Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Canucks drama continues with Heritage Classic loss, Lack - Luongo controversy

Eddie Lack

Vancouver Canucks’ goalie Eddie Lack, of Sweden, watches the puck after making a save against the Ottawa Senators during first period NHL hockey action at the Heritage Classic at B.C. Place stadium in Vancouver, B.C., Sunday, March 2, 2014. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darryl Dyck)

AP

The 2014 Heritage Classic ended with fireworks, but the real show for many Vancouver Canucks fans came when it became clear that Eddie Lack would start over Roberto Luongo. Lack experienced some tough moments against the Ottawa Senators in an eventual 4-2 loss, only exasperating a shaky atmosphere around the team.

PHT’s Cam Tucker and Jason Brough were at the game, capturing how John Tortorella’s decision didn’t sit well with some fans.

Tucker deftly evoked the Canucks second most recent goalie controversy involving Luongo:

It’s almost become commonplace to feel bad for Luongo, but many believe that Lack is just unlucky to be dragged into the latest round of Canucks drama.

The disturbing thing for the Canucks is that this isn’t the only area of unease for the team, management and its fans. Regardless of denials, there are plenty of rumblings about Ryan Kesler being traded. Tortorella has made more than a few candid remarks about the makeup of the team prompting changes. To add injury to all the insults, Daniel Sedin suffered a lower-body ailment on Sunday, too.

It’s as if the Canucks hosted this big event at one of their most dysfunctional times. Consider the fact that this tweet went out before a loss in which Vancouver squandered a 2-0 lead to fall 4-2:

The Canucks have one more game (Tuesday at Phoenix) before the trade deadline. Fans won’t have to wait long to see if Sunday’s defeat was something of a swansong for a key member or two.

Then again, knowing this franchise, the drama could very well extend into the offseason (and maybe beyond).

Follow James O’Brien @cyclelikesedins