During a night with numerous subplots, it was Roberto Luongo stealing the limelight with a 31 save performance, including a highlight reel breakaway stop.
For the first time in three attempts, the Vancouver Canucks made a team that played the night previous pay for having tired legs. They were unsuccessful with Detroit and Chicago in this regard, but established a tight forecheck early, and continued taking the body, to good effect. Tanner Glass was exceptional in this regard, and was rewarded with a goal in the third period for his efforts. Interestingly enough, the crowd booed when his goal was announced, but more on that in a moment.
Alexander Edler runs into Los Angeles Kings' Teddy Purcell, who was in Luongo's mask all night long (AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Darryl Dyck)
Kings coach Terry Murray on the root cause of the loss. “Two faceoff goals against. It ended up being the part of the game that cost us.” L.A. only won 25 of 66 draws, with Henrik Sedin winning the lions share of those. “I felt bad for (Jonathan) Quick. He made some big stops.” Quick finished the game with 30 stops, one robbing Ryan Kesler who thought he had the top left hand corner picked out. To the chagrin of another packed house at GM Place, he slid across from his right to make a glove save.
Kesler would assist later on a crowd-pleasing goal from Kyle Wellwood. Snake-bitten this season, Wellwood finally popped the cherry with his first goal of the season. He had hit the post earlier in the play sequence, on a partially blocked shot with the Kings sporting an extra skater with Quick pulled. Many thought he had scored earlier, thus the boos when it was announced Tanner Glass had jammed home his own rebound after going hard to the net.
Luongo stays with Dustin Brown as he tries to power through the crease
Teddy Purcell forced a turn over and broke in alone on Luongo, and faked to his forehand. Luongo went down and left a lot of net available. “I made the first move and was out of position but sometimes even when you’re out of position you got to try to put an arm or a leg out there and fortunately that time it went in my glove,” said Luongo, uncertain if the puck had crossed the line. Video review upheld the save.
Luongo added, “It was probably one of my best games this year I thought.”
"If you like watching us score, and drinking beer, raise your right hand." (AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Darryl Dyck)
Wayne Simmonds tied the game for the Kings 1-1 with less than a minute to go in the 2nd period, but it was all Vancouver in the third. Henrik Sedin, who has been red hot for the Canucks, potted the game winner, his 14th of the season. His career high is 20 goals, recorded last season. The Canucks now await the Saturday visit from the Edmonton Oilers, who were downed 3-1 by the Kings on Wednesday.
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