Roberto Luongo got rid of the playoff beard, but the Vancouver Canucks need to clean up their mistakes in a hurry to avoid elimination. Roberto Luongo got rid of the playoff beard, but the Vancouver Canucks need to clean up their mistakes in a hurry to avoid elimination. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Roberto Luongo spoke to reporters before leaving with his Vancouver Canucks teammates for Chicago on Saturday rid of the month-old playoff beard he had cultivated.

And why not?

Vancouver needs a clean slate as it faces elimination in Game 5 on Sunday night against the Blackhawks (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 4:30 p.m. PT), and in 2010 the NHL playoffs have demonstrated yet again that new beginnings are possible.

The Canucks can take inspiration from several places as they try embark on a three-game winning streak over their bitter rivals, including two at the United Center in Chicago.

Erstwhile playoff choke artists San Jose have been recast as a nervy third period bunch. Montreal, which barely made the playoffs, has largely bottled up the Eastern Conference's three best offensive players despite an array of defencemen injuries. Boston, which barely made the playoffs, is being led offensively by a 42-year-old as well as a 35-year-old who was bypassed by every NHL team until the Bruins desperately signed him in January.

Vancouver, meanwhile, has displayed some unwelcome new characteristics in the second round of the playoffs.

Daniel Sedin has channelled the inner Daniel Carcillo few knew he had, tallying more penalty minutes in the last two games than points in the entire series. Sedin was in the box for two Chicago goals in Game 4.

Luongo hasn't been helped by his undisciplined teammates, but he hasn't helped himself either. The netminder has unsightly numbers over the last 10 periods — a goals-against average over 5.25 and an .844 save percentage.

The Canucks imploded in the last two games at GM Place and they will have to piece together their own new identity or be eliminated nearly exactly one year after Chicago knocked them out in 2009.

Part of that process for a team that finished second in the NHL in the regular season in goals scored could involve swallowing some pride and not engaging in a firefight with the Blackhawks, who may have the deepest array of forwards in the league.

The path to success doesn't figure to include 5-4 games. Vancouver has allowed less than three goals in each of the three games it has won over Chicago over the past two playoffs. The Blackhawks have scored four or more in five of the games they have taken.

It's hard to imagine any Vancouver fans would mind if a total commitment to team defence leads the Canucks to grind out an esthetically unappealing win or two. In the words of the famous NFL owner: "Just win baby."

Elementary to the quest will be staying out of the penalty box. The Canucks were no world-beaters on the penalty kill during the regular season, but it has been a disastrous proposition in the playoffs.

Nearly half of Vancouver's allowed goals (17 of 35) have come while they were short-handed.

The task is large. While the Canucks as a franchise have accounted for three of the 20 all-time NHL comebacks from 3-1 down, Chicago has never lost in the 13 scenarios in which it has won three of the first four games of a series.