The Canucks won their seventh in a row last night, battling back to beat Anaheim 5-4 in a shootout. But Vancouver being Vancouver, obviously the only thing everyone’s talking about today is the goaltending. Specifically, the fact Robert Luongo allowed four goals on 15 shots and the crowd at Rogers Arena cheered loudly when he was replaced by Cory Schneider.
From The Province:
In most years, make that in every year before this one, [Luongo’s] outing would have been essentially brushed aside. Loose team, with a loose goalie in a (mostly) mean-nothing game.
Who cares? Wake us up when it’s for real.
But this isn’t most years. This is a Vancouver Canucks team with a finite window, whose only real goal is to win it all. This is a Vancouver Canucks team with a backup goalie who started Tuesday with a 9-2-1 record, a 1.50 GAA and a .952 save percentage since the all-star break.
Oh, it’s easy to love the backup. But it’s never been this easy.
Luongo provided the predictable “it is what it is” comment when asked about the crowd’s reaction, adding, “I play with a lot of heart and unfortunately I am as disappointed as everybody else. You just put it behind you and move on.”
Safe to say he heard the crowd’s cheers loud and clear.
Vancouver has two games left before the playoffs. Luongo will get a chance to put last night behind him. And yes, his teammates have his back.
“None of those goals were Lu’s fault,” Henrik Sedin said. “Those were bang-bang plays. Guys were just walking in. It was a tough night for him because we gave up those chances.”
But a lot of Canucks fans have already made up their minds, and they want Schneider.