Luongo wins the big game

[Tsawwassen]

Originally Posted by Itse

The pressures of international hockey can be overwhelming, as Finland has proven over and over and over and over and over, and over... ...and again.

The pressures of NHL hockey are also overwhelming as Vancouver has proven over and over and over and over and over, and over... ...and again.

[old-fart]

Luongo was adequate. He certainly didn't "win the big game", but he didn't lose it either. He let in his share of bad goals (I'd argue the first one he let in against the Slovaks was worse than any goal Brodeur let in) and he was fighting the puck a lot (and that fighting of the puck directly led to the US tying the game up in the last 24.4 seconds).

Having said that, he made enough saves for Canada to get gold. Now go back to your diving, sucking ways for the Nucks.

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by transplant99

20 hockey players won the big game.

Not only that but it took an extra 7 minutes because Luongo let in a weak little tip in. Glad he found a way to make some stops but nothing I saw makes me think 'he won the game' for this team.

[PyramidsofMars]

Canucks fans gave Iginla an appropriate round of applause, and we should do the same for Luongo.

[WCE]

http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/hockey/st...da-luongo.html


Win should silence critics: Yzerman

Babcock suspected that Luongo might want another crack at the Kesler goal, which snuck behind him off a deflected shot.
"The one where Kesler got the tip, he might have liked to squeeze it," Babcock said.

But Team Canada executive director Steve Yzerman said Sunday's win should finally quiet Luongo's critics.

"It's amazing, all players until you actually win, you're all questioned," said Yzerman, captain of the Detroit Red Wings for more than a decade before he won his first Stanley Cup.

"I went through it for a brief period, Wayne [Gretzky] went through it very briefly, Mario [Lemieux] went through it very briefly — all these guys until you win you have to deal with that.

"I think this will answer some of that question for him, he was in net for a gold-medal winning team and played admirably."

[WCE]

Originally Posted by old-fart

Luongo was adequate. He certainly didn't "win the big game", but he didn't lose it either. He let in his share of bad goals (I'd argue the first one he let in against the Slovaks was worse than any goal Brodeur let in) and he was fighting the puck a lot (and that fighting of the puck directly led to the US tying the game up in the last 24.4 seconds).

Having said that, he made enough saves for Canada to get gold. Now go back to your diving, sucking ways for the Nucks.

I think the Brodeur goal against the Americans where he played baseball and went for the two pad stack was the worst. Not only did his bad play cause the scoring chance, he also let in a softie on the shot.

I think the goal Luongo let in against the Slovaks was the 2nd worst goal of the tournament for Canada though, no doubt there.

Re: Inability to glove the puck.

Apparently the IIHF required some of the goalies to switch from their NHL trappers for the tournament (que the oversized equipment lines). I wonder if that was the cause for the bobbles?

From watching Luongo play the last 4 years on a nightly basis my major critique of his play is that when the puck is behind the goal line he is often slow to react to the jam play. The other major flaw is below average puck handling.

He has never had a problem gloving pucks, I actually would say that is one of the stronger aspects of his game.

Just food for thought I would actually like an explanation on that topic because it was a glaring issue despite the golden outcome of the game.

[North East Goon]

Thank - you Roberto Luongo, he was thrust into a pressure cooker and came out standing tall with the gold!

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by PyramidsofMars

Canucks fans gave Iginla an appropriate round of applause, and we should do the same for Luongo.

It would seem sensible to agree with you, except that there is a world of difference between Roberto Luongo and Jarome Iginla, at least in terms of how they are perceived in public. I am ecstatic that Canada won a gold medal, and I thought that Luongo played a good game. Was he a difference maker? Perhaps, but not in the same storybook sense as Toews or Crosby or Iginla. Regardless of the outcome; regardless of whether or not Luongo has a gold medal around his neck; regardless of how he played he still strikes me as truculant and arrogant. He has taken a step towards silencing his critics, but in the process there lingers a palpable suspicion that has not subsided, as evinced by the defensive posture assumed by media outlets and observers; hell, the very presence of this thread betrays an apologetic tone.

[old-fart]

Originally Posted by WCE

I think the Brodeur goal against the Americans where he played baseball and went for the two pad stack was the worst. Not only did his bad play cause the scoring chance, he also let in a softie on the shot.

I think the goal Luongo let in against the Slovaks was the 2nd worst goal of the tournament for Canada though, no doubt there.

Re: Inability to glove the puck.

Apparently the IIHF required some of the goalies to switch from their NHL trappers for the tournament (que the oversized equipment lines). I wonder if that was the cause for the bobbles?

From watching Luongo play the last 4 years on a nightly basis my major critique of his play is that when the puck is behind the goal line he is often slow to react to the jam play. The other major flaw is below average puck handling.

He has never had a problem gloving pucks, I actually would say that is one of the stronger aspects of his game.

Just food for thought I would actually like an explanation on that topic because it was a glaring issue despite the golden outcome of the game.

I agree that Brodeur goal was bad. The baseball swing was a bad decision, but the actual goal, while bad, wasn't as bad as Luongo's complete crapfest that was Slovakia's first goal. If Slovakia had come back to tie and then win that game, Luongo would go down as a much larger goat than Brodeur.

Interesting that Luongo also tried a baseball swing in the Germany game - the difference was that he missed the puck and it went behind the net instead of back infront to an opponent.

I stand by my original statement: Luongo was adequate. He wasn't stellar and he wasn't crappy. He was ok. He certainly didn't "win the big game", but he didn't lose it either.

Congrats Canada.

My biggest disappointment is that ######bags like Kesler and Kane get a medal at all (and yes, I include Perry in that group, but he's Canadian so he gets a bit of a pass so the rest of the team can have Gold).

[HOOT]

If that performance is what puts Luongo in the top tier for winning pressure games then it is a very low bar IMO.

[mykalberta]

What is with all the back seat drivers on the tip in goal.

No goalie consistently saves that goal and to blame him for it, even if he is captain greasy is being way way to critical.

Its also not his fault on the 2-2 goal, to have 2 us players behind our defence is just bad defence.

He isnt St Patrick, but we won the game and he didnt let in any greasy goals, and he didnt try to be the show stopper like Brodeur tried to be against the same US team.

[old-fart]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

What is with all the back seat drivers on the tip in goal.

No goalie consistently saves that goal and to blame him for it, even if he is captain greasy is being way way to critical.

Its also not his fault on the 2-2 goal, to have 2 us players behind our defence is just bad defence.

I agree on the Kesler tip goal, although if he was playing agressively, he likely cuts down the angle enough that there is nowhere for the tip to go. Still, not a horrible goal to give up.

The second goal though was bad handling of the puck. A few seconds before the goal (with about 40 seconds left or so) the puck is shot in right to Luongo, and he can't glove it. Then, on the actual goal, he fails to cover the rebound. That was a bad goal. Not "1st goal against Slovakia oh my god what's that smell" bad, but not exactly a great goal to give up with 24.4 seconds left either.

[MelBridgeman]

Luongo was fine, first goal was a tip, but it did go through him, so he could of stopped it. But whatever. The last goal was on a play started by one of his famous rebounds, although he was left out to dry by his defence...if he stopped that, and he had a chance too, that would of been the biggest clutch save in recent memory, but he didn't, which is fine - he was solid - that's all that was needed for this team to win. The team in front of him played a solid team game.

Just before the Crosby goal, Luongo was about to freeze the puck, but he moved it to Nieds instead...i wonder what the outcome of this game would of been if he had froze it.

Kudos to the US, good team, played a good team game, Miller was outstanding, made a mistake on the game winner, but was exceptional all tourny long

[MelBridgeman]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

What is with all the back seat drivers on the tip in goal.

No goalie consistently saves that goal and to blame him for it, even if he is captain greasy is being way way to critical.

I am fine with that goal too, but it did go through him, so he had a chance to stop it. He could of stop it, but that isn't suggesting it was weak, he almost had it..it would of been a great save if he did.

[Infamous1]

Originally Posted by HOOT

If that performance is what puts Luongo in the top tier for winning pressure games then it is a very low bar IMO.

Since when is 34/36 saves in a GOLD MEDAL GAME a low bar? So many comments from Flames fans about Luongo are ridiculous.

[MelBridgeman]

Originally Posted by Infamous1

Since when is 34/36 saves in a GOLD MEDAL GAME a low bar? So many comments from Flames fans about Luongo are ridiculous.

such a blanket statement, there weren't very many tough stops in that 34...that is why. Can't vlame luongo for that, the team in front of him did his job.

[WCE]

Originally Posted by Infamous1

Since when is 34/36 saves in a GOLD MEDAL GAME a low bar? So many comments from Flames fans about Luongo are ridiculous.

I disagree. The majority have been in the realm of "fair" when it comes to his performance.

There are just a couple that won't give "it" up, and never will. Time for everyone to move on especially includes Canuck fans on this board.

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by old-fart

I agree on the Kesler tip goal, although if he was playing agressively, he likely cuts down the angle enough that there is nowhere for the tip to go. Still, not a horrible goal to give up.

The second goal though was bad handling of the puck. A few seconds before the goal (with about 40 seconds left or so) the puck is shot in right to Luongo, and he can't glove it. Then, on the actual goal, he fails to cover the rebound. That was a bad goal. Not "1st goal against Slovakia oh my god what's that smell" bad, but not exactly a great goal to give up with 24.4 seconds left either.

Hard to cut down the angle IMO when there are other us players buzzing around the crease looking for a rebound.

Flat out Brodeur lost us the first game against the US. Luongo didnt win us this game, but more importantly he didnt lose us this game.

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by Infamous1

Since when is 34/36 saves in a GOLD MEDAL GAME a low bar? So many comments from Flames fans about Luongo are ridiculous.

Luongo was average in that game, nothing more, nothing less. He did not win Canada the game but almost lost it for them with a few glaring errors that almost cost this Country.

Really I don't care if you think I'm saying that because I'm a Flames fan but I would say the same thing about Brouder or Fleury if they let in those two goals and fumbled the puck like that in that type of game. Miller dominated Luongo, USA just didn't get any quality chances but quickly hopped on Luongo's mistakes to tie the game.

The whole bar I was at IN VANCOUVER was mumbling and grumbling about those two goals and I even heard a few "why does he always let in those soft ones" come from the groups of people wearing LUONGO #1 jerseys. But they were probably Flames fans in disguise.

[Infamous1]

Originally Posted by WCE

I disagree. The majority have been in the realm of "fair" when it comes to his performance.

There are just a couple that won't give "it" up, and never will. Time for everyone to move on especially includes Canuck fans on this board.

You should have been in the Game thread yesterday when Kesler scored. It was like everyone finally had their chance to bash him after having to keep quiet for 2 weeks. It was disgusting and I had to get out of there fast as it was ruining the game for me.