The Sports Corner

Canucks In Game: How much longer does Luongo get a free pass?

Three minutes into the game, and Luongo has been involved in three sequences. A touch pass that almost gave the puck away, a long rebound that could have easily been intercepted and turned into a Columbus goal, and a slapshot from the top of the circle by Jason Chimera that went over his shoulder.

This isn’t MVP quality here, this is borderline benching quality.

Let’s keep an eye on this.

Update: That wasn’t the captain’s fault, was it?

At first glance, no.

Who did Alex Edler think he was covering, the faceoff circle? But if Luongo slides two inches farther a split second quicker, which we know he can, or at least could, we get to hear a “Great Save Luongo!” from Shorty.

No, now Vancouver is down 2-0 to Columbus with a $7-million goalie letting in two of the first five shots faced….not looking good. Call up Schneider? It may not be too soon. 

Who knows, it might light a fire under his ass because there’s no excuses this season. Not counting game one, that’s 18 goals in his last five. Whatever the qualities of a goalie captain are, Luongo isn’t showing them.

Update: Wellwood? Not a bad start sir.

Update: Raymond not showing much

And as Daniel Sedin just took a goaltender interference penalty, he isn’t either.

(I don’t want this to be a Canucks rip-fest, but they’re really killing me right now.)

It’s easy to see why Raymond isn’t having the success in the regular season that he had in exhibition. He’s simply not strong enough. About five minutes ago Rick Nash tossed him around like a rag-doll in the corner, knocking him down three times.

Then, for some reason Raymond is playing the point on the powerplay, he almost single-handedly took his team out of the offensive zone with three terrible passes.

But, it could be the same as last year when he comes on in the second half of the season, and let’s hope so, because he isn’t going to do much on any other line.

Back to Daniel, the stat is that he’s scored in just four games over the last 29. Not good enough for someone trying to earn a big new contract. How much longer until the Kesler line is the top powerplay line? Well, that’s up to the twins.

Update: At least they are tough

Mike Brown and Kevin Bieksa have scored two clear cut wins in their fights in the first period, showing that the Canucks, like Wu Tang, ain’t nothin’ ta [expletive] with.

Now the question is can the Canucks capitalize on the instigator penalty?

If they can, it’ll be a huge step for a struggling power play, albeit Pascal Leclaire could be categorized as a struggling goaltender.

Update: That’s not a penalty

As the instigator penalty winds down, Steve Bernier was cross-checked from behind into the goal. No call? are you kidding me? If not from behind, it’s a delay of game penalty.

Ex-Canucks draft pick RJ Umberger just came VERY close to catching Luongo over-committing to his left. Any pure scorer would have put that home. 

Still not looking good for the captain.