LACK PUTS PENGUINS ON ICE
Canucks’ backup goalie shuts out Crosby and company
PITTSBURGH — Don’t fear the Penguin. Even if his name is Sidney or Evgeni.
That was the message Eddie Lack got from his mom before the Vancouver Canucks faced the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday.
Lack was making his first National Hockey League start in two weeks and his mom sent out a good- luck tweet from Sweden that featured a cute picture of a penguin with the words “nothing to be afraid of.”
Lack certainly didn’t show any fear and neither did his teammates as the Canucks skated to a convincing 3- 0 decision over the Penguins for the third win in the first four games of their seven- game road trip.
“I felt like I have been struggling a bit in the beginning of the season, not getting the bounces, and getting a gooseegg is huge,” a relieved Lack said.
It was a big win for the Canucks, but a huge one for Lack. He has endured a rocky start to his season and entered the game with just one win in his first five starts.
“It has been a little bit frustrating not getting the starts, but once I get in there I am not getting the wins, so yeah, just a good feeling right now,” he said.
“It is kind of the same as it was the beginning of last year. There were a little more back-to-backs last year and then Louie ( Roberto Luongo) got hurt. It’s a little bit of an adjustment for sure, but I am feeling pretty comfortable with myself and think that whenever I go in I can have a good game.”
Lack said he had a chuckle when his mom, Mia, sent out that tweet earlier in the day. Her Twitter handle, by the way, is fittingly @mammamialack.
“It was actually just when I woke up from my ( pre- game) nap,” Lack said. “It was like, ‘ oh, Mom what did you do now?’ ”
Lack called his mom and dad his two biggest fans. His dad usually stays up late to watch his games in Sweden, but his mom often falls asleep after the first period. She was probably wide awake through this one. Lack made 21 saves for his fifth career shutout. One of those saves was a huge stop on Sidney Crosby early in the third period.
Lack also had some luck for a change. In the first period during a Pittsburgh power play, Crosby missed a wide open net and put a shot off the far post.
“I was a little bit fortunate there when it hit the post,” Lack said.
“That’s kind of the bounces I didn’t get before. Two weeks ago, that probably hits a post and goes in, so it felt good.”
Lack got some help from his teammates, most notably centre Brad Richardson, who had two goals and an assist. All three Vancouver goals — Shawn Matthias had the other one — came off turnovers forced behind the Pittsburgh goal.
“I thought our forecheck was pretty good,” Richardson said. “Matthias on the first one made the play there. Then the one that he scored, the guy kind of bobbled it and I was luckily there for it. Definitely a nice night for us.”
Coach Willie Desjardins, who was coaching his first game against his close friend Mike Johnston, liked his team’s effort but suggested it was Lack’s play that set the tone.
“I thought our guys played well, but I thought Eddie Lack played great,” he said.
Desjardins, whose team took over the Western Conference lead with its 18th win in 26 games, knows how much Lack needed a game like this one to regain his confidence.
“It means a lot,” Desjardins said. “You have been sitting out for a while and you think a lot of things and coming to this building with this team it’s got to be a good confidencebooster. More than getting the shutout is how he played to get it. He played really solid.”
Shortly after the game, Lack’s mom sent another tweet to her son, saying “sorry for that but it was worth it # lol still love me?”
Eddie sent back a one- word reply: “Always!”