Wed Jan 9 17:19:24 2008

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Luongo to skip NHL All-Star game

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Vancouver, BC (Sports Network) - Vancouver Canucks starting goaltender Roberto Luongo revealed Wednesday that he will not attend the NHL All-Star contest on January 27 in Atlanta, citing a need to spend time with his wife, who is expecting the couple's first child.

"It was a tough decision to make," Luongo said. "As a professional athlete, I respect the All-Star Game and I enjoy going to [it], but at the same time my wife is in Florida, [as] she has been all year. It's a good chance to spend some quality time with her [and the baby], something that I haven't done all year."

Luongo, who was acquired from the Florida Panthers in an off-season deal, was voted by the fans to be the starting goaltender for the Western Conference. The 28-year-old Montreal native has a 20-12-3 record this year in 35 games, with a 1.96 goals-against average and six shutouts.

"As much as he wanted to go to the All-Star Game, as he felt that was part of his responsibility, he's got a bigger responsibility [in that] he's going to be a father," said Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault.

At this time, it is not clear whether Pascal Leclaire of Columbus, or Detroit's Dominik Hasek, who finished second and third to Luongo in the voting, will get a starting nod for the game.