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Luongo looks to remain hot as Canucks host Leafs

Nov 15, 2008 - 11:32 AM Toronto (7-6-4) at Vancouver (9-6-1), 7:00pm EST

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Ticker) -- After seeing their three-game winning streak come to an end by the slimmest of margins, the Vancouver Canucks will look to rebound on Saturday as they finish off a six-game homestand.

The Canucks host the Toronto Maple Leafs as they look to pick up their fourth victory in five chances. They fell in a shootout to the Colorado Avalanche, 2-1, on Wednesday after recording three consecutive shutouts in a five-day span.

Red-hot goaltender Roberto Luongo recovered from a pair of lackluster starts - during which he surrendered a combined nine goals - to record three straight shutouts, making 81 saves in that span. He came close to making it four in a row on before Paul Stastny's power-play goal in the third period got past him to tie the game.

He leads the league with five shutouts - more than double the total of his closest competitor. He is already two away from matching his career high of seven, set in 2003-04 with the Florida Panthers.

Luongo will likely have more than his share of chances against the Leafs, who lead the Eastern Conference in scoring and are third in the NHL with 588 shots on goal this campaign.

Toronto comes into the game above the .500 mark but has had an up-and-down season. The Leafs have stumbled through winless streaks of five and three games, but have won two of their last three. On Thursday, they scored three times in the second period en route to a 5-2 triumph over the Edmonton Oilers as center Matt Stajan recorded three assists.

The former second-round pick - who has never had more than 39 points in a single season - is in the midst of a five-game scoring streak. and has recorded a point in 10 of his last 11 games. Over his last five, he has posted a goal and eight assists and leads the club with 16 points.