Luongo Must Exorcise Demons in Game 7

There's nothing like a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Even more so, there's nothing like a winner-take-all do-or-die Game 7 in the Finals with the Cup on the line. The Cup will be in the building on Wednesday night as the Canucks and Bruins do battle in what has become a series that has featured great hockey and an uncharacteristic amount of jawing between the two teams.

But when the Canucks and Bruins take the ice on Wednesday, the Stanley Cup will come down to one man: Roberto Luongo. Luongo has been a rock at Rogers Arena this post-season but has been inexplicably putrid on the road. All four of Luongo's post-season shutouts this year have come at home. He sports a 1.71 GAA and a .943 SV% at home--extremely impressive numbers. But Luongo has had his share of missteps on the road, posting a 5-6 record with a 3.76 GAA and a very pedestrian .878 SV%.

These numbers are somewhat startling. Luongo was 21-7-4 at home this past regular season with a 1.90 GAA and a very healthy .937 SV%. His numbers were somewhat worse on the road, but nothing drastic; he went 17-8-3 with a still impressive 2.34 GAA and a .917 SV%. Lower numbers are expected on the road, but Luongo's playoff implosions away from Vancouver have been unheard of...sort of.

Roberto Luongo has been shaky in Boston. What will Game 7 hold? (AP)

Luongo was finally able to shed the Chelsea Dagger nightmares from the United Center in the first round this playoff, ousting the Blackhawks in a decisive Game 7 (albeit at home) and was able to defeat the upstart Predators and perennial contenders in San Jose shortly thereafter. But Luongo has built a hole for himself, even if it's not deserved. In the 2008-2009 postseason and the 2009-2010 postseason, Luongo posted far higher GAAs than in the regular season despite the tight-checking and typically lower scoring post-season style. This post-season his goals against is nearly half a goal higher than the regular season. And to make matters more difficult, he's got to confront a fellow Vezina finalist and Conn Smythe favorite in Tim Thomas at the other end.

Thomas hasn't shown any signs of slowing down despite being 37 years old and having played 81 games between the regular season and the playoffs. Thomas has been the reason the Bruins have made it this far. Thomas's 2.06 GAA and otherworldly .937 SV% this postseason have almost mirrored his regular season (2.00, .938%) and if Boston had been able to put up a few goals in Vancouver this series could have been over long ago.

It's a tale of two goaltenders--the expensive scapegoat in Luongo versus the scrappy Tim Thomas. Thomas has answered the bell thus far for Luongo. Luongo has been good enough for Vancouver so far, but he's yet to be the star. Game 7s are won and lost in the crease. The margin for error is so thin, and with Luongo and his Vancouver teammates walking a very thin line of confidence, Luongo's play is by far the most important thing heading into Game 7.

Luongo, already an Olympic gold medalist (conveniently in his home rink in Vancouver) in 2010, must rise up when the spotlight is burning brightest in his crease. All eyes will be between the Vancouver pipes as the puck drops on Game 7 Wednesday night. We will finally get the answer to one of the most compelling story lines in the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals--will Roberto Luongo be able to carry his team to a Stanley Cup, or will he count on his team to carry him? All will be answered just 24 hours from now.