Vancouver, BC. –
Roberto Luongo looked at home and on the mark in the Canucks’ 7-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings in game five of the series. The same cannot be said for the Kings’ Jonathon Quick, who was pulled after allowing five goals, only to be eventually reinstated in the third period after backup goalie Erik Ersberg was only able to stop two out of four shots in his first NHL playoff experience.
Mikael Samuelsson, the only current Vancouver Canuck to have won a Stanley Cup, has proven himself invaluable to this postseason Vancouver team. Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault promoted the right-winger to replace Alex Burrows and round out a fully Swedish first line, to great accord. With the Sedin twins, Samuelsson registered two goals and an assist, and was a presence for the full 60 minutes in this game five of the Kings-Canucks series Friday at GM Place.
Vancouver’s third line, consisting of Kyle Wellwood, Pavol Demitra, and Steve Bernier, was also a force to be reckoned with as Bernier put in two, and Demitra scored on a slap shot assisted by defenseman Kevin Bieksa. Daniel Sedin and Alex Edler were the other Vancouver goal scorers, while the second line of Alex Burrows, Mason Raymond, and Ryan Kesler remained uncharacteristically subdued.
Vancouver seems to have figured out how to kill penalties, and the sole Los Angeles power-play goal belonged to Michal Handzus in the first period. The Kings scored again in the third courtesy of Fredrik Modin, but it was not nearly enough to spoil the Canucks’ home-ice triumph.
With Roberto Luongo back on his game, both teams caving to some emotion-fueled scraps, and Jonathon Quick showing signs of breaking, the Kings will have to regroup and reevaluate their game plan against the Canucks in order to force a game seven. Game six is set for Sunday night, back at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The series is now 3-2 Canucks. Contact the writer at gabrielle.pope@prohockeynews.com
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