Don’t blame Luongo for Panther woes

Goalie cool despite rumours of a trade

SUNRISE, FLA.—

Whatever Florida’s plethora of problems, they can hardly be laid at the feet of Roberto Luongo.

Yet it’s the bandy- legged goalie’s name that has been bandied about in recent trade rumours. GM Mike Keenan, never one to avoid a psychological tease and historically merciless in messing with a stopper’s head, was nevertheless prompt in shooting down published accounts that had Luongo Coloradobound: A tissue of lies, never even talked to the Avalanche, irresponsible reporting, etc. Luongo, who blew into the peninsula five years ago in the vortex of a genuinely shocking swap with the Islanders — a team that preferred staking its fortunes on Rick DiPietro — remains calm in the centre of a storm whipped up by a gale force losing season.

“ Actually, I haven’t heard anything here,’’ says the Rasputindark Luongo. “I don’t know what’s going on up in Canada. But it doesn’t concern me at all. I’m a Florida Panther right now and whenever I’m on the ice I’ll give 100 per cent.’’ Not exactly a dazzling quote machine, young Luongo. And the trade rumours had their genesis in New York.

He’s the primary asset of the hapless Panthers franchise and putative No. 2 netminder for Team Canada at the Turin Olympics behind Martin Brodeur, even though neither can boast glittery stats this season. But a recent 12-game losing streak in which Luongo looked often as shaky as the team in front of him had some observers wondering if Turin was maybe not such a lock for the 26- yearold. Even as the trade twaddle arose, speculation ignited that Luongo was playing himself off the Olympic roster. At the same time, Curtis Joseph has been making a case for inclusion out in Phoenix.

“ Everybody’s aware of the situation down here,’’ he says, carefully. “ It’s not going to be my decision but, hopefully, they’ll find a spot for me on the team.’’

While losing is habitual ’ round this club, a dozen defeats in a row — and 13 out of the last 14 — sucked all the oxygen out of the air. The team was left gasping.

“ It was a tough stretch,’’ Luongo admits. “Everybody was pretty frustrated. I think we went through every emotion possible at the time. Then we won that big game on Friday.

“ We can’t look at the standings. We’ve just got to focus, game by game.’’ Coach Jacques Martin, while emphasizing that top-to-bottom team frailties have impacted on Luongo’s play, has not exactly let him off the hook either. “ He hasn’t been as good as he can be. He knows that.’’

Martin draws on a comparison with Brodeur, who has similarly suffered, deprived of a tough rearguard crew. “( Luongo) is going through a little bit the same thing as Martin Brodeur is going through. He hasn’t played as well as he did in the past either. Some time, part of that is the team that you have in front of you. And we have to be better in front of him.’’ Luongo looks also to be among those goaltenders who are not adjusting well to the shrunken equipment.

“ It’s the new NHL, that’s what’s going on,’’ he snorts. “ They wanted the scoring to go up, so it is.’’

In point of fact, despite a couple of particularly goopy outings of late — four goals allowed in 40 minutes of relief against Atlanta on Saturday, say — Luongo’s goals against average has remained remarkably resilient, given the team’s record. Just as he set the league record for most saves in one season during 2003- 04, Luongo continues to face more rubber than anyone else in the NHL: Going into last night’s tilt with Toronto, 730 shots over 20 games, with 65 goals allowed and a save percentage of .911. As in the number for emergencies: 9- 1- 1.