Loss of Higgins could leave Canucks' lines scrambled

VANCOUVER -- The Vancouver Canucks rushed out of the rink after practice Friday morning, eager to get to a charter flight bound for Colorado ahead of a snowstorm that was already causing plenty of flight problems ahead of their early Saturday afternoon game against the Avalanche.

The problem is second-line winger Chris Higgins wasn't with them to kick off a four-game road trip after missing Thursday's 4-3 shootout loss to Detroit with the flu. And according to coach Alain Vigneault, the Canucks may not be able to call up 6-foot-5 winger Byron Bitz from Chicago of the American Hockey League in time because the weather has cancelled commercial flights in and out of Denver.

If Bitz can't make it, Mason Raymond will again move up to the second line -- they were scrambled in the third period Thursday after being badly outplayed, with Daniel and Henrik Sedin split up, but back together at practice. But instead of defenseman Andrew Alberts dressing as a spare part forward on the fourth line again, it appears fellow defender Keith Ballard will move up this time and play third line left wing.

As for Higgins, Vigneault said it was not a return of the staph infection that cost the winger five games over two separate stints in December and six games in Florida last season, but admitted the medication Higgins was taking because of it may have left him more susceptible to the flu. He said Higgins, who struggled with fatigue because of the medication and didn't score in January, could join the team on the road.

Vigneault also said Roberto Luongo would start again in goal.

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