Montreal goalies have risen to top
Brodeur, Theodore and Luongo carry legacy of fellow quebecer Roy
By AL STRACHAN, TORONTO SUN
It may be nothing more than coincidence, but all three Team Canada goalies -- Martin Brodeur, Jose Theodore and Roberto Luongo -- are from Montreal. Luongo thinks it is more than coincidence.
"In Quebec, there are a lot of goalie coaches around," he said. "Even when you're playing minor hockey, almost every team has a goalie coach. That gives you a base to work with when you're younger."
Luongo said he had no idea why Quebec has so many goalie coaches, but it does.
"I don't think that in the other provinces or in the United States they have that many goalie coaches," he said.
There's also the heritage.
"Maybe it has something to do with Patrick Roy," Luongo said. "When you're growing up, you look at him every night on TV and everybody wants to be like him.
"There are a lot of factors, but maybe that's a couple of them."
LOTS OF SHOTS
Then, Luongo thought of another. "There's the fact that the Quebec junior leagues are much more wide open," he said. "Goalies face a lot more shots and a lot more offensive situations."
There was a time when even the best Quebec junior goalies were allowing five goals a game. But in this case, the number is irrelevant. They were learning their craft and were so busy that they improved.
"When you're thrown into those situations night after night," Luongo said, "you've got no choice but to better yourself as a player."
At least for three of them, it appears to have worked.
