A Change of Fortune

Just last week, Roberto Luongo's name was not among the finalists for the Vezina Trophy as the game's best goaltender.

Just last night, however, Luongo looked like the game's best goaltender. I'm thinking he'll take that, and possibly a long playoff run this spring, over another Vezina nomination.

Up and down all season, with a golden day for Canada at the Olympics in the middle of it, Luongo made one ridiculous glove save for the Vancouver Canucks in the second period last night and many more during the rest of the evening against the persistent Los Angeles Kings in a 4-2 triumph as the Canucks completed their comeback from a series deficit to advance to the second round of the NHL post-season.

Last week, I worried that there might be no Canadian teams left in the playoffs by the middle of this week (hyper-sensitive Canucks fans, of course, took that as a prediction they would lose even though I picked their team to win the series before it began. Sigh.). Well, the Canucks are certainly more than alive, and probably will be the favourite in the new round regardless of their opponent, and the Montreal Canadiens still have a shot, while down 3-2, against the Eastern Conference champion Washington Capitals.

They were that impressive in the final two games against the Kings, one a romp, one a tight contest in which they had to fight from behind and win by scoring late.

For a few years, the Luongo worship in Vancouver as been a bit silly, really, given his lack of production when it mattered. GM Mike Gillis' decision to make him captain just added to the cult of personality.

But with all that behind him, and without having a particularly good season, wouldn't it be a compelling story if this became the spring in which Luongo finally delivered on all that promise in the NHL post-season.

At the Olympics, he was staked to a 2-0 lead in every game in which he played. There's no chance he'll have that kind of margin of error to work with in these playoffs, so if anything, he'll have to be better, probably much better, than he was in backstopping Canada to gold.

After a first round in which they victimized Jonathan Quick's glove hand over and over, the Canucks showed they may have that second tier of offensive firepower they didn't have last year, even with 35-goal shooter Alexandre Burrows failing to find the net until he hit an empty L.A. cage in the final moments last night.

The Sedin twins look a lot readier to do battle than in any previous playoffs, and the battered Vancouver blueline, forced to call in reinforcements like Nolan Baumgartner and Andrew Alberts against the Kings, seems to be holding up.

But in the end, it will have to be about Luongo, who has been better than any Western Conference goalie so far in the post-season other than, perhaps, Ilya Bryzgalov of the upstart Phoenix Coyotes.

If he can deliver after a trying season, after a season in which he was not considered among the game's very best, Luongo will carve an brand new reputation for himself in the sport.

Comments

[JR Jake]

Now you know my long standing frustration with the L.A. Kings. One and done is getting kind of old, us fans would love to see "what is behind door #2". If I didn't know better, the Kings play the entire season, see the weather turning warm and sunny and decide to go to the beach instead of finishing their job. Congratulations on the victory to the Canucks and your fans.

[Stephen]

Annoying to watch this series from a Kings fan perspective, as a team that built its reputation by NEVER blowing a lead going into the third blew two of them at home against a Vancouver team that's terrible on the road. Should've been a Kings sweep (the puck cleared off the line in game 1 OT, the three chances to seal the game in Game 4), but Luongo bailed out the Canucks' porus D long enough for them to turn the series around.

Ah, well. The Kings will only get better, especially when Bernier takes over as starter next year and Quick's relegated to the 30 GP / year guy he always was projected as. They certainly made your "probable sweep" prediction look foolish, Cox.

Of course, we know he always plays well in round one and then runs out of gas in round two. With the Canucks' gobsmackingly terrible defensive corps giving away the type of chances they did to the Kings to an even better offensive team in the Hawks, Luongo's going to be one-win-and-done again.

[other mark]

Not so fast Stephen. Admitedly, the Canuck's D has looked pretty sloppy at times, but, if you have been paying attention to the Hawks/Preds series, you will notice periods of disinterest from the Hawks defense too (and I mean team defense, not just the guys patroling the blue line). I would venture to say if the Hawks play the same way against the 'Nucks... Hawks will be done in round 2.

[Mic]

Stephen, how should it have been a sweep by the Kings? All the goals scored by the Kings were mostly dribbers off a skate here and there. All in all, the Canucks were a better team from goaltending onwards. The Canucks generated more offense, and had better goaltending. Just look at the disparity in 5 on 5 goals or scoring chances..Not even close. The kings had a good powerplay, but the law of averages were going to catch up to them eventually (which it did). I do think the Kings have a great young team though. That Doughty kid is amazing.

[snacker]

@Stephen I....you're crazy if you think the Canucks can get by the Hawks or San Jose, heck even the Coyotes!! Luongo had a couple decent games, but he's looked tired and doesn't have the quickness to keep up with the Hawks speed. Also, any team that has Kyle Wellwood on the 3rd line is suspect at best. The Canucks D is not lasting another round in this year's tourney. Vancouver's had about all they can handle cheering for this year. Be ready to get bounced!!

[Ernie]

Ah, I love all the canuck haters out there. It's beautiful to see there is nothing better for fans across our country to do than bashing the only canadian team left in the play-off's, for the second year in a row I might add.(Montreal will be elimiated soon). Were also the second highest scoring team in the league and have the Olympic gold medal golie keeping pucks out of our net on a regular basis. Did you see that save on Smyth! You can talk smack all you want, and Cox can keep writing his articles about seeing the Canuck fans as whiners however the truth is, your all watching what could have been for your teams and were still waving our white towels all over our beautiful city. And for you LA King fans, you were heavily out matched in this series and had lucky bounces and fortunate calls to keep you around for 6 games. We gave you 10 power play goals and numerous 3rd period leads and you still couldn't even get the series to a 7th game. Come on people, this team is for real and were not going anywhere. Lets go Sedin's! Lets go Loui! and bring on the Hawks!

[Brian]

Hockey fans across Canada should put their support behind the last two Canadian teams in the playoffs. As a proud Canadian, I just want to see the Cup back in Canada. Let's stick it to Bettman. Go Canucks Go!!
Go Canadiens Go!!