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Luongo hurt in win over Penguins

Nov 22, 2008 - 11:39 PM PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- It could wind up being a costly victory for the Vancouver Canucks.

Daniel Sedin scored a goal and set up two others as the Canucks topped the Pittsburgh Penguins, 3-1, on Saturday afternoon.

Vancouver's celebration likely will be tempered because superstar goaltender Robert Luongo left the game in the first period with a groin injury.

"He strained his groin a little bit," Canucks coach Alain Vigneault said. "We are not exactly sure the severity of it. He will come back with us to Vancouver and get an MRI sooner than later, and we will hopefully know within 24 hours."

Luongo, who leads the NHL with five shutouts this season, went down attempting to make a save on a shot that was blocked in front. He was helped off the ice by the training staff, unable to put any weight on his left leg.

Pavol Demitra scored two goals - including an empty-netter - and Henrik Sedin added three assists for the Canucks, who improved to 7-0-2 in their last nine contests.

"We didn't really give them anything, not even on their power play," Demitra said. "Our (penalty) killers were playing great."

Mike Zigomanis netted the lone goal for the Penguins, who were handed their first regulation loss this month (7-1-1).

"(The Canucks) play really well, and they play hard," Penguins coach Michel Therrien said. "That's the reason why they're the hottest team in the league. They deserve to win."

Luongo made one save before leaving 4:54 into the opening session. He was replaced by Curtis Sanford, who turned aside 17 shots.

Luongo's former backup, Pittsburgh's Dany Sabourin stopped 16 of the 18 shots he faced. Sabourin spent the 2006-07 season in Vancouver, receiving just seven starts behind Luongo.

"I played with him for a year, and he's my friend," Sabourin said of Luongo. "Hopefully, he's all right."

Demitra opened the scoring with a bad-angle shot with 1:55 left in the first period.

Daniel Sedin doubled the advantage with his ninth goal of the season. He took a pass from his brother and fired a quick shot past Sabourin at 6:50 of the middle session.

Zigomanis halved the deficit early in the third, but Demitra sealed the win with the empty-netter - his seventh goal of the season - with 12 seconds to play.

"You never want to be down in the third," Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said. "But it happens. You don't win every game going into the third with a lead, but we'd all rather play with the lead. It's just a matter of consistency starting games."

Pittsburgh's Matt Cooke played against his former team for the first time since Vancouver dealt him to the Washington Capitals at last season's trade deadline. He got into a fight with Jannik Hansen just 25 seconds into the contest and received a game misconduct.

Many of the Canucks thought Cooke's hit on defenseman Alex Edler, which led to the fight, was dirty.

"Definitely cheap," Vancouver blue-liner Shane O'Brien said. "I mean, he does that a lot."

"He submarined him, and it was two or three seconds after he got rid of the puck," Sanford said. "You don't like to see that."