Ah ha! Game 5 versus the Ducks might have been very different had Luongo been at 100%. The very strange "equipment problem" that prevented Luongo from starting in net in overtime was in fact not an equipment problem at all (as Kelly Hrudey insisted was the case)...

VANCOUVER (CP) - Goaltender Roberto Luongo still won't say why he was late returning for the first overtime period of Vancouver's loss to the Anaheim Ducks Thursday night that eliminated the Canucks from the NHL playoffs.

''It was not an equipment problem,'' Luongo said Sunday as the Canucks cleaned out their lockers. ''Let's leave it like that.''

''It was an illness and nothing serious.''

Luongo didn't answer when a reporter asked if the delay was caused because he was forced to use the bathroom (see Luongo won't say why he was late in OT (TSN)).

Many have postulated that whatever the "illness" Luongo had to go on intervenus support between the periods. And there was a real possibility that Sabourin would have had to finish the game.

Ah ha! Game 5 versus the Ducks might have been very different had Luongo been at 100%. The very strange "equipment problem" that prevented Luongo from starting in net in overtime was in fact not an equipment problem at all (as Kelly Hrudey insisted was the case)...

VANCOUVER (CP) - Goaltender Roberto Luongo still won't say why he was late returning for the first overtime period of Vancouver's loss to the Anaheim Ducks Thursday night that eliminated the Canucks from the NHL playoffs.

''It was not an equipment problem,'' Luongo said Sunday as the Canucks cleaned out their lockers. ''Let's leave it like that.''

''It was an illness and nothing serious.''

Luongo didn't answer when a reporter asked if the delay was caused because he was forced to use the bathroom (see Luongo won't say why he was late in OT (TSN)).

Many have postulated that whatever the "illness" Luongo had to go on intervenus support between the periods. And there was a real possibility that Sabourin would have had to finish the game.