The view from Vancouver

VANCOUVER SUN

Iain MacIntyre: Roberto Luongo comes back, but so do the Kings in Canucks’ loss

“Roberto Luongo came back. Unfortunately for the Vancouver Canucks, so did the Los Angeles Kings. Again.

Just as they did in a home-ice loss to Los Angeles six weeks ago, the Canucks blew a third-period lead and lost to the Kings, 3-1 Saturday night at the Staples Center. At least on Nov. 25, the Canucks collected a point by getting to overtime before losing 3-2. Tonight, they got nothing.”

Harrison Mooney: I Watched This Game: Canucks at Los Angeles Kings, January 4, 2014

“Roberto Luongo wasn’t overly concerned about being rusty in his return versus the Los Angeles Kings, and now we know why: the Canucks had a plan — a plan to put the proverbial white vinegar to Funny Bob right away: get outplayed. Simply put, be awful. By being ineffective with the puck and sloppy enough defensively for the Kings to register a season-high 49 shots, they allowed Luongo to see enough action that, by the second period, he was basically playing his second game back. Clever, clever.

Of course, once it became clear that Luongo was back in form, the Canucks probably should have joined him. But by then they may have just been enjoying the show. Is it their fault that Luongo was the best Canuck tonight? Wait. Actually, it is. My mistake. Like all the guys wearing white sweaters in the Staples Center this evening, I watched this game.”

THE PROVINCE

Ben Kuzma: Canucks fall 3-1 to the Kings after being badly outshot in L.A.

“The Canucks got a little power-play success from a first-period Ryan Kesler effort and a whole lot of a larcenous Luongo but still fell 3-1 at the Staples Center. It wasn’t flattering. It wasn’t so much the third-straight loss, the third setback to the Kings this season and the sixth-straight loss for Luongo against Los Angeles dating back to the 2012 playoffs.

It was how the Canucks went quietly into the night in losing for just the second time in regulation this season when leading after two periods. It was leaving Luongo hung out to dry and spoiling his brilliant 46-save effort. It was sobering. And alarming.”

Tony Gallagher: Canucks need to stiffen up in wild West

“Despite the fact Luongo was holding his team in the game all night, he was run over in his crease on a regular basis, with little or no reaction from the players on the ice. Dustin Brown did whatever he wanted as he always does in these games, the tightness of the score not the least bit indicative of how a seven-game series between the teams might turn out.

And if this is the way Vancouver is going to play against the bigger teams in this stretch of games against the best in the league, you can’t expected things to improve much this afternoon when the team drives the 60 miles down the freeway to Anaheim.”

j.Bowman: Canucks/Kings Post Game Quotes (I Wish Were Real)

Head Coach John Tortorella – “I think I might need to invent a new curse word to motivate these guys. Tonight they played like a klobbing disgrace”.

Roberto Luongo – “Let’s just say I’m relieved this entire team isn’t Canadian. When are the Olympics again? ”

Henrik Sedin – “Is it too late to say that I think the NHL re-alignment is a terrible idea?”.

Jason Botchford: The accidentally on purpose Van Provies from Kings-Canucks

“I guess not everyone knows by now that Dustin Brown has earned a reputation over the years for “accidentally on purpose.” He manages to ride this bizarre line between honest mistake and devastating cheap shot. It’s quite a skill.

If you weren’t aware of his rep, you’d probably think nothing of this hit on Roberto Luongo, who was playing his first game in two weeks, after a groin injury.

Luongo was specifically asked about the accidental cheap shot artist after the game and had a great quote…”

CANUCKS ARMY

Dimitri Filipovic: Canucks Army Postgame: The Kings Provide us with a Friendly Reminder

“Let’s not sugarcoat it: the Vancouver Canucks got thoroughly outclassed by their opponent on Saturday night. The list of positives for the Canucks is a pretty short one following this game, with pretty much just one name cracking it. For a while there it looked like Roberto Luongo – who really stood on his head all night, showing no ill effects as he made his return from a groin injury which had sidelined him for 4 games – might be able to steal the two points for his team, but he could only hold the fort for as long before the floodgates finally opened.”

NUCKS MISCONDUCT

Vancitydan: A “You Make Your Own Luck” Game Recap ( 3-1 L )

“When they talk about luck in the game of hockey, it usually translates to when you had a great chance to score, but a puck fluttered over your stick because of a rut in the ice. Often it is mentioned by the shooters that somehow ended up shooting the puck right into the chest of a perfectly placed goalie all night.

So, often it is not luck at all, but just a way to feel better about failing. It is a part of a game where mistakes and forcing the other team to make them is how you win the game. Like baseball players who can make many millions by failing to hit a ball seven times out of ten, hockey players have to just keep skating, and have short memories.

And all of that doesn’t matter when the goalie is as hot as Roberto Luongo was tonight. He didn’t really have a chance on either goal to get by him, and was the only reason it was, incredibly, a game where the Canucks had an opportunity to win going into the third. You played a helluva game tonight Mr. Luongo.”