Photos: Vancouver Canucks vs. New Jersey Devils

In the Canucks' impressive 3-0 victory over the injury-riddled New Jersey Devils, what was billed as a battle of Olympic stoppers turned out a lot like that February tournament in Vancouver. In the end, everybody was talking about Luongo and not Brodeur, who has lost seven of his last eight games against the Canucks. Now will we be able to keep up the good work.

It seems as though we hit a peak of wins and then outta no where we lose to a less that great team. If there is one thing you can be sure of, you can never expect consistancy from our boys.

Battling Hard Vancouver Canucks Goalie Ropberto Luongo is crased by New Jersey Devils David Clarkson 23, who took a penalty on the play, in Vancouver at Rogers Arena on November 1, 2010.

There was David Clarkson kicking at his pads before taking a goaltender interference penalty. There was Jamie Langenbrunner doing a fly-by in the crease and giving him a nudge. Anything to get Roberto Luongo off his game Monday at Rogers Arena.
He should consider all of the above a compliment.
In backstopping a 3-0 victory over the injury-riddled New Jersey Devils, what was billed as a battle of Olympic stoppers turned out a lot like that February tournament in Vancouver. In the end, everybody was talking about Luongo and not Brodeur, who has lost seven of his last eight games against the Canucks. And Luongo won admiration for not losing his cool, even when crease-crashers tried to put the heat on.
"When things are not going well, you want to make sure you get dirty in front of the net and maybe bounce a puck off somebody's leg," said Luongo. "They were crashing the net hard and luckily I got that call in the second period [Clarkson] and it's nice to get those once in a while. Maybe the refs are keeping and eye out for it."
To be fair, Brodeur deserves a break with five defencemen out of the New Jersey lineup, Zach Parise felled by a knee injury Saturday and the mercurial Ilya Kovalchuk going four games without scoring. The 3-9-1 Devils have only scored 20 goals and own a goal differential of minus-22. They clearly lack direction and an identity.
Although it wasn't a vintage Luongo performance after a five-day layoff — he also lost his stick twice, heard the clang of pucks off the post or crossbar four times and benefitted from 18 blocked shots — he was more comfortable and in control than his crease counterpart. Luongo claimed his 52nd career shutout and his first since Feb. 11, 2010 at Florida with 30 saves, a new style and new calmer attitude.
"I thought he was real solid and seemed real in control in goal and played the way we expected him to play," said Canucks coach Alain Vigneault, who will start Luongo again tonight in Edmonton.
Not only was Luongo stopping pucks Monday, he was moving smartly to see them.
With the Devils pressing early in the third period, Kovalchuk stepped around two defenders and let a wrist shot fly with Langenbrunner almost sitting in Luongo's lap. He then went post-to-post to stop Kovalchuk again at side of the net. It was a trend of saves that started early. In the game's opening minute, Luongo didn't commit early after taking a Henrik Tallinder shot off his chest and stayed square to stop Kovalchuk on the rebound.
"I've always said that I like to face a few shots early after not playing for a week," added Luongo. "Especially the rebound save off Kovalchuk. It really got me going."
At the other end, Brodeur only got a piece of an Alex Edler shot that was about to dribble across the goalline before being swept away by Colin White. And when Brodeur coughed up a Daniel Sedin rebound, it appeared that Christian Ehrhoff would opening scoring. His shot went off the right post and a sprawling Brodeur got his stick on it and the puck then deflected off the other post and somehow stayed out.
That led to Langenbrunner nudging Luongo before Raffi Torres, Ryan Kesler and Henrik Sedin on a penalty shot did the offensive damage.
"It's really disappointing," said Brodeur. "When you look at the numbers, It's mind-boggling a little bit. Especially on the back, on our blueline, some of our young guys are getting dominated a lot in the zone. When you don't score goals, everything is magnified. This whole trip, we're standing around, making mistakes."
After defenceman Matt Taormina lost control of the puck behind the Devils net. Manny Malhotra pounced on it at side of the net and fed a charging Torres who beat Brodeur on the stick side. Kesler then gave the Canucks a two-goal cushion early in the second period. On a cycle started by Mikael Samuelsson, it was Mason Raymond who threw the puck into the slot and it bounced off the skate of the Canucks centre. He then wheeled on Taormina and snapped the rebound home.
Sensing they were going to have difficulty mounting a comeback, the Devils stormed toward Luongo. That's when Clarkson try to jam the puck home with Aaron Rome draped all over him. But as he kicked at Luongo's pads to pry the puck, the net came off its mooring and the goal was disallowed because of the goalie-interference call.
Henrilk Sedin then capped scoring in the final period when he used a backhand move to slip the puck past Brodeur after the Canucks captain was hauled down by White.
"I'm going to be honest with you," Luongo said of Henrik's effort. "I thought he had zero per cent chance. I was surprised. I was getting ready for the faceoff already."