RECAP: NUCKS WIN!!! BIG!!! Blast Off The Cats 7-2

How many had the Nucks bouncing back to shake off that great game against the Caps that ended not so great?

Not everyone, but many did, according the most recent scientific NM Poll results.

Am I gloating that I’m part of the 46%? A little, sure. Did I foresee a 7-2 blowout bounce-back? Well...

We’re going back to the ROG to make more history. Let’s start in the first. The Nucks sure did.

1st Period

The best way to forget last Friday’s something something is to score early. Demko sets up this high-risk, high-reward zone breakout. Sutter and Ferlie do the rest.

Official NHL clip (for verification and data-mining purposes - yes, even the NHL is in the mines, sifting for gold in your browser tailings)

Score early. And often.

Why not? With the league’s most expensive 4th line back in action, Loui earns his first million of the year with this assist.

Our new Schaller sniper continues his unlikely pursuit of Westiny praise and adoration.

Tim Schaller will save us. - Westy

There it is, our lord and savior. - Westy

Nucks up 2-0 in the first 5 minutes. Is that enough of a lead against the Panthers?

Probably not. So....

Let’s get Capt’n Bo and Virt to convert.

3-0 Lead and the lead is safe. Or not. Panther recent rental (are there rental players in October?), Boyle puts a puck past Demko. Not fair. This a Nucks team learning to keep a lead.

And the learning is well learnt. Nucks chase Montembeault and well rested (for 6 minutes) Bobrovsky takes over the crease.

However, it’s the first line’s time to shine-up the scoreboard. Pete gets his first assist of the game and J.T. gets his umpteenth Nucks goal of the season, by beating Bob hard.

4-1 Nucks before the half period time buzzer is sounded. Actually, the NHL don’t use buzzers, but the game thread uses them to maintain rum hydration levels. But, those are go off more often than at half time.

Since all the lines have put up goals, it’s time to recycle and re-abuse Bob. Ferland sets up the play and Leivo puts the game out of reach. Again.

Wooo! Unassailable 5-1 Lead.

Nucks have outshot the stray Cats 15-8. And set another franchise record.

Yes, it’s another 5 goal period.

Another week, another 5 goal period. Just as we expected. After Leivo’s goal.

The game thread, while mildly impressed... have some concerns...

Need a big second, to preserve the lead.

We know that the Panthers are too good to mail in at 5.

Two more, and we should be fine at seven.

- AttilaS

No worries.

2nd Period

Quenneville pulls Bob and puts Montembeault back in net to start the period, the game all over again.

This is the period where the Canucks fully defeated the Caps on Friday. Except for that little three-tenths of a second part of the second.

Seems the Nucks have fully forgotten about that misfortune and plan to carry the 5-1 lead to the finishing line and beyond.

the dreaded 5-1 lead

Westy

But for the Catty power play. Hoffman scores and you know what that means...

It’s the equally dreaded 5-2 lead, but whatever.

This isn’t the Friday Night Nucks and the Cats ain’t the Caps.

Perhaps stealing a little payback from the Caps playbook, Pete, Eddie and Miller use the last minute of the period for a little back-breaking insurance. Neat deke from Pete.

Panthers outshoot Nucks 8-7. But, with a 6-2 lead the game thread is so confident that half of them went to bed.

3rd Period

It’s a fully unassailable 6-2 Lead. How can you be sure?

Two reasons. When Loui gets a point, the Nucks always win. When Pete gets a 3 point night, we win. Mathematical and Alien certainty.

This seems like a lost and broken play. Pete sneaks into the future for a peak, finds the secret pass to unbreak the play and get Brock on the board too. That’s only fair.

Pete gets the triple - a hattie of points.

7-2 WIN for Your Vancouver Canucks!

How great a bounce back was that?

This is how great. The 2 Johns were breaking dentures and taking names.

STATS (Pretty Good Ones)

	SOG	FO%	PP	PIM	HITS	BLKS	GVA
Panthers FLA	31	46%	1/2	4	16	15	5
Canucks VAN	36	54%	0/2	4	17	16	5

PLAYER STATS (Points For All the Forwards!)

Here’s a fun fancy stat. The Canucks lead the league for the most goals scored in a game with an average of 5 goals. That’s pretty fancy.

Also... Demko has the 2nd best SV% in the league. All this after 11 gruelling games into this not so fresh season.

Speaking of fancy stats and where they can take you...

The game’s first star was feeling pretty good too.

Pete has 14 points in 11 games. We’re pretty happy with his performance too.

Meanwhile... the leading Canucks goal scorer and NM’s fav trade ever...

Over in the Green Room, the mood is as good as it can be after a near perfect 7-2 win.

That was a bounce back statement game. And on Wednesday the Nucks get to make another ‘no team like them’ statement in LA.

It’s the first game of a Cali road trip. Hopefully the Nucks can burn up SoCal, dethrone the Kings. Again. And feast on stuffed Ducks and withering Sharks.

Some say the Nucks will get 3 of 6 points on the trip. Fortunately, none of those people play for the Canucks, so the team has the green light to take all 6 points. Most of NM would be happy with 5 of 6. We’re not greedy. Yet.