"If you've already started dissecting every soft goal Roberto Luongo surrenders - and judging by the reaction of fans, some have - it's going to be a long year.

It already promises to be a long month. October historically is for Luongo. He figures he's had one "really good one" in his career. Thursday's start did not suggest this will be the second.

Luongo was always at risk of being most affected by the decision to truncate preseason for Vancouver's veterans. Typically, he plays three to four preseason games. This year, he played two."