"He hasn't changed one bit," forward Matthew Tkachuk said. "You still shoot it at him, and it just sticks to him. There's no rebounds. He's a Hall of Fame goalie. I had the privilege to play a lot against him in my career. I think I got one on him in Calgary. That's a very fond memory that I have. I got one there, but I wasn't close to scoring on him today. He looked good out there."
Fourth on the NHL's all-time wins list with 489 career victories, Luongo also still holds numerous Panthers goaltending records, including games played (572), wins (230), shutouts (38).
For players that failed to beat Luongo during his career, this was a second chance.
"I finally scored on him," said defenseman Radko Gudas, flashing a smile through his bushy beard. "It was great to see him and great to get him in a practice like that. All the guys enjoyed it. A different body in the net is always fun to shoot at. He held his own."
While the pressures of a playoff race can often weigh on the teams, Luongo's surprise cameo not only gave Sergei Bobrovsky a well-deserved day off, but also helped the Panthers relax a bit before opening up their crucial seven-game homestand.
No matter the situation, a little "Luuu!" always goes a long way.
"The presence of Roberto Luongo in the net is always good," head coach Paul Maurice said. "He had some fun. It was a good way to give Bob a little bit of rest, and it was fun to watch."
