Another year of Stanley Cup hopes for Vancouver, another elimination game tonight that can dash it all away. After losing 7-4 to the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 4 the Vancouver Canucks are down 3-1 heading into Game 5.
The reasons start in net. Considered one of the top goaltenders in the NHL Vancouver's Roberto Luongo has been swiss cheese, full of holes, versus Chicago. In Vancouver's three losses he's allowed an average of five goals in net, and even Canucks coach Alain Rigneault said he was the second best goalie on the ice behind Chicago rookie Antti Niemi.
With his shaky play and Game 5 at Chicago, Vancouver has opened as underdogs on the Moneyline and Luongo has stooped to shaving his playoff beard to get out of the slump.
The good news is the underdog is 6-2 in Vancouver's and Chicago's last eight meetings, and the Canucks are undefeated in their last four Sunday games.
To survive the Canucks will have to lower their penalties. Chicago’s Jonathan Toews scored three of the Blackhawks’ four power-play goals Friday when the Canucks garnered eight foolish penalties. Forward Dustin Byfuglien constantly got in Luongo's space and scored three goals in Chicago’s Game 3 win while drawing three penalties.
“I knew it was going to be a physical game," Byfuglien said Saturday. "I think everyone did—they were going to come out like that. And they weren’t smart about it.”
The Canucks and Blackhawks tip off at 8 p.m. ET on Versus or CBC.
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