December 3, 2009, Vancouver Canucks-New Jersey Devils game story for Metro NYC Newspaper
Published 06:50, December the 3rd, 2009
Luongo wins battle with Brodeur
Canucks 5, Devils 2
It was the kind of game he had won 572 times in his Hall of Fame career and another 16 times for Canada in various international competitions. His team trailed by a goal early in the final period and an attacking forward bore down on him.
The moment called for a save, one that would keep his team in a game and give his mates a chance to win.
Instead, as his teammates fell apart around him, Martin Brodeur sagged with them.
In what was all but billed a showdown between the odds-on favorites to be the starting goaltender for the Canadian Men’s Olympic Hockey Team during the Vancouver Games in February, Brodeur and the Devils were dreadful in Wednesday night’s 5-2 loss to Vancouver at The Rock.
Roberto Luongo wasn’t spectacular—he didn’t have to be—in turning away 27 of 29 mostly harmless Devils shots. Brodeur yielded all five Canucks goals on 26 shots.
The much-anticipated goaltending duel between the two best goaltenders in the NHL never really materialized, as both teams took great pains to take try away the center of the ice. Vancouver (16-8-5) did, counterattacking after forcing 12 turnovers in the neutral and offensive zones. As for the Devils, there were breakdowns all over the ice. From Jacques Lemaire on down, the Devils admitted to their failings. The coach also offered ominous words to his team.
“Our problem as of late is that we’re not ready to play,” said Zach Parise.
“We didn’t do a good job of getting pucks deep,” Travis Zajac said. “I don’t think we did a good enough job skating through the neutral zone and getting on the forecheck.”
“It was mistakes on the forecheck, no support. Mistakes on turnovers; mistakes on passing, seeing guys open and making the right pass. Out of position,” listed Lemaire in his five minute post-game press conference. “I think they need a good practice. We’ve been going easy, thinking that they might be a little tired and this-and-that. Christmas is coming and (their) mind is somewhere else. We’ll try to put their mind back.”
A press box voice joked following the first period, “Marc-Andre Fleury just locked the starting job.” With a gold-medal-or-go-home nation watching the prime time matchup between Brodeur and Luongo, were both something less-than-stellar as Vancouver led 3-2 after the first period.
The Canucks jumped out to a 3-0 by the 12:32 mark of the period, thanks to a redirection goal from Alexandre Burrows (7th) at 6:33, a Sami Salo (1st) slapper that deflected off of Parise’s blade at 10:03 and a Daniel Sedin (2nd) wrist shot. The Devils responded with missile guidance accurate goals from Niclas Bergfors (7th) at 16:05 and Zajac (8th) with six seconds remaining. Vancouver had nine shots on goal in the opening 20, while the Devils took seven shots.
Earlier in the day, Luongo dispelled any notion that the match was a personal duel between he and Brodeur for the Canadian Olympic goaltender starting job. “It’s just a regular game. I’m not facing Marty. He’s not shooting on me. It’s just a matter of being on the ice at the same time,” Luongo said following Vancouver’s early skate. “I’m more concerned about Parise and Elias than Marty, let’s put it that way.”
The game remained at 3-2 until Alex Edler’s (2nd) slap shot at 1:36 into the third beat Brodeur. Jannick Hansen’s third of the season, a one-time snap shot from the slot off of a beautiful feed from Kevin Bieksa 4:18 later, ended any pretence of a comeback.
“They did a good job going to the net. There’s a guy a shooting and a guy driving, and it opens up holes to make plays,” was Brodeur’s analysis of the Canucks’ offensive game plan.
There is a positive out of what was the Devils’ worst game of the season. December could be a pivotal month for the Devils (17-7-1), who have 10 of their 15 games at the Rock. In winning the Atlantic Division last year, the Devils won nine-of-14 December games. The Devils’ next game is Friday at The Rock against the improved Lightning.
NOTES:
While having the two best goaltenders in the world represent their home country in their home country in the biggest sporting event in the world is a boon for the Devils and Canucks, the organizations will have more than Brodeur and Luongo in British Columbia.
Ryan Kesler and Zach Parise should find their way onto Team USA; Patrik Elias most likely will be called on to snipe for the Czech Republic, while the Sedin twins and Mikael Samuelsson should done Sweden’s blue-and-yellow sweater.
According to Samuelsson, who signed a three year, $7.5 million deal with the Canucks over the summer, the Olympics are nice and have been talked about, but the focus is on the day-to-day grind of the NHL season.
“Right now, it’s all about the NHL. I’ve heard some comments about the Olympics but more from media. There’s nothing really to talk about yet. All the focus on the NHL. You can’t focus on anything else,” said Samuelsson. “How can you look at the playoffs? Just try to win the game tonight. That’s how I look at it and how the team looks at it.”
*
Neither Brodeur—who became an American citizen Tuesday—nor Luongo would tip their hands about any perceived individual importance about the game. However, Canucks coach Alain Vineault may have come the closest to telling the truth about how both netminders viewed the matchup. All time, Brodeur is 6-9-0 against the Canucks while Luongo is 5-13-0. Luongo did not play in last year’s lone meeting, a 5-3 Devils win at GM Place.
“I’m sure it’s a big game for both goaltenders. They’re both professionals and they’ll both play real well, I’m sure,” Vineault said. “Roberto gets up for every game and wants to play every game. He’s a lot like Marty Brodeur: Those guys want to play every game. They want to practice every day. That’s why they’re at the elite level of their profession. New Jersey is very fortunate that type of goaltender and we’re very fortunate to have Luongo in Vancouver.”
*
Vancouver’s line of Burrows and the Sedin twins, Henrik and Daniel, accounted for six points. Edler had a three point night and finished plus three. In all, nine Canucks recorded at least one point and 11 finished plus-one or better. In comparison, only five Devils tallied a point; twelve were minus-one or worse. Only defenseman Mark Fraser, Andy Greene and Dean McAmmond finished on the plus side of the ledger, at plus-one.
*
The Rangers announced in the afternoon that they had claimed forward Eric Christensen off of waivers from Anaheim. Christensen has played for Pittsburgh, Atlanta and Anaheim in his five year career. Also, according to multiple reports, reserve goaltender Steve Valiquette was placed on waivers. If Valiquette clears waivers, it is expected that he will be sent to AHL Hartford to work on his game. Valiquette is 2-3-0 with a ghastly .852 save percentage and an unsightly 3.74 goals against.
posted by Denis P. Gorman at 10:49 AM
<< Home