Luongo, Higgins give Canucks win

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Roberto Luongo stopped 20 shots and made Chris Higgins' second-period goal stand up in the Vancouver Canucks' 1-0 win over the Nashville Predators in the opener of the Western Conference semifinals last night.

Maxim Lapierre and Kevin Bieksa got the assists on the goal by Smithtown's Higgins, his second of the postseason.

It was Luongo's second shutout of these playoffs and the third of the former Islander's NHL postseason career. He made nine saves in the third period, including a short-handed breakaway by Mike Fisher 5:20 in, for the Canucks, who will host Game 2 Saturday.

Pekka Rinne had several spectacular stops among his 29 saves to keep the Predators in the game despite his club being outshot 30-20 and outplayed for long stretches.

Before the game, Vancouver's Daniel Sedin, Anaheim's Corey Perry and Tampa Bay's Martin St. Louis were announced as finalists for the Hart Trophy given to the league's MVP. -- AP