Just like in the 2010 gold medal game, Canada had a 2-0 lead. Two goals by the Czechs, the first one is "meh", the second one is a rebound. Okay, don't hang him on those two, but when Draper scored to give Canada the 3-2 lead the Czechs scored 6 seconds later. He did do well in overtime and Canada did win, so there's that. Ditto in 2010 though. Ryan Kesler scores a weak goal to cut the lead in half at 2-1. Then the Parise goal with 30 seconds left. Canada is in full control and that Kesler goal breathes life into an American team that did not have the stars that Canada did on their team.
All I am saying is that in a big game he made me nervous. Even Tony Esposito despite his reputation as not being a playoff goalie has the 1972 Summit Series where he did the best out of the three goalies. Luongo just made you hold your breath. He's still a HHOF goalie and such, I'm okay with that, he's too good to keep out, but when a goalie is that good he usually wins the Cup.
five times luongo took a year off my lifespan. but first the setup:
game four vs chicago, 2009
luongo was sensational in this game, carrying a shutout into the end of the third with a 1-0 lead. less than three minutes to go, there’s a failed clear and havlat scores off the turnover, quick shot from the hash marks that a more dialed in luongo would have had. they score again early into OT and instead of being up 3-1 the series is tied. this game foreshadows everything to come over the next two absolutely bonkers years.
so the five times:
game six vs chicago, 2009
game five was another game we were ahead, before chicago tied it up late in the second, then got the winner late in the third before icing it with an empty netter. luongo really had a thing for coughing up leads in the last few minutes of a period. so game six was an elimination game, chicago had the momentum and was in luongo’s head, jumps out to a 3-1 lead by the midway pt of the second, but daniel sedin has the game of his life, keying the comeback by scoring immediately after chicago’s third goal. game is tied 3-3 going into the third and sundin scores an early one to go up 4-3. chicago ties it, then daniel scores another one on the PP to regain the lead with less than eight minutes to go in the third. then 7uongo happens. coughs up two goals in less than a minute and kane gets a late one to collect his hat trick and put the game out of reach.
semi-finals game vs slovakia, 2010 olympics
up 3-0 going into the second half of the third period, visnovsky scores to ruin the shutout, then with five minutes left handzus makes it a game. a sensational last minute save on demitra seals the win but man did he make us sweat that one out in a game we should have walked away with.
gold medal game vs usa, 2010 olympics
as we all know, luongo lets in the parise goal with under thirty seconds to go to force overtime.
game six vs chicago, 2011
i will never ever forget watching this game. after luongo had turned a 3-0 series lead into a 3-2 series, cory schneider gets the start. but schneids gets hurt in the third period when frolik can-openered him on a penalty shot to tie the game at 3-3. enter luongo. i repeat: i will never ever forget when ben smith scored late in the first overtime to force game seven. we were watching the game after thanksgiving dinner and when that goal went in nobody spoke, we just all knew it was time to go home in complete stunned silence.
game seven vs chicago, 2011
carrying a 1-0 lead into the end of the third, toews scores with under two minutes to go in the game, setting up the biggest collective exhale a city has ever had when burrows scored in OT. but at that moment when toews scored...
