Pre-Game Talk: Game #39: Panthers @ Canucks || Luongo Returns || Thu Jan 8/15 7PM PST SNP

[arsmaster*]

So those 6 series he won, the other goalie was better than him every time? Come on.

Not to disprove your point because I agree but the first one he won, the other goalie had 3 shutouts.

We won in 7 against Marty Turco. Lu was amazing though. Even Turco having 3 shutouts the goaltending was essentially even.

 

[Lundface*]

So those 6 series he won, the other goalie was better than him every time? Come on.

Problem was when he blew up, he blew up masterfully.

He was great his first year in the playoffs, you wouldn't hear anyone say otherwise. Fantastic against Dallas and even better against Anaheim despite losing. He was a game changer, even though the team wasn't much.

He then collapsed down the stretch and Van missed the playoffs. Not much was said at this point, but I think people started souring a little. The shine was still on though, so he was fine.

Then Van actually had a decent team in 2009, a team that could have made noise with Sundin starting to really find his game and the Sedins doing well. But he choked hard in game 6. He had rocky moments before that against Chicago too, but that game when he got 5 goals and the offence continually bailing him out, he let the team down badly. As a massive fan of his, at this point even I had questions.

Next year he was rock solid against St Louis (who I believe was hot going in) so it seemed like he was back. And then he had more collapses against the Hawks.

2011 again he was fantastic. Huge in game 7 against the Hawks. Exorcised the demons. Was good against Nashville and San Jose, and probably the front runner for Conn Smythe. Started out well vs Boston. Injuries hit the team, and he completely blew up in game 3. The again in game 4. Game 5 he is again great, then proceeds to choke hard in game 6 and was bad in game 7. The team was horrible in front of him, so this isn't me putting the blame on him (it was injuries, the outstanding play of Thomas and reffing that did them in) but along with the team his play was poor. Again I've never blamed the finals on him. He helped them get there and was ok at times in the finals.

The biggest issue I have with him was when he asked to be traded and his declining play afterwards.

But, you can see how this wasn't some one time thing where he didn't exactly perform up to par. When he was bad, he was spectacularly bad and at times prevented the team from having a chance (not 2011, but I'd say 2008, 2009. 2010). It all accumulated.

 

[Zombotron]

Then Van actually had a decent team in 2009

Next year he was rock solid against St Louis

2009 was St. Louis ---> Chicago, the year after that was Los Angeles ---> Chicago

 

[Rotting Corpse*]

Problem was when he blew up, he blew up masterfully.

This is the thing. It just seemed like we could never lose with dignity; we had to lose in embarrassing fashion so many times. That is why his and our public reputation isn't so great. How many times in the playoffs were we just flat out embarrassed on the ice; It was actually kind of nice that at least game 7 against Boston was only 3-0. I was expecting either a win or a 9-0 loss.

 

[CP]

Nice to see the ex-captain back in town. Hope he gets a warm welcome back and loses a close one in a floppy shoot-out.

 

[Samzilla]

This is the thing. It just seemed like we could never lose with dignity; we had to lose in embarrassing fashion so many times. That is why his and our public reputation isn't so great. How many times in the playoffs were we just flat out embarrassed on the ice; It was actually kind of nice that at least game 7 against Boston was only 3-0. I was expecting either a win or a 9-0 loss.

4-0.

 

[IntangiBo]

So those 6 series he won, the other goalie was better than him every time? Come on.

If we want to live a place where everything is this absolute, then sure. But yes, we won series' where he wasn't as good as his counterpart. I don't think we ever won a series BECAUSE of Luongo. Not even sure why this matters. I don't think we would have won the series against LA if we went with Lu over CS. I think that was the topic.

I hope they have a nice video for him tomorrow. Then I hope we light him up. Montoya comes in for the 3rd, Lu continues to cash huge cheques and receives sympathy for the awful treatment he gets for being a professional athlete.

 

[Rotting Corpse*]

4-0.

Was it? ****, still.

 

[IntangiBo]

Was it? ****, still.

ENG though.

 

[polarbearcub]

Was it? ****, still.

4th was an empty netter

 

[IntangiBo]

4th was an empty netter

Small minds!!!!

 

[JA]

Part of it was Alain Vigneault not knowing when to pull Roberto. Unfortunately, when Luongo let in a bad goal he rarely recovered from it. Once the floodgates were open, Roberto had difficulty refocusing. Those bad goals seemed to linger.

When he was on his game, he was great. There were frequently signs whenever he had a bad night, though. Game 6 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals was only one of several instances throughout his time as a Canuck when things went sour after a shaky goal.

 

[Lundface*]

Part of it was Alain Vigneault not knowing when to pull Roberto. Unfortunately, when Luongo let in a bad goal he rarely recovered from it. Once the floodgates were open, Roberto had difficulty refocusing. Those bad goals seemed to linger.

When he was on his game, he was great. There were frequently signs whenever he had a bad night, though. Game 6 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals was only one of several instances throughout his time as a Canuck when things went sour after a shaky goal.

Yupp this is very true.

 

[Rotting Corpse*]

Yeah there were those games where just, the way he reacted after letting in the goal, you felt like it was over and even if it was only 2-0 or something he had to be pulled. AV never did though. I guess it was important to him to show that he had confidence in Lou. There's always that chance that you're making things worse by pulling him early and sending him the message that you have no faith in him.

 

[alternate]

I'd like to see us take the ice to Chelsea Dagger, just this once. Then play it before every offensive zone face-off. I'm hoping we light him up, at least 7 goals spread evenly between the 4 lines, PP and a defender.

After Loungo has been retired for 3 or so years and being put in the Ring of Honour, sure I'll give him a nice round of applause. But tomorrow, he's just an opponent's netminder. Cheer for the jersey, not the name on the back.

 

[Rotting Corpse*]

It would be funny if he didn't start. But then Tortorella isn't the coach in Florida.

 

[LiveeviL]

Part of it was Alain Vigneault not knowing when to pull Roberto. Unfortunately, when Luongo let in a bad goal he rarely recovered from it. Once the floodgates were open, Roberto had difficulty refocusing. Those bad goals seemed to linger.

When he was on his game, he was great. There were frequently signs whenever he had a bad night, though. Game 6 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals was only one of several instances throughout his time as a Canuck when things went sour after a shaky goal.

It is an AV trademark and not just concerning Lou. AV never did much to adjust his tactics depending on what happened on ice. He was great at building the team but lousy with on ice tactics as he did not care with adjusting.

 

[PG Canuck]

Matthias hat trick.

 

[Samzilla]

Matthias hat trick.

with assists from higgins, booth, garrison, mitchell, samuelsson, sturm, and lu

 

[shortshorts]

It is an AV trademark and not just concerning Lou. AV never did much to adjust his tactics depending on what happened on ice. He was great at building the team but lousy with on ice tactics as he did not care with adjusting.

All about the process..

To be fair, I think that's a very smart way to run a team.

Unfortunately, what separates a good coach and a great coach are those "hunches" and "adjustments".

 

[ProstheticConscience]

Miss Lu sometimes. One of the best players ever to wear the uniform.

Will never miss the endless drama surrounding him. Or the equally endless debates, threads, flame wars and online histrionics.

Hope we kill the Panthers. The state of Florida: where old Canucks go do die.

Want to see a line of: Vey/Bonino/Kassian tomorrow. I don't want Kassian to get a shot in the top 6 necessarily for his benefit, but so he's with players who can actually do things with the playmaking chances he creates.

Also want Bieksa to not be brain-dead.

 

[thepuckmonster]

GDT is up y'all.