Canucks G Sanford leaves game

Dec 2, 2008 - 4:07 AM COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) -- Vancouver Canucks goaltender Curtis Sanford left Monday's game 3-2 loss to Columbus Blue Jackets with back spasms.

Sanford stopped all 11 shots in the first period before being replaced by rookie Cory Schneider to start the second.

"(Sanford) came to the bench at a whistle and said he might have done something to his back," said Schneider, who finished with 15 saves. "So coach kind of said to get ready just in case. And when he came in, he said he couldn't go, so I jumped in.

"It's never easy, you have to get a sweat going, you have to get into the game. It's part of the job, you have to be ready at all times no matter what."

The 29-year-old Sanford entered the contest with a 3-2-0 record, a 2.66 goals-against average and .910 save percentage.