Canuck goalie woes get worse
Just a few short weeks ago, the Vancouver Canucks were flush with great goalies. Now, the NHL team is so desperate for goaltending help, the Canucks’ assistant equipment manager is doing double-duty as back-up netminder in practices.
It all started with All-Star Robert Luongo suffering a groin injury in Pittsburgh on Nov. 22. It got worse - much worse - when solid back-up Curtis Sanford experienced back spasms in Columbus on Monday and had to pull himself out of what would eventually be a 3-2 loss to the Blue Jackets after the first period.
Now, Vancouver visits the Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings on Thursday with rookie Cory Schneider as the No. 1 man. Schneider played his first NHL game last Saturday, a 3-1 loss to the Calgary Flames.
And in practice Tuesday, assistant equipment manager Jamie Hendricks donned Sanford’s pads and was the second goalie.
Oh, and the Canucks are also on a three-game losing streak.
If Sanford’s back doesn’t get better, the Canucks will have to recall rookie Julien Ellis from the Victoria Salmon Kings of the ECHL, a young goalie who was considered such a liability coming out of training camp that he was sent to the Salmon Kings instead of the Canucks’ farm team, the Manitoba Moose of the AHL.
Ellis is the only other goalie the Canucks have signed to an NHL contract and has played just one game this season after returning from an ankle injury.
Thankfully, Luongo started skating on Monday, but is still at least two weeks from returning to game form. While his teammates skated at Nationwide Arena before Monday’s game, Luongo worked out on the main ice surface with Canuck goaltending consultant Ian Clark.
“Today I really pushed it pretty hard and it felt all right,” Luongo said, a declaration which must be music to the ears of Canucks management and coaches.
Clark said Luongo could face some “controlled shooting” within a couple of days. Initially, it will be Clark firing the pucks.
“And then the next stage he’ll be getting into practice,” Clark said. “I think we’ll have another day on the ice without shooting tomorrow and get into some controlled shooting after that and hopefully we’ll get him into some team shooting certainly within the week.”
No matter what, until Loungo returns, the Canucks will be allowing more goals than normal. Which means Totals Bettors may want to take the Over on Canuck matchups for the next little while.
Tags: Hockey Betting, NHL, Over Under Betting, Robert Luongo, Vancouver Canucks
