Nucks WIN! (Bo Back from Faeries) - Get Shutout by Jets 1-0

That wasn’t so bad. Only a single goal separated us from the L and W columns. And Bo returned from popcorn duties with the Faeries. Nilsson didn’t get lit up. So many good things about this game. I’d like to list them all - but I won’t.

Playing the 2nd of a back-to-back road trip in the frozen depths of hockey hell had us all shivering in the chill of a cold brutal blowout to end the longest road trip of year. Or century. So far.

The game started better than last night’s 1st shot bobble. Probably because Virt could only bobble popcorn from the pressbox. With Bo back, someone else had to sit. Virt pretty much sealed his butt-fate last game.

Despite the stronger start, at the 12 minute mark, Laine scored on a quick pass out front from Wheeler. It spoiled Nilsson’s shutout bid. And the Nucks’ win bid.

Here’s the complete account of all Canucks’ goals, including video highlights, by period:

1st Period

2nd Period

3rd Period

Fini

And that’s the end of the game and, thankfully, the endless road trip.

What? You expected a full wrap up? Your expectations are too high.

Ok. In the 3rd, Vanek slightly bumped and wounded Hellebuyck - yes, there was blood - but it was goalie blood - it runs cold, if at all.

Granny had a mini-breakaway, but was thwarted by a charging Hellbucking goalie. And Sutter rang up the post and off on the same play. And the video recap captures that mad moment far better than my whining about Brock remaining cold on goal plateau #22.

Nilsson was outstanding in this game. Stopped 35 of 36 shots for an awesome .972 SV% - should be awesome enough to win any game. Any game when the opposing stopper doesn’t post a 1.00 SV%. The Nucks road PK was flawless, so that’s a win. The PP was flawlessly flawed. Oh, well. We get to keep our tOil gap and lose with dignity and stuff.

Our road legend scoring shot-taking team put 29 on Hellebuyck - which wasn’t quite enough shot-takes. On the road, I wonder if there’s a Goal Faerie with a magic math marker that writes, Nucks will always score one or more less than the other team. Except those couple games when the magic math marker ran out of ink. I miss those dry ink games.

Here’s our ‘Shot and a Rebound’ Captain.

The good news is that Bo is back! We have a 1st line again! A 1st line that hasn’t played together since last year. But, still...this is so close to a WIN, I’m going to call it.... We win!

Here’s our phenomenal 2nd star of the game with his take on the phen-o-meter.

And here’s the full video coverage of Green’s post-game presser.

A man of no words tonight. Not sure if it’s his new ‘If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all’ motto or he just wants to catch the first flight back to civilised temperatures in an uncivilised real estate market.

Oh well. Back to playing hard for the home crowd. LA got the invite - Dammit! - to play us on Tuesday - featuring the NHL’s DoPS favourite son, Douchestin Brown.

Could be a good game. Now that we have a first line again. And the goal drought for Brock and 20+ others - yes, I’m predicting it now - will end. Why not on Tuesday?

Enjoy your Monday and have a tremendous day after!