Kukla's Korner Hockey
Entries with the tag: Roberto+Luongo
Evening Line
by Paul on 03/25/10 at 11:41 PM ET
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“I’m just in the spotlight every day so you notice it more. But, really, I am just frustrated with myself, because I want to be at the top of my game.”
-Roberto Luongo of the Vancouver Canucks. More from Luongo by Jason Botchford of the Vancouver Province.
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Tags: Roberto+Luongo,
The Bad Goals Continue For Luongo
by Paul on 03/24/10 at 08:22 AM ET
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from Jim Jamieson of the Vancouver Province, T
heir best player and the guy they need to be consistently in the zone in the post-season had a meltdown here against the NHL’s worst team and admits he is searching for answers to his on-again, off-again play.
Franchise goalie Roberto Luongo allowed three goals of varying degrees of questionability in the Oilers’ first 10 shots as Edmonton took a 3-2 win on Tuesday.
“I made some good saves, but unfortunately all three of those goals I should have had,” said an emotional Luongo following a game where there was speculation he may be pulled for the eighth time this season.
“I’ve got to find the consistency in my game. Before, I might have a bad game every 10 or 12 games, now it’s every two or three games I’m getting one where I’m not at my best. I’ve got to get that consistency level back and game in and game out I have that swagger that you have to have.”
more on the loss to Edmonton…
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Tags: Roberto+Luongo,
Is Luongo Special?
by Paul on 03/18/10 at 12:47 PM ET
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from Ed Willes of the Vancouver Province,
It has become an article of faith around the Canucks that Luongo is the team’s best player, its most indispensable player and its unquestioned leader. Since about the time he was named captain two years ago, in fact, a cult of Lui has taken root within the locker room and it seems to question the goalie is to question something inviolate within the Canucks.
Why is this?
The Canucks are the only team in the league which treats their goalie in such an exalted manner. Others — Marty Brodeur, Ryan Miller, Miikka Kiprusoff — are just as important to their teams. Others have recorded comparable or superior numbers. But the Canucks are the only team who chose to make their goalie the captain.
Luongo, moreover, is the only goalie of the post-expansion era to be so named, and that’s interesting because he’s never won a Vezina or taken his team past the second round of the playoffs. So why has this aura developed around him?
Filed in: NHL Teams, Vancouver Canucks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Roberto+Luongo,
Luongo Blames Canucks Offensive Style For His Lackluster Play
by Paul on 03/17/10 at 08:41 PM ET
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from Brad Ziemer of the Vancouver Sun,
When he got yanked after the second period of Tuesday night’s game against the New York Islanders, it marked the seventh time this season—and fourth time in his last 13 starts—that Luongo has been pulled from a game….
On Wednesday, Luongo blamed it on what he said is a more offensive style of play being employed by the Canucks this season.
“We are playing a different brand of hockey this year and it’s been more offensive,” said Luongo, who only got the hook twice last season. “We are not as conservative as we used to be.”
Vigneault took issue with that and said it is his team’s propensity for surrendering early leads to its opponents that is the real culprit.
“I think maybe what has happened, especially during this (recent) road trip, when you give up early goals you have to press, you have to try and make the ground up,” he said.
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Tags: Roberto+Luongo,
Unlike Luongo
by Paul on 03/07/10 at 01:26 PM ET
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from Jason Botchford of the Vancouver Province,
• Luongo is 3-4, with a 3.70 GAA and an .883 save percentage.
• Andrew Raycroft is 3-1, with a 2.20 GAA and a .915 save percentage.
• Luongo asked to have the night off in Ottawa, citing mental fatigue.
• Luongo has been hooked three times in his past eight games. It only happened twice all of last season.
There’s enough here to at least hint the Winter Games may have been a distraction. The last time Luongo was hooked three times in eight games was the end of the 2007-08 season when the Canucks won only one of their final eight. Months later, Luongo acknowledged he was distracted down the stretch, a key issue being his wife Gina’s “delicate pregnancy.”
Luongo dismissed the notion Saturday.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Vancouver Canucks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Roberto+Luongo,
The Battle Of The Goalies
by Paul on 02/28/10 at 09:06 AM ET
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from Damien Cox of the Toronto Star,
This time, with a strange noon local time start, it’s between two talented NHL netminders, American puckstopper Ryan Miller and Canada’s Roberto Luongo, still seeking to define their careers.
Neither has won a Cup or a Vezina. Luongo has a world championship and was part of the 2004 World Cup goaltending tandem that won gold. Miller, a one-time Hobey Baker Trophy winner, has played in three world championships but has yet to medal.
Miller has 20 NHL playoff victories, Luongo 11. They are goalies looking for a date with destiny.
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Tags: Roberto+Luongo, Ryan+Miller, Team+Canada, Team+USA,
Evening Line
by Paul on 02/22/10 at 08:31 PM ET
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“Real excited. I think it’s going to be fun to play in front of the fans again. I had a great experience in my first game against Norway. The support was unbelievable so obviously the stage is bigger. Tomorrow night I’m assuming it’s going to be a little louder.”
-Roberto Luongo of Team Canada after being told he will be starting in goal tomorrow. More from Craig Custance of The Sporting News,
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Tags: Roberto+Luongo, Team+Canada,
Save Of the Night- Luongo Or Kiprusoff?
by Paul on 02/10/10 at 08:56 AM ET
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First Luongo and the Kiprusoff save can be viewed below.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Mikka+Kiprusoff, Roberto+Luongo,
Luongo Is Better Than This
by Paul on 02/03/10 at 08:58 AM ET
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from Jason Botchford of The White Towel at the Vancouver Province,
If it was a joke, it probably wasn’t funny.
Asked about the game-winning goal Tomas Plekanec scored 9:14 into the third, Luongo was both flippant and inaccurate.
“Unfortunately, on the last one, I stopped the first four (shots),” Luongo said. “I got a piece of the fifth one. But not enough.”
That’s not, however, what happened and Luongo knows it. Granted his defence didn’t have a good night, but it is still down two top-four starters. And on the play in question, Luongo took himself out of the play and made just one save, not four.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Montreal Canadiens, Vancouver Canucks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Roberto+Luongo,
It’s All About Luongo
by Paul on 01/05/10 at 09:05 AM ET
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from Jason Brough of Orland Kurtenblog,
The Vancouver Canucks passed the halfway point of the schedule with Saturday’s 3-1 victory in Dallas. With 40 games to go, this week’s list features our keys to the rest of the regular season.
Roberto Luongo
In October, Luongo’s save percentage was .902 and the Canucks went 7-7-0.
In December, Luongo’s save percentage was .932 and the Canucks went 10-4-1.
This is called a correlation.
Still, there remains a sense that Luongo hasn’t been the winning factor enough. Vancouver is just 12-13-1 in games decided by two goals or fewer and 13-3-0 in those decided by three or more. Naturally, goaltending comes under closer scrutiny in tight affairs.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Vancouver Canucks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Roberto+Luongo,
Can You Caption A Video?
by Paul on 12/19/09 at 08:10 AM ET
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Roberto Luongo and Alexander Semin meet face-to-face last night.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Vancouver Canucks, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Alexander+Semin, Roberto+Luongo,
Brodeur vs. Luongo Tonight
by Paul on 12/02/09 at 01:09 PM ET
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from Pierre LeBrun of ESPN,
Oh, sure, it’s just a game, and nothing that happens Wednesday night when Martin Brodeur and Roberto Luongo square off in New Jersey will have much bearing on the Olympic jobs handed out in February.
But just so everyone knows, Team Canada GM Steve Yzerman will indeed be watching the Canucks-Devils game.
“I’m going to TiVo it and watch it later,” Yzerman told ESPN.com on Tuesday. “I’m going to be at another game [Tampa at Boston], but when I saw this game [Canucks-Devils] on the schedule, I wanted to make sure I watched it.”
So there ... it’s not just the media making a big deal out of it, OK?
“To be honest with you, it’s exciting to play against Marty, period,” Luongo told us Tuesday. “Just because we’re from the same hometown and he’s one of the greatest of all time. That’s really the only reason for me. I don’t think one game is going to decide anything with regards to the Olympics.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, New Jersey Devils, Vancouver Canucks, Non-NHL Hockey, International Hockey | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Martin+Brodeur, Roberto+Luongo, Team+Canada,
Luongo Out
by Paul on 10/28/09 at 02:22 PM ET
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via the Vancouver Province,
The Vancouver Canucks will be without their best player, goaltender Roberto Luongo, for an undetermined number of games after he suffered an undisclosed injury during Tuesday night’s game against the Detroit Red Wings.
The Province will publish more details as soon as we know them
added 2:48pm, The Province has updated the same link, but really nothing new, stating the Canucks have not released anything yet.
added 3:22pm, TSN says hairline rib fracture, out at least a week.
added 3:20pm, TSN (same link) has updated and stated Luongo suffered the injury when facing the Leafs on Saturday and re-agravate it when in a collision with Betruzzi last night.
added 4:21pm, via the Vancouver Canucks,
Goaltender Roberto Luongo will not make the trip to California for the team’s back-to-back games this week as he suffered a hair line fracture to his rib midway thought Saturday’s game against Toronto.
“It happened in the third period against Toronto,” explained Luongo. “It was a band angle shot. I went one knee down against the post and the puck hit me just hit me in the seam of my chest protector. The next day was a bit uncomfortable but I was able to play through it without any problems. Just last night, during the first period it aggravated itself, not on a particular play, it just gradually got worse.”
With no clear time line for Luongo’s return, backup goaltender Andrew Raycroft will get his first start between the pipes Thursday against Los Angeles.
The Canucks are expected to call up Manitoba Moose Goaltender Cory Schneider.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Vancouver Canucks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Roberto+Luongo,
Hockey Observations From The Maven
by Paul on 09/08/09 at 05:34 PM ET
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from Stan Fischler at the Hockey Journal,
Roberto Luongo got himself a 12-year $64 million deal from the Canucks and more power to him and his agent. But, let’s not forget that this is the same allegedly “best” NHL goalie who choked in the series-ending playoff loss to the Blackhawks last spring. Roberto the Great allowed seven goals in a game that was there for the Canucks taking, and look what he gets for it.
more from Stan…
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Tags: Roberto+Luongo,
Luongo Will Earn His Pay
by Paul on 09/05/09 at 01:43 PM ET
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from Tony Gallagher of the Vancouver Province,
Every time Luongo would have a game in which he wasn’t miraculous, out would come the usual charges that he’s never won anything, never committed to any organization, didn’t or might not like the city, wants to be dealt to Montreal or isn’t good enough.
Further, there is the Ken Holland strategy always lurking in the background whereby because Detroit has had the mainstay of their resources tied up in defenceman Nick Lidstrom, who is utterly dominant at his position, that a team might not be able to win with a goaltender being highly paid and the dominant player on a roster.
We’ll see how the Wings and this view of the world make out when Lidstrom retires.
And every time one of these skeletons would come out, it had to bother Luongo, who is sufficiently passionate about playing the game that he was named captain of the Canucks even though it was somewhat inconvenient for the team to do it.
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Tags: Roberto+Luongo,
You Can Still Dream Of Having Luongo, In About Five Years
by Paul on 09/04/09 at 12:41 PM ET
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from Jason Botchford of the Vancouver Province via the National Post,
The first comes five years into the extension. If Luongo isn’t pleased with where the team is at, or where it’s heading, he can then trigger a trade. The out clause is timed for what should be an organizational crossroads - one year after the Sedins’ current long-term deal is up. The Canucks have agreed to accommodate the request by moving Luongo at that point.
It’s likely Luongo would be a valuable commodity, coveted by NHL teams even at age 36. If it were to happen, the team which traded for him would owe him US$27.2-million for the final seven years of his deal.
Two years later, after the contract extension’s seventh year, the Canucks have a reciprocal clause. If they want to go in another direction, they will have an opportunity to move Luongo despite his no-trade clause.
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Tags: Roberto+Luongo,
Will The Canucks Best Player Deliver a Stanley Cup?
by Paul on 09/03/09 at 09:32 AM ET
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from Ed Willes of the Vancouver Province via Faceoff.com,
Well, as much as the contract represents a home run for the Canucks, it’s still yet to be proven that you can win in the new-world NHL with a goalie as your best player. That’s been the case since the lockout. It was certainly the case again last season. And if it’s the case going forward, what does it say about the Canucks’ chances?
Last season, for example, five of the top-10 goalies in save percentage played for teams which failed to make the playoffs and the only one who appeared in the final four was Chicago’s Nikolai Khabibulin. The results were a lot more encouraging in goals-against average where eight of the top-10 goalies made the playoffs. But, again, Khabibulin was the only goalie to appear in a conference final.
Now look at the goalies who made the conference semifinals. Luongo was the biggest name there followed by Khabibulin. The others were a mixed bag which included Chris Osgood, Jonas Hiller, Tim Thomas, Marc-Andre Fleury, Simeon Varlamov and Ward.
We’re not saying goaltending isn’t important in the NHL. Far from it. We are saying, however, there are a number of ways to fill that position.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Vancouver Canucks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Roberto+Luongo,
Gillis Had No Choice But Sign Luongo
by Paul on 09/02/09 at 02:46 PM ET
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from Pierre LeBrun of ESPN,
I can’t think of a more significant signing this summer than Wednesday’s 12-year contract extension between Roberto Luongo and the Vancouver Canucks.
Super-elite NHL netminders are like super-elite quarterbacks in the NFL; there are only a handful of them and other teams spend years trying to land one.
So credit Canucks GM Mike Gillis for putting aside his personal preference of avoiding the kind of double digit-term deals that have plagued the NHL in the last few years; he made a rare exception because he knew he had no choice.
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Tags: Roberto+Luongo,
Luongo Officially Signs
by Paul on 09/02/09 at 11:46 AM ET
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Vancouver, B.C. - Vancouver Canucks President and General Manager Mike Gillis announced today that goaltender Roberto Luongo has agreed to terms on a 12 year contract extension through the 2021-2022 season.
“Today is a very exciting day for the Canucks organization,” said Mike Gillis. “Roberto Luongo is the leader of our hockey team; he is in the prime of his playing career and has a tremendous desire to make the Canucks a championship team. His leadership, competitiveness and character are what this team will represent for many years to come.”
“This is a great day for me and my family,” said Roberto Luongo. “I love playing in a passionate hockey city like Vancouver and along with my teammates I am committed to doing everything I can to help make this a championship team.”
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Tags: Roberto+Luongo,
Chasing Luongo
by Paul on 09/01/09 at 07:16 AM ET
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from Jason Botchford of the White Towel at the Vancouver Province,
A bizarre day of Roberto Luongo contract conjecture, fuelled by unconfirmed Internet rumours, exposed the media as a little desperate and a lot sloppy.
How bad did it get? The Vancouver Sun was actually duped by a fake Twitter account supposedly belonging to “Bobby Lou” which proclaimed: “The rumours are true we’ve reached an agreement. Very happy to be a Canuck long-term.” The account has long been known as a fake but was used to confirm signing rumours, which have been circulating for months, were true.
A headline on the Vancouver Sun Web site late Monday night read: “This Tweet just in: Roberto Luongo locked up.”
Meanwhile, the real Luongo, who was not in Vancouver, told people his deal was not quite done but he remained “very confident” it would be soon.
The day began with a Sportsnet report titled “Luongo, Canucks agree on extension.” The story got huge play even though it didn’t provide much in the way of new information.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Vancouver Canucks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Roberto+Luongo,
Luongo Wants Contract Done By Training Camp
by Paul on 08/27/09 at 08:38 AM ET
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from the Globe and Mail,
The Vancouver Canucks and goaltender Roberto Luongo are under a Sept. 13 deadline to agree to new contract terms. Luongo, who is attending Hockey Canada’s summer orientation camp for 2010 Olympic hopefuls, said he will not negotiate once the NHL team’s training camp begins at the University of British Columbia next month. He said he is unwilling to let his expiring contract become a daily distraction….
Gillis and Luongo denied reports yesterday that said the sides had agreed to a six-year pact worth $6.5-million (U.S.) a season. Luongo, 30, is entering the final year of his current deal, and is to earn $7.5-million.
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Tags: Roberto+Luongo,
Who Starts In Goal For Canada?
by Paul on 08/24/09 at 09:52 PM ET
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from Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal via Canada.com,
“This is it for me,” said Brodeur, swatting away any suggestion that he might still be in the goaltending picture during the 2014 Olympics in Russia.
The grand old man of Canadian goaltending would be 41 in 2014 and he knows he can’t stop pucks forever.
As it is, he might not stop them every night at the 2010 Olympics. There is a reasonable possibility Vancouver Canucks’ Roberto Luongo, seven years younger and cognizant he’ll be playing in his home rink, might actually beat him out as the starter.
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Tags: Martin+Brodeur, Roberto+Luongo, Team+Canada,
Thinking Long-Term In Vancouver
by Paul on 06/17/09 at 09:08 PM ET
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from Ian MacIntyre of the Vancouver Sun,
A smart betting man would wager that Kesler, not goaltender Luongo, will be the first Canuck to sign a long-term extension this summer.
Canuck general manager Mike Gillis said before leaving for Vegas that he’d be speaking with both to get an idea how they might like to proceed on July 1, when teams are eligible to extend contracts due to expire after next season.
Luongo is due to become an unrestricted free agent 12-and-a-half months from now. Kesler would be a restricted free agency with, likely, a load of leverage in salary arbitration. He’ll make $1.75 million US next year, Luongo $7.5 million US.
“We’ve had some preliminary discussions with him,” Gillis said of Luongo, who has said he’ll stay in Vancouver if he feels the Canucks have a chance to win the Stanley Cup. “Very preliminary.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Vancouver Canucks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Roberto+Luongo, Ryan+Kesler,
Why Luongo Must Go
by Paul on 05/13/09 at 11:09 AM ET
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from Ed Willes of the Vancouver Province,
...The irony, then, is that the Canucks will have to trade Luongo in order to build a team that would be good enough to win with Luongo.
Think about it for a minute. It’s now apparent the Canucks have more holes in their lineup than Luongo can fill. Their defence was exposed against the Blackhawks as too slow and too conservative. They need scoring. They could also use more size. And speed.
Trading Luongo would not only bring in some prized assets for the organization, it could free up the capital to make a run at a Jay Bouwmeester and make it easier to sign the Sedins.
Granted, this means turning the goaltending over to young Cory Schneider and a veteran of some description, and that means you won’t get what Luongo gives you on a night-in, night-out basis.
Then again, if the rest of your team is good enough, you won’t need lights-out goaltending every night.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Vancouver Canucks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Roberto+Luongo,
Luongo Feels He Let His Team Down
by Paul on 05/12/09 at 08:08 AM ET
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from Tim Wharnsby of the Globe and Mail,
Vancouver Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo blamed himself for the demise of Canada’s last club in the Stanley Cup playoffs last night.
The Canucks’ captain, considered one of the game’s premier goalies, couldn’t stop enough pucks to force a deciding seventh game against the young and restless Chicago Blackhawks, a team that battled back to overcome two separate one-goal disadvantages to take the six-game series with a madcap but entertaining 7-5 victory.
“I let my teammates down,” said a choked-up Luongo, who cut short his postgame interview because his emotions were getting the best of him.
“It was pretty wide open, but I had to make the saves.”
added 8:14am, Video of Luongo with the media after the game…
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Tags: Roberto+Luongo,
Images Of Luongo
by Paul on 05/07/09 at 09:31 AM ET
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from Rosie DiManno of the Toronto Star,
In the United Center crowd the other night, a couple of intrepid fans – crashing the Blackhawks’ party – were seen hoisting Roberto Luongo-cum-Jesus Christ posters.
“Luongo Saves!”
Informed about this, the Vancouver goaltender lifts his eyes upward in an altogether doleful Messianic expression. “Must be because of my looks, not because of my play.”
Well, there is that.
It is perhaps to Luongo’s misfortune that he does so eerily resemble Christ, at least as portrayed by artists through the ages: the long, mournful face, the dark shoulder-length tresses, an appearance of suffering. A Vancouver artist actually rendered Luongo-as-Christ in a painting this year, which was not well received by serious religionists.
The flip side is a hint of satanic features in the visage, a bit of Charles Manson.
As saviour, however, the metaphor is rich.
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Tags: Roberto+Luongo,
2nd Great Save Of The Day - Luongo On Eager
by Paul on 05/02/09 at 11:12 PM ET
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added 11:59pm, The Versus version of the save can be watched below…
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Tags: Ben+Eager, Roberto+Luongo,
It Could Be Luongo’s Time
by Paul on 04/30/09 at 10:07 AM ET
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from Damien Cox of the Toronto Star,
Roberto Luongo has centre stage virtually to himself.
This is his chance to deliver a grand soliloquy, to explain through the art of goaltending why he matters while his country listens intently.
At 30, it’s remarkable that despite all the laurels tossed Luongo’s way, his accomplishments in the sport up until now have been minimal.
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Tags: Roberto+Luongo,
Luongo Ready For The :Playoffs
by Paul on 04/12/09 at 09:35 PM ET
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from Brad Ziemer of the Vancouver Sun,
Luongo can’t wait for the playoffs to begin.
“I feel really good and the thing is the team is playing well defensively so it cuts the number of big saves I have to make,” Luongo said after posting his second straight shutout in Saturday’s 1-0 overtime win in Denver. “We have to build off that. Going into the playoffs, we know there are going to be a lot of games like this that are tight and any mistake could decide the game. It’s nice we have that playoff mentality already.”
Luongo seems to have had it for quite some time. He has played brilliantly down the stretch and as he prepares for his second taste of the Stanley Cup playoffs, he thinks he can draw upon some of the things he learned during his first post-season experience two years ago.
“I guess you just know what to expect,” he said. “Going into my first one you don’t really know until you really play a game how it feels. The main thing is you can’t get too high or too low. When you win a game you feel like you’re on top of the world. When you lose one you feel like you’re done. You just have to try and stay even-keeled until the series is over.”
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Tags: Roberto+Luongo,
Luongo Needs To Improve His Play
by Paul on 04/07/09 at 10:36 AM ET
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from Bruce Dowbiggin at the Calgary Herald,
To the consternation of Vancouver management and fans, their best player simply hasn’t stepped up as advertised. Luongo’s erratic play largely escaped criticism while the Canucks’ forwards and defenceman were red-hot in their 20-5-1 streak. The whiffs and bobbles were written off to rust from the extended six-week stay Luongo spent on the injury list. Give ‘im time, they said.
Well, time has passed, but with the club slumping to three straight losses as they head into tonight’s showdown with Calgary at GM Place, followers of the Canucks are coming to the uncomfortable conclusion that Vancouver may have to win in spite of their highly paid goalie. Holy Stan Smyl, could it happen at a worse time for fans of the Orcas? (Or a better time for Flames’ fans?)
Radio talk shows in this city are buzzing with complaints about their one-time hero. Luongo is being roasted for not committing to the Canucks past the end of his contract in 2010 and getting too big for his hockey britches for taking the captaincy. A loss against the Flames and he’ll likely be pilloried for starting the subprime mortgage mess.
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Tags: Roberto+Luongo,
Luongo A Vezina Candidate
by Paul on 03/31/09 at 11:23 AM ET
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from Jason Botchford of the Vancouver Province,
Vezina voters (NHL general managers) are loath to support upstarts and tend to vote for established stars. None of the established powerhouses—including Miikka Kiprusoff, Henrik Lundqvist and Martin Brodeur—is having a powerhouse year (at least not statistically).
And that’s opened the Vezina door to Luongo, whose up and down season has been nothing but up for two months.
The remarkable 18-4-1 run he’s on leaves him with a 29-11-6 record. That’s just six fewer wins than he had all of last year when he played 26 more games.
“There are a lot of reasons, and many things have had to go well to go on a run like this,” Luongo said.
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Tags: Roberto+Luongo,
Dustin Byfuglien Delivers A Shot To Luongo…
by Paul on 03/29/09 at 09:38 PM ET
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Then. the fights broke out.
Canucks went on to shutout the Blackhawks 4-0.
You can checkout the boxscore at TSN for all the penalties.
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Tags: Dustin+Byfuglien, Roberto+Luongo,
Afternoon Line
by Paul on 03/22/09 at 12:39 PM ET
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“I think first and foremost, I want to win the Cup and whichever team is going to give me the best chance to do that is the team I want to be with,. I love Vancouver, it’s a great city with great fans. So far, I’ve really enjoyed my time there. Obviously, this year and next year are going to be a key role in my decision.”
-Roberto Luongo on ‘After Hours’ on HNIC last night. More from Jason Botchford of The White Towel at the Vancouver Province.
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Tags: Roberto+Luongo,
Evening Line
by Paul on 03/14/09 at 10:51 PM ET
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“What I take with me from what happened last year is the fear — I never want to go through something like that again. I use it to motivate. I remember the feelings I had once last season was over. I was devastated. It took me a long, long time to get over it.
“We can’t ever sit back and think it’s over, that we’re in. There’s still 15 games left and a lot can happen. Things change fast. You lose a few games in a row and, before you know it, you’re battling just for that last spot.”
-Roberto Luongo via Jason Botchord of The White Towel at the Vancouver Province.
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Tags: Roberto+Luongo,
Canucks Need A Better Luongo
by Paul on 02/12/09 at 01:23 PM ET
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from Brad Ziemer of the Vancouver Sun,
Given the struggles they endured in January, you would expect the Vancouver Canucks to be downright giddy over the three-game winning streak they carry into tonight’s game here against the Phoenix Coyotes.
But they’re not. Three wins can’t mask the fact that the team is still struggling in some key areas. The Canuck penalty-kill has been abysmal and goalie Roberto Luongo clearly hasn’t regained his form since returning from injury.
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Luongo Doesn’t Buy Into The Still Injured Issue
by Paul on 01/20/09 at 12:34 PM ET
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from Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province,
Luongo knows allowing nine goals on 60 shots in his last two outings isn’t going to cut it, but didn’t buy the argument that he might be having trouble pushing off his left skate. He seemed stoic when beaten on shootout efforts by Williams and Rick Nash.
“I feel great on the ice and really have no issues,” he stressed. “It [rust] is from not having breakaways or shootouts. Once back on the ice, I didn’t want to go right into shootouts in practice and wanted to be careful. I was kind of antsy on the first [shootout] and went down early.”
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Luongo Ready For Return
by Paul on 01/11/09 at 07:59 PM ET
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from Elliott Pap of the Vancouver Sun,
Vancouver Canuck superstar goalie Roberto Luongo will partake in a full team practice on Monday and appears set to return to game action this week.
Luongo survived a rigourous 75-minute workout run by goalie coach Ian Clark today at GM Place.
Seven players took shots on Luongo in a variety of drills designed specifically to test his injured groin.
“I pounded it pretty hard and the groin is feeling fine,” said Luongo. “We pretty much explored everything today. There were some broken plays where you kind of had to react and kick your leg out and be in a bit of a vulnerable position and I didn’t have any problems. So that’s really encouraging. I’m really happy with the way things went.”
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Evening Line
by Paul on 12/14/08 at 06:09 PM ET
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‘It wasn’t feeling like it was supposed to be feeling, so I got off the ice. I didn’t want to make it worse and I’m going to stay off the ice until I’m 100 percent.’‘
‘Week-to-week? Tough to say. This is the first time I’ve dealt with a groin injury. Just when I thought I was ready to get back into it, my groin was telling me something else.”
‘‘I’m a competitor; I want to be in goal every day.’‘
-Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo. More at TSN.
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Luongo Still Week-to-Week
by Paul on 12/11/08 at 12:04 PM ET
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from Elliott Pap of the Vancouver Sun,
Roberto has been on his own schedule since the injury,” said Vigneault, not looking particularly upbeat. “He warms up, he practises, he takes what he can take and when he feels he’s had enough, he comes off. It was no different today.
“The timeline remains week-to-week. I can’t invent an answer for you. We originally said week-to-week. Some groins are quicker than others. That’s all I can say.”
Asked directly whether Luongo did tweak the muscle, Vigneault replied: “No, not to my knowledge. I mean, he’s been following a steady plan and the plan is for him to practise on Friday. Every day is steady improvement. Groins are tough areas for players, especially goaltenders so we’ll see how things progress.”
Based on Wednesday’s curious event, it now seems an almost certainty Luongo won’t be ready for this weekend’s back-to-back games against the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers.
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Still Talking About The Luongo Trade
by Paul on 11/16/08 at 02:48 PM ET
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from Steve Gorten of the Sun-Sentinel,
Do you see what goalie Roberto Luongo has been doing lately and feel cheated? You should. If it makes you angry to read those sentences, it’s because you hate being reminded of what can’t be forgotten — that the Panthers gave away Luongo to Vancouver in June 2006.
Regardless of whether you agree with the trade, they should have received more in return. What they now have instead of Luongo are defenseman Bryan Allen and AHL center Shawn Matthias, a prospect they got when they traded their key acquisition in the Luongo deal, Todd Bertuzzi, to Detroit.
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Let The ‘C’ Be Seen
by Paul on 11/14/08 at 05:32 PM ET
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from the Vancouver Sun,
You’ve spoken - more than 2,200 of you - on whether Vancouver Canucks star goalie Roberto Luongo should be allowed to wear the captain’s C on his jersey during NHL games.
The Vancouver Sun will present this petition to National Hockey League headquarters in New York next Tuesday.
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Can The Streak Continue
by Paul on 11/12/08 at 11:35 AM ET
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from the Vancouver Sun,
There was an elephant in the Vancouver Canuck dressing room Tuesday that Roberto Luongo’s teammates were doing their best to tip-toe around.
“I think it is probably in the back of everyone’s mind now because you guys are bringing a little attention to it,” said defenceman Willie Mitchell.
“You don’t want to jinx him, eh,” added Canuck winger Alex Burrows. “So you don’t really want to talk about it.”
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Luongo Has Been Perfect Last Three Games
by Paul on 11/09/08 at 08:40 PM ET
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from Brad Ziemer of the Vancouver Sun,
Memo to boss: You know that chart you wanted done, the one that was going to document just where Roberto Luongo was getting beaten for all those goals? Well, unless you are a huge fan of white space, I think we may want to put that project on hold.
Although come to think of it, every picture does tell a story and a blank canvas would tell us pretty much all we need to know about the Canuck goalie these days.
Luongo is stopping everything, or at least he has for the last 201 minutes and eight seconds he’s been on the ice.
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Luongo No Mr. October
by Paul on 10/20/08 at 12:59 PM ET
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from Jason Botchford of the Vancouver Province,
To many Canucks fans in Vancouver, Roberto Luongo is Superman. If he is, October is his Kryptonite.
Luongo is Vancouver’s scene stealer, but he hasn’t stolen any games. He is the Canucks’ best player, their star, but that’s not the way it reads on the stat sheet.
There it claims Luongo is struggling. His 3.39 goals-against average and a .886 save percentage should be a source of frustration, and is assuredly an area of concern for fans.
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Can You ‘C’ It
by Paul on 10/02/08 at 07:12 AM ET
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from Jason Botchford of the Vancouver Province,
He can’t wear a ‘C’ on his jersey, but Roberto Luongo doesn’t see how the league could stop him from putting one on his mask.
League rules prohibit a goalie from being a captain, and during games the NHL will not recognize Luongo, the first netminder to captain a team since 1948, in the role.
Because of the rule, the NHL also does not permit a goalie to wear a ‘C’ on his jersey. But Luongo said he has given some thought to painting one on his mask
“It could mean anything, it could be C for Canucks,” Luongo said..
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Canucks “Capable Of Great Things”
by Paul on 09/16/08 at 07:36 AM ET
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from Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province,
“It reminds a bit of two years ago when I got here,” Luongo said Monday following his first informal skate with teammates at Burnaby 8-Rinks.
“There were a lot of new faces and a lot of people didn’t know what to expect and we ended up having a great season. I get that same feeling a bit this year.
“I think guys are going to be excited to play and once we all get together and play as a team, I think we’re capable of great things.”
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It’s All About Winning For Luongo
by Paul on 09/01/08 at 08:34 AM ET
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from Jason Botchford of the Vancouver Province,
In a wide-ranging telephone interview from Montreal, Luongo talked like someone who expects to be in Vancouver longer than the two years remaining on his current deal.
“The great thing is we’re on the same page and we both want to win,” Luongo said of Gillis. “We’re here to win and we want to build a winning team that can contend for the Cup every year.
“When I spoke to him, it was very reassuring for me because that’s why I’m playing in Vancouver—to have a chance to win it all. When you hear something like that from your GM—that he’s as committed to winning as Mike is—it gives you a comfort zone that the organization is all about putting the best team on the ice.”
read on including Luongo hitting the ice with white pads…
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How’s Luongo
by Paul on 07/08/08 at 07:33 AM ET
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from Elliott Pap of the Vancouver Sun,
Roberto Luongo’s agent said the uber goalie is in a good frame of mind preparing for the coming season. Gilles Lupien last spoke to Luongo on Friday.
“I said ‘how are you and blah, blah, blah’ and he told me ‘I was pissed off during the season but now I’m cooled down and I’m happy and I want to go out and play,’” Lupien said. “Roberto is a nice kid. Sometimes he gets frustrated and all that because he wants to win.
“The people in Vancouver don’t have to wonder,” added Lupien. “For Roberto, it’s another season and let’s go for it. He’s happy, he has his daughter, he’s coming to Montreal in three weeks to show everyone his daughter and, after that, he’s going back to Vancouver.”
more on the Canucks…
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Now What Luongo
by Paul on 03/27/08 at 08:53 AM ET
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from The Good, The Bad And The Duthie,
“Would you miss a playoff game to be there for the baby’s birth?
Luongo laughed and said the plan had already been made to induce before the playoffs. Team player, that Gina Luongo.
“But what if you missed a key game and didn’t make the playoffs?”
He laughed again. Harder. Missing the playoffs wasn’t even a possibility in Luongo’s mind.
Oops. Is now.
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Morning Line
by Paul on 03/26/08 at 10:04 AM ET
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via the Vancover Sun,
“I wish I had the answer for you, but I don’t,” Luongo said when asked to explain the Canucks’ disappearing act after the first period. “I just try to do my job out there and make saves. Obviously, I needed to make one extra save tonight to give our team a point.”
The Flames won it when they scored two power-play goals—one of them a 5-on-3—41 seconds apart midway through the third.
“We took three straight penalties and they scored,” he said. “Not much you can do about it. For me, I have to put it behind me and get ready for tomorrow night. It’s obviously a big game for us.”
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