Canucks rolling at home

The Canucks are rolling through opponents at the General Motors Place, or at least making them work. Vancouver is 12-0-2 in its past 14 games at home and haven't lost on home ice in 60 minutes since a 3-0 setback against Nashville on November 1.

Vancouver has won its last six home games overall, and are 13-6-2 as the home team this year. The Canucks' winning ways at home as of late have erased from the minds of their fans the 1-6-0 start the club got off to at GM Place this season.

The run has also helped the club post its third-best start after 41 games in team history. The 23-14-4 mark was behind only the 2002-03 club (25-11 with five ties) and 1992-93 team (26-11 with five ties).

Vancouver hasn't been lighting up the scoreboard as the home team, as it ranks 23rd in the league with 54 goals in 21 games. However, the club has only given up 39 goals at GM Place, third best on home ice so far this year heading into play on Thursday.

Obviously, netminder Roberto Luongo has a lot to do with Vancouver's home success. Luongo, who was voted in as the starting goaltender for the Western Conference All-Star squad but will skip the game to spend time with his pregnant wife, is 20-12-3 with a 1.96 goals-against average in 35 games this year.

At home, the 28-year-old is 13-6-2 with a 1.66 GAA in 21 starts. All six of his shutouts this year have come on home ice. He is just 7-6-1 in 14 road games this year, as he missed every game of a four-game swing in mid-December due to a rib injury.