Originally published Monday, December 3, 2007 at 12:00 AM

Canucks lose shutout streak as Wild wins

Roberto Luongo can only do so much. Luongo saw his 3 ½-game shutout streak end, but it wasn't his fault as the Vancouver Canucks lost...

By The Associated Press

NHL scoreboard

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Roberto Luongo can only do so much.

Luongo saw his 3 ½-game shutout streak end, but it wasn't his fault as the Vancouver Canucks lost 2-1 to the Minnesota Wild on Sunday.

Aaron Voros and Eric Belanger scored for Minnesota, which won its fourth consecutive game and moved into sole possession of first place in the Northwest Division.

Mike Brown scored for Vancouver, which lost in regulation for the second time in 13 outings to fall two points behind the Wild. The Canucks had 20 shots on goal — four with Luongo pulled for an extra attacker in the final minute.

"We played 40 minutes very sloppy, and the third [period] I don't think we came up to a normal standard," Vancouver defenseman Mattias Ohlund said. "If we play on our heels, and not work the way we can and have, we're not going to create enough to score goals."

A key is staying out of the penalty box.

"We gave them seven power plays tonight, and three of the penalties were things that you just can't do if you want to win games," Canucks coach Alain Vigneault said. "They got momentum off their power play — and the two power plays we had, I don't think we generated a shot."

Even at full strength, the Canucks failed to do what enabled them to go 9-1-2 in their previous 12 games — get pucks on net, have bodies in front of the opposing goaltender and crash the net for rebounds.

That put more pressure on Luongo, whose shutout streak ended at 210 minutes, 34 seconds. He made 28 saves.

"He played as good as I have seen him play," Minnesota coach Jacques Lemaire said. "We had a lot of great chances, good shots from angles, or even in front in the high slot."

Minnesota took a 1-0 lead late in the first period when Belanger tipped a slap shot from Sean Hill past Luongo.

"Without Roberto in net, it probably would have been over after 20 minutes," Ohlund said.

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