Vancouver, BC – Roberto Luongo will draw the start between the pipes for the Vancouver Canucks when the team begins its Western Conference quarterfinal series against San Jose on Wednesday, head coach Alain Vigneault told reporters following the team's gameday morning skate.
Luongo, a four-time All-Star who's spent most of this season as the backup to Cory Schneider, is getting the call for Game 1 with Schneider just making his way back from an undisclosed injury that kept him out of the Canucks' final two regular-season tests.
"Schneider just isn't ready or healthy yet," Vigneault stated on Wednesday.
Luongo posted a 9-6-3 record with a 2.56 goals-against average and .907 save percentage over 20 games (18 starts) this year, but was shelled for seven goals on 37 shots at Edmonton in the Canucks' regular-season finale.
Schneider went 17-9-4 with a 2.11 GAA and .927 save percentage over 30 starts.
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