There’s a reasonable explanation as to why head coach Alain
Vigneault threw down the goaltending gauntlet before Tuesday’s
game. Not only did he manage to rip his most recent starter,
Roberto Luongo, he managed to put everything of the shoulders of
his latest No. 1, Cory Schneider. He clearly knows what most
have seen from the Canucks during the past month. The Canucks
have one period in them every night. It sure wasn’t the first on
Tuesday. After eight days without playing, which he spent re-
working his game with goalie coach Rollie Melanson, Cory
Schneider started out as slick as he’s been this year. He needed
to be. The floundering Canucks, who came into the game having
won five of their past 16 games, had what was maybe their worst
start of the season. They were outshot 15-3 by St. Louis. They
were out-chanced 8-1. They looked out-classed, and they should
have been embarrassed. They played like it after the first
intermission, thought. That’s the good news. The Canucks poured
in three second period goals,