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CANUCKS HOCKEY BLOG

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Lay Off Louie

It's easy to blame Roberto Luongo for Tuesday night's loss to the Detroit Red Wings. After all, he let in a weak Johan Franzen short-handed goal that seemed deflate the rest of the Canucks. What gets lost is how without Luongo, the game wouldn't even have been close. What gets lost is how without Luongo, the Canucks would have far less than the eight wins they have this season.

For eight consecutive games now, the Canucks have failed to score more than two goals in a game. And the fact is, not many teams win games if they don't score more than twice in a game.

Consider this: Of the 266 games played to date, only 35 (13%) were won by a team that scored only two goals that game.

From sportsnet.ca:

Coming into the season the Vancouver Canucks knew scoring goals wouldn't be easy, but even they didn't think it was going to be this hard.

Vancouver has scored two or less goals in regulation time in its last eight NHL games.

The Canucks, who are two games below .500 with a 8-10-1 record, have managed just 43 goals in 19 games. Their 2.26 goals-a-game average is second worst in the league.
As for Luongo, he's keeping up with his end of the deal (for the most part anyway). He's faced the fourth most shots in the league and still sports a respectable .905 SV%; his 2.52 GAA is 11th best and he's played more games than anyone in the top 10.

So lay off Louie. He's the least of the Canucks' problems right now.

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Comments/Questions: Feel free to post in the comments section or email me at gocanucksgo10 (at) hotmail (dot) com.

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posted by J.J. Guerrero, 11:53 PM

3 Comments:

At November 17, 2006 9:36 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nice stat on the % of games won by teams scoring only 2 goals in a game.

 
At November 17, 2006 6:25 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

i definitly second your thoughts on and defences of luongo. he's doing his work with our nucks

 
At November 18, 2006 3:08 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Fair point, but I think we might have hoped that he would have had better than .905 save percentage at the start of the season, considering his salary and reputation. I think we were hoping he would be in the running for the Vezina trophy, and that doesn't look likely, not unless his form improves.

I was watching a highlight compilation of Bertuzzi from last season and I found myself wishing he hadn't been traded.

I have a fair bit of confidence that Luongo will improve fulfil his promise, but I find that confidence diminishing

 

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