at the Adirondack Bank Center in the American Hockey League will probably not be surprised at his recent achievements in the NHL.

The hockey goalie has been "standing on his head" (hockey talk for brilliant performance while making it look easy) in leading the Vancouver Canucks during the playoffs. He had two notable appearances this week--becoming the first California-born goaltender with an NHL playoff victory, then recording 48 saves (highlights below) in a 4-0 shutout to push his team into a Game 7 of its series against Las Vegas.

Demko was born in San Diego, where began playing youth hockey at age four. He later moved north to Los Angeles to play for the L.A. Junior Kings.

Soon after suiting up for Boston College, he started showing up on the radar of scouting services, and he was eventually selected by Vancouver in the second round of the 2014 draft. He was assigned to Utica, where he played for the Comets during the 2016-2017 season.

Demko has been sharing time between the pipes in Vancouver with Jakob Markstrom, another former Utica fan favorite. Here's Demko's bio page with the Canucks.