NHL playoffs: Canucks’ Casey DeSmith won’t start Game 4 [Video]

NASHVILLE –

Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Vancouver Canucks when they face the Nashville Predators in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series Sunday.

The 23-year-old Latvian led the Canucks out onto the ice for warm ups. He’ll be backed up by 24-year-old Belarusian netminder Nikita Tolopilo, who has never played an NHL game.

Silovs is the third goalie to play for the Canucks in the best-of-seven series, and has spent much of the season with Vancouver’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks.

All-star netminder Thatcher Demko backstopped Vancouver to a win in Game 1 but has been sidelined since by an undisclosed injury, and is considered week to week.

Backup Casey DeSmith took over for Games 2 and 3, going 1-1-0 in the two contests with a 2.02 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage.

Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet declined to say at a …