Luongo And Panthers Fall To Canucks

     Roberto Luongo was in goal against his former team the Vancouver Canucks for the first time on Sunday as the Florida Panthers lost 4-3 in a shootout at BB&T Center. He played for the Canucks for eight seasons from 2006 until earlier this month. The Cats, who have lost four of their last five games, now go on a four-game West Coast road trip following this game.
     In the first period, Florida(25-35-8) scored on their second power play at 16:28. Jimmy Hayes moved the puck to Brandon Pirri in the low right circle. He passed it to Tom Gilbert in the top right circle, he skated a couple of feet in and ripped a wrist shot which was deflected by Hayes past the right blocker of Eddie Lack for his eighth goal.
     It was matched by Vancouver(31-29-10) with 2:18 left in the first. Dan Hamhuis took a slapshot from the top of the zone that went through a screen in the crease and over the right shoulder of Luongo.
     The Canucks continued their momentum less then a minute later as they capitalized on a Panthers clearing pass with 1:25 remaining. The puck bounced off Henrik Sedin on the left wing to Alexandre Burrows. His centering pass went to Nicklas Jensen and he scored on a snap shot from the slot area.
     The Panthers were able to tie the game 2-2 at 4:19 of the third period. Quinton Howden came in from the right corner and tried to stuff in the puck which was saved by Lack. Vincent Trocheck went around the Canucks cage and put in a wraparound shot for his second NHL goal.
     Vancouver regained their lead one minute later at 5:34 on the power play as Burrows scored on a backhand shot in the crease following a save by Luongo. Kevin Bieksa set the play up from the left point and passed to Alexander Edler on the right point for a slapshot.
     The Cats picked up a power-play goal with 1:35 to go and tied it at 3-3. Brian Campbell blasted a slapshot from the left point. Hayes had two shots on the doorstep and put the second one in for his second goal of the game and ninth of the season.
     There was no scoring in overtime and the contest went into a shootout. Jensen scored the only goal on Vancouver's second attempt as he snapped a shot beyond the stick side of Luongo that barely got inside the net.
     Luongo made 29 saves and dropped his record to 21-18-7 while Lack improved to 12-13-4 as he stopped 26 shots. The Cats had one of their better days on the power play as they went 2-for-4 and Canucks were 1-for-5 with the man advantage.