Blackhawks 0 - 2 Canucks
Final
  for this game

Luongo, Canucks shut out Chicago in Game 1

Apr 14, 2011 - 6:15 AM Vancouver, BC (Sports Network) - Roberto Luongo stopped 32 shots for the second shutout of his playoff career, and the Vancouver Canucks opened its postseason with a 2-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 1 of a Western Conference quarterfinal series.

Chris Higgins and Jannik Hansen both scored for the Canucks, who come into the playoffs as the top seed in the NHL and won the Presidents' Trophy for the first time in franchise history.

Vancouver is hoping to enact some revenge against Chicago, which had knocked the Canucks out of the playoffs in the second round the past two seasons.

"This game doesn't mean anything if we don't win the series," said Luongo. "We won Game 1 and that is nice, but we have to come out with a good effort and we still have a lot of work left to do."

Corey Crawford stopped 31 shots for the Blackhawks, who made their way into the postseason on the final day of the season to be given a chance to defend their Stanley Cup crown.

"We were creating stuff out there it just didn't wanna go in," said Crawford. "It was just one of those nights for us and we have to come back Friday and take the next game."

Game 2 of this best-of-seven series will take place on Friday in Vancouver.

The Canucks got on the board just 7:03 into the game as Kevin Bieksa sent a shot on net from the right point that Higgins redirected into the net.

Less than 3 1/2 minutes later, it was a 2-0 game as Mikael Samuelsson chipped the puck out of his own zone, Hansen raced down the ice after it and was able to slip a forehand shot past Crawford.

Luongo stopped seven shots in the first period then turned aside 15 in the second period to keep the lead.

Vancouver killed off a Bieksa penalty early in the third period and Luongo made 10 saves in the final frame to preserve the shutout.

Game Notes

The Sedin brothers -- Daniel and Henrik -- who finished first and fourth, respectively, in points in the NHL this season, failed to register a point in the game for Vancouver...Over four previous playoff series between these two teams, Chicago has won three of them...These clubs split the regular-season series.






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