Cory Schneider's homecoming ended with the kind of roar he's used to hearing, only New Jersey's newest franchise goalie (we'll assume?) was on the opposite end, left screened behind freshly minted Canuck Mike Santorelli on Jason Garrison's game-winning blueline wrapper-upper.
Garrison scored on a deflected wrist shot from the point at 2:18 of overtime, and the Vancouver Canucks improved to 3-1-0 on the season with a 3-2, extra-innings win over Schneider and the Devils.
Daniel Sedin and Alex Edler also scored for the Canucks, who overcame a 2-0 second-period deficit and peppered Schneider with 32 shots.
"It's frustrating because we are getting ones and we need twos," Schneider said, post-game (NHL.com). "We've been in pretty much every game and controlled parts of them, but haven't been able to put 60 or 65 minutes together. We've got to start putting W's on the board."
Luongo was equally impressive in his win, stopped 21 of 23 shots, including several quality chances in the opening period.
He surrendered goals to Jaromir Jagr – who one-timed a nifty backhand pass from Patrick Elias under Luongo's right arm – and to Elias, who benefitted from a broken play, which came to him off a deflection from a ref's skate, through the wickets of Canucks' d-man Dan Hamhuis, and then Elias's shot bounced off Dale Weise's skate and through Luongo's always-present five hole.
Also of note...
- For the second-straight game, new(er) Canuck Mike Santorelli – from Burnaby, B.C. – was on the ice for Vancouver's overtime winner. Santorelli scored the winner in OT in Calgary, and was screening Schneider large and well when Jason Garrison's wrist shot was wired home.
- After Vancouver's second goal Canucks fans began serenading Schneider with the classic "goalie name" jeer, chanting "SCHNEI-DER... SCHNEI-DER... SCHNEI-DER" before the goalie made a huge save on Jannik Hansen to keep the game level at 2-2.
- "I'd like to think that came from a place of love, but probably not," Schneider said. "It was fun, a great environment, great atmosphere, really nice of them to show that at the start. It was a nice touch, but once the puck dropped, we had our hands full."