MONTREAL -- Taylor Pyatt's thumb caused concern. Roberto Luongo's neck sparked a panic.
An X-ray revealed Monday morning the Canucks' Pyatt suffered a broken thumb when slashed Saturday in Toronto by Maple Leaf Jeff O'Neill, although a hand specialist in Montreal suggested the Vancouver power forward should be able to play in a splint.
That good news was profoundly mitigated by an injury to Luongo, the Canucks' all-star goalie who was felled during practice by a Daniel Sedin shot to the throat and had to be helped off the ice at the Bell Centre.
Luongo's agony was obvious as he crawled out of his goal area before being met on the ice by Canucks trainer Jon Sanderson. Luongo stayed down for several minutes, struggling to get his breath and working his jaw as if he might have suffered a facial injury.
But, sporting a welt near his Adam's apple, the Montreal native declared in a raspy voice that he will play tonight against his hometown Canadiens.
"Definitely, it doesn't feel too good right now, but I'm sure that's not going to stop me from playing," Luongo told reporters. "You kind of lose your breath for a second and swelling begins right away, so you kind of feel that your throat is closing up."
Luongo wears no neck protector, and Monday's dangerous mishap was the second time this season he has been hit in the throat by a teammate's shot.
"I've tried wearing the plastic thing on my mask, but I'm just not comfortable with it," Luongo said. "Fortunately, it only happens once in a while."
Once should be too often for the Canucks, who may as well play without skates as play without Luongo. He has started 42 of 45 games and accounted for all 25 of Vancouver's wins.
If Luongo doesn't want to wear any neck protection during games, fair enough -- the Los Angeles Kings helped ruin Dan Cloutier by forbidding him from wearing a cage -- but Canuck coaches and managers should be hanging a suit of armour on Luongo for practices.
If anything happens to him, it's over for everyone.
The team initially feared it was over for Pyatt for at least 2-4 weeks after learning of his broken thumb, but Pyatt's consultation with a specialist later in the day left the 25-year-old hopeful that he might be able to play today.
He finished Saturday's game, even deftly scoring his 11th goal of the season on a third-period breakaway.
"I thought it was fine," Pyatt said Monday. "It just kind of swelled up over night. I finally got the X-ray this morning that showed the fracture, but it's not displaced. The specialist said as long as I protect it and can grip my stick, I'll be able to play. So we'll see how it feels in the morning."
Pyatt said he'll work with the training staff this morning to devise a brace that allows the winger to still wear his glove.
Marc Chouinard may watch from the medical-room door.
The Canuck centre, signed in July to a two-year, free-agent contract that pays him $1.1 million US this season, has been a healthy scratch the last four games and played less than seven minutes in the two games before that.
He was to replace Pyatt in the lineup, and the Quebec City native was keenly motivated to play in Montreal in front of friends and relatives.
"I've got a lot of time for Chouinard the person," Canuck coach Alain Vigneault said. "The hockey player right now hasn't lived up to what we originally thought. As a player, you've got to sell something, bring something to the table. For some reason, Chouinard's urgency hasn't been what it needs to be."
Even if Pyatt plays, Chouinard might still replace fourth-liner Jeff Cowan.
"There was a lack of communication sometimes about what's good, what's bad and what needs to be worked on," Chouinard said. "It's like in any relationship -- if there's a lot of communication and you have a problem, you can take care of it. Tomorrow, for me, it's an opportunity just to get back in the lineup and enjoy hockey and just try to win for our team."
SCOUTING REPORT
CANUCKS
This season: 25-19-1
CANADIENS
This season: 25-16-5
THE CANUCKS
Vancouver is 8-1 since Christmas and hasn't lost in Montreal since 1999. The Canadiens haven't beaten the Canucks in nine tries since Nov. 30, 2000. D Willie Mitchell (groin) practised Monday and should play. G Roberto Luongo (throat), hurt in practice, insists he'll play. LW Taylor Pyatt (broken thumb) may attempt to play with a brace. RW Trevor Linden has six goals in 13 games and RW Markus Naslund five points in three.
THE CANADIENS
Montreal has lost eight of 12 games and will be playing their third in four days. The Canadiens were beaten 2-0 Monday in Detroit. G Cristobal Huet has lost five of seven starts. C Saku Koivu is goal-less in nine games and LW Sergei Samsonov hasn't scored in 16. C Radek Bonk (neck) and C Steve Begin (back) are out. The Habs' power play is ranked No. 2, their PK is fourth.
ET CETERA
Canuck coach Alain Vigneault returns to Montreal for the first time to face the team that fired him six years ago ... The Canucks have been waiting in Montreal since early Sunday ... A snowstorm Monday threatened to disrupt the Canadiens' flight home ... Asked how it felt to be back in Montreal, Vigneault said: "I got up this morning and it was snowing just like it was in Vancouver."
An X-ray revealed Monday morning the Canucks' Pyatt suffered a broken thumb when slashed Saturday in Toronto by Maple Leaf Jeff O'Neill, although a hand specialist in Montreal suggested the Vancouver power forward should be able to play in a splint.
That good news was profoundly mitigated by an injury to Luongo, the Canucks' all-star goalie who was felled during practice by a Daniel Sedin shot to the throat and had to be helped off the ice at the Bell Centre.
Luongo's agony was obvious as he crawled out of his goal area before being met on the ice by Canucks trainer Jon Sanderson. Luongo stayed down for several minutes, struggling to get his breath and working his jaw as if he might have suffered a facial injury.
But, sporting a welt near his Adam's apple, the Montreal native declared in a raspy voice that he will play tonight against his hometown Canadiens.
"Definitely, it doesn't feel too good right now, but I'm sure that's not going to stop me from playing," Luongo told reporters. "You kind of lose your breath for a second and swelling begins right away, so you kind of feel that your throat is closing up."
Luongo wears no neck protector, and Monday's dangerous mishap was the second time this season he has been hit in the throat by a teammate's shot.
"I've tried wearing the plastic thing on my mask, but I'm just not comfortable with it," Luongo said. "Fortunately, it only happens once in a while."
Once should be too often for the Canucks, who may as well play without skates as play without Luongo. He has started 42 of 45 games and accounted for all 25 of Vancouver's wins.
If Luongo doesn't want to wear any neck protection during games, fair enough -- the Los Angeles Kings helped ruin Dan Cloutier by forbidding him from wearing a cage -- but Canuck coaches and managers should be hanging a suit of armour on Luongo for practices.
If anything happens to him, it's over for everyone.
The team initially feared it was over for Pyatt for at least 2-4 weeks after learning of his broken thumb, but Pyatt's consultation with a specialist later in the day left the 25-year-old hopeful that he might be able to play today.
He finished Saturday's game, even deftly scoring his 11th goal of the season on a third-period breakaway.
"I thought it was fine," Pyatt said Monday. "It just kind of swelled up over night. I finally got the X-ray this morning that showed the fracture, but it's not displaced. The specialist said as long as I protect it and can grip my stick, I'll be able to play. So we'll see how it feels in the morning."
Pyatt said he'll work with the training staff this morning to devise a brace that allows the winger to still wear his glove.
Marc Chouinard may watch from the medical-room door.
The Canuck centre, signed in July to a two-year, free-agent contract that pays him $1.1 million US this season, has been a healthy scratch the last four games and played less than seven minutes in the two games before that.
He was to replace Pyatt in the lineup, and the Quebec City native was keenly motivated to play in Montreal in front of friends and relatives.
"I've got a lot of time for Chouinard the person," Canuck coach Alain Vigneault said. "The hockey player right now hasn't lived up to what we originally thought. As a player, you've got to sell something, bring something to the table. For some reason, Chouinard's urgency hasn't been what it needs to be."
Even if Pyatt plays, Chouinard might still replace fourth-liner Jeff Cowan.
"There was a lack of communication sometimes about what's good, what's bad and what needs to be worked on," Chouinard said. "It's like in any relationship -- if there's a lot of communication and you have a problem, you can take care of it. Tomorrow, for me, it's an opportunity just to get back in the lineup and enjoy hockey and just try to win for our team."
SCOUTING REPORT
CANUCKS
This season: 25-19-1
CANADIENS
This season: 25-16-5
THE CANUCKS
Vancouver is 8-1 since Christmas and hasn't lost in Montreal since 1999. The Canadiens haven't beaten the Canucks in nine tries since Nov. 30, 2000. D Willie Mitchell (groin) practised Monday and should play. G Roberto Luongo (throat), hurt in practice, insists he'll play. LW Taylor Pyatt (broken thumb) may attempt to play with a brace. RW Trevor Linden has six goals in 13 games and RW Markus Naslund five points in three.
THE CANADIENS
Montreal has lost eight of 12 games and will be playing their third in four days. The Canadiens were beaten 2-0 Monday in Detroit. G Cristobal Huet has lost five of seven starts. C Saku Koivu is goal-less in nine games and LW Sergei Samsonov hasn't scored in 16. C Radek Bonk (neck) and C Steve Begin (back) are out. The Habs' power play is ranked No. 2, their PK is fourth.
ET CETERA
Canuck coach Alain Vigneault returns to Montreal for the first time to face the team that fired him six years ago ... The Canucks have been waiting in Montreal since early Sunday ... A snowstorm Monday threatened to disrupt the Canadiens' flight home ... Asked how it felt to be back in Montreal, Vigneault said: "I got up this morning and it was snowing just like it was in Vancouver."
