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In Vancouver’s second big rivalry game in a month, Schneider starts over Luongo

Roberto Luongo, Cory Schneider

Vancouver Canucks’ Roberto Luongo, right, leaves the ice and is replaced by backup Cory Schneider after giving up four goals to the Chicago Blackhawks during second period NHL hockey game action in Vancouver, on Saturday Nov. 20, 2010.(AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Darryl Dyck)

AP

The last time the Vancouver Canucks faced a heated rival – Jan. 7 in Boston – backup goalie Cory Schneider was named the surprise starter over Roberto Luongo. It was a decision that drew derision from those in the Beantown media, at least one of whom accused Luongo of being scared to face his TD Garden demons.

Tonight at Rogers Arena against Vancouver’s other main foe, the Chicago Blackhawks, Schneider will once again get the start over the team’s supposed number one.

Allow Canucks coach Alain Vigneault to explain why.

“We talked about it a couple of times and it just made sense,” said Vigneault, as per The Province. “If I told him (Luongo) in advance enough, I know that he would work out while he was (on the break). Louie’s got a family and this was a good mental break for him. Cory doesn’t have a family yet and he can work out during the break.”

OK, there’s a trace of logic in there.

Schneider also hasn’t started since Jan. 10, so he was due to get the nod at some point.

That said, the optics are what they are. Tonight isn’t just another regular-season game for the Canucks. It never is when the Blackhawks are involved. It certainly wasn’t just another regular-season game against the Bruins, no matter what was said by those Vancouver fans who were scared to admit it.

In the past, tonight would’ve been an automatic Luongo start. Now you can’t help but wonder, come playoff time, how will the Canucks handle their goaltending situation? Is it still Luongo or bust? Or, has his leash grown shorter with the emergence of Schneider, not to mention Luongo’s history of awful – not just bad – playoff performances?

Related: Vigneault wonders how Blackhawks-Canucks rivalry can get more intense