NUCKS WIN!!! (Another Game!) Darken Dallas 4-1

A road trip ending on a winning note. Who woulda thunk? Most everyone in the SPW thread, not including me.

A solid win against a team of superstars with the yips. The Canucks managed to extend, rather than end, the Stars slide into lotto playoff hockey. We know what that feels like. Just not this kinda of stretchy, this year. Stars are 0-6-2 in their last eight games. Eight game loooooosing streak. We haven’t suffered that ever.

Since last season. Neither have Dallas - not since 1993. That’s in a previous century - the last time a Canadian NHL team won the Cup. That seems like more than 20 years ago...

And even better, for the Canucks, from here on in the worst they can do is a measly six game skid. Hardly worth mentioning.

The pining for top bottom lotto looting took a hit tonight. We’re sorry. But, no worries. Can’t win them all. Or lose them all - especially to a team battling a more devious foe than even the Injury Faeries. Looked like the Stars were locked in mortal mind games with the Timing Faeries. That’s never a good time.

Period 1

The Canucks were holding station for most of the first. The zip-zip tie held past the 15 minute mark of the period.

Then the Nucks get on another power play. The previous one was ineffective but did no harm. But this one does. A missed pass to Eddie and a shortie on Marky is in the Stars.

1-0 Dallas.

I know you’re thinking... that’s it then, down one and nothing to play for. Except, not everyone on the 2nd unit got the memo. On the same powerplay Jussi slaps a pass to Boucher who puts the puck past Lethemin.

It’s 1 all and the gameboard is reset. Shots are even too, 11 for each.

Period 2

Do remember the cold happy days of winter when the Canucks owned the middle period? I can barely recall it either.

Anyhow, it happened again. But, not at first. The Stars were holding play and getting much more O-zone time. I even complained about it in the gamethread. For what that’s worth.

It’s not fair

The stars get to stay in the O-zone for quite a long long time…nucks get one play and done in the Dallas end. Not fair

Which didn’t seem like much at the time. But...then.. the Nucks put some pressure on. The 3rd line kept the puck in the Dallas zone and Boucher sacrificed his face and nasal blood flow to the stick of Seguin. The Nucks get a 4 minute power play. The league’s top 10 road power play - which hadn’t been top 10 for many, many attempts until the 1st period PP goal flood. Or mild water damaging.

Part 1 of the penalty expired without a Top 10 goal. However...in the last freakin’ second of the 2nd one, the SoCal sniper, Dowd, unleashed a barrage so hard that it bounced harmlessly off the post and hit Lethemin’s skate. The sleeper skate, secretly working for the Canucks since the Hammer trade was activated and kicked the puck into the net. Why the [redacted] waited so long to activate the skate, we don’t know. Probably won’t ever know for sure.

That was Dowd’s 30th 3rd goal of the season and the 2nd assist in the game for Jokinen, who has nearly 80 assists since joining the Canucks. No, it’s exactly 8 assists.

More importantly for the anti-tankers, it’s the lead of the game.

2-1 Canucks after 2. While Dallas had the same 11 shots as the first, not from the same players tho, that would be too weird, even for Texas. The Nucks went to single digits as is their wont after the first.

Leading the game after two... which means...

Period 3

The Nucks are leading the game after two.

Speaking of leading, the Canucks PK was leading the perfect stat sheet. Were bestowed two more chances to display their killer instincts. The first kill, Dallas didn’t get a single shot on Marky, but did get several boos from the home crowd. It’s Texas Hockey Rules. Could be worse.

And it was. For Dallas. Jake Break the Goalie was on the ice to do just that. Put a harmless, seeing eye puck on net and it squeaked through Lethemin. In NM parlance, it was a Softie. But, on an opposing goalie. So... a shot so wicked, that replays won’t do it justice. Only celebrations can celebrate Jake’s 9th of the season.

And that’s it. Except the misguided, slumping Stars thought they’d pull the goalie early - at the 3 minute point and go for the extra attacker.

Remember on those many occasions when Vancouver was trailing by one and they’d pull the goalie and send in the 6th ineffective shooter? Dallas were playing from those game tapes.

If it weren’t for our own dismal season, might have felt sad for the Stars as our own former Hammer was beaten by Motte who skated into the Dallas zone, stared down the empty net and popped the shot up top.

Canucks win 4-1. On the road!

Status (Symbol) Line

Shots: VAN 27 DAL 31

Powerplay: VAN 2/6 DAL 0/3

Hits: VAN 16 DAL 27

This was Danny’s one thousandth and three hundredth NHL game. That’s a lot of games. Even with the NHL’s drive for 120 games a season. Didn’t get a point to mark the occasion and took the +/- minus hit on the shortie against. It’s ok. By now the Sedins are used to it. However, since it was a win, the Sedins didn’t need to face the camera.

Marky played really well..if it hadn’t been for that power play bobble might have been a shutout instead of the .968 SV%

And practising when things aren’t can help too.

Our fresh new D callup, Ashton Sautner, looked real good in his first game. Had 2 hits and 2 blocks. And he sounds calm on camera too.

The game winning goal scorer gets some mic time too.

It’s a win. Last road trip of the season. But, no Green room. No Greenie pressie. Oh well. He can’t run away at home. And that’s where we’ll be on Tuesday - Green included. The Water Fowlers of SoCal are in the ROG to face certain doom or something ominous from the dumpster out back in the garbage time.

Why? Because...there’s a chance we might see this guy in a Nucks jersey.

More news as it happens. Or as soon as NM finds out about it after it happens.

Have a mundane Monday and tremendous Tuesday.