RECAP: NUCKS WIN!!! Dish Out (Almost Lopsided) 7-4 Win Over The Sens

It was ²⁄₃ of a blowout and ¹⁄₃ of a WTH? game. And admit it, we wanted these young Nucks to entertain us this season. What better way to entertain than for a certain win to become uncertain in under 8 minutes in the 3rd. Are you not entertained?

Before we break down the breakdowns in the 3rd, let’s just get this out of the way....

For only the 2nd time this season.... we’re on a

Wooooooooooo!

I know it’s so exciting to beat the worst team in the league so decisively. To score almost at will. To cruise to... almost losing.

The Sens were outplayed most of the game. But in a crucial stretch in the 3rd, the Nucks left the ice to watch Marky not make saves.

But, let’s figure out how this wonderful (almost terrible) win happened.

1st Period

The Canucks start pretty well. As the gracious host. Spotted Ottawa 4 shots in the first few minutes, before venturing into the visitor’s lounge.

And venture they did. Slowly ramping up the pressure until the Sens were forced to take a penalty.

You’d be correct in thinking the Nucks PP is a nice 2 minute break for the Sens to catch their breath.

But, this isn’t your February’s dismal Nucks power play. In fact, some say the recent Nucks PP is hitting 33% on the success meter. Others say if you can make them pay on the power play, you win more games. NM has said other things in the past month, but none of them can be repeated here.

Maybe Eddie really is our PP quarterback that we always wanted. Combined with Pete’s passing and Bo’s great tipping, this new look PP is effective.

Maybe not that different looking, but the results are far better than the 7% solution that dribbled its way across the stats sheet last month.

The Nucks are up 1-0 in the 1st. Have outshot the Sens 14-7. That’s a pretty good start. Despite leading going into the 2nd.

Do the Nucks have anything left in the tank after that gruelling B-2-B road trip? Yes, yes they do.

2nd Period

Just 32 seconds in and Bulldog launches a flying saucer disguised as a puck into the Sens zone. It floats with anticipation in the heavy ROG air. As it falls, both Loui and Pearson take swings at the flying rubber. It flies last from Pearson’s stick past our old goalie pal, Nillie.

Not a NillieSoftie™ - plenty of time for those later.

It’s 2-0 in the first minute for the Nucks. You know what that means.

The boys are hungry for more. The Sens are just hungry for the season to end, ‘cept 8 minutes of it.

And mere mintues after this game thread comment:

Jake really has been invisible lately - Westy

This happened on a Jake breakout rush:

#SHOTGUN is back on the game thread liquid diet plan. Nillie must have seen that shot a hundred times in practice. But this is the first time in real practice.

Wow! From taking invisible ribbing in the game thread to shotgunning in a single period. Imagine if Jake could play this way consistently. His off-wing rushes are wonderful things to behold.

3-0 lead over the worst team in the league. They aren’t coming back from this sort of 2nd period drubbing. At least not in this period.

However, the Sens are getting frustrated with the run of play. The ROG is liking the run very much tho.

So... Pageau takes a run at Sautner. The refs called it boarding. We called it painful. So did Sautner. He was down on the ice and left the game to spend the period in the dressing room.

That’s means another Canucks power play. The so far 100% effective PP. And with Sautner hurt on the play, it’s the hockey god given right to extract scoreboard payback.

And do. With a Brocket!

Nillie might have seen that shot in practice. From the bench. Pretty sure he didn’t see it in the game. The last time the Nucks scored 2 PP goals was against the... Sens on Jan 2nd. Maybe the Sens sad PK isn’t that good.

Pete now has 2 points on the night, only 8 more to go for game thread immortality.

It’s 4-0 for the Nucks at the end of the 2nd. They have dominated the Sens at both ends of the ice. Marky had time to catch up with his Umbrella Academy binge while waiting for more than 6 shots to enter his no-puck zone.

The Nucks had put 19 shots on Nillie and 33 through two. He’s used to seeing that many shots. As a Canuck. Different look as a Sen - who look like they’ve given up and just want to sign the papers to give Jack to the Avs.

Clear sailing into easy 3rd period victory.

3rd Period

I know some, me too, worry about taking any kind Nucks lead into the 3rd, unless it’s double digits.

From the game thread, Forty noted:

close game

I responded with encouraging words:

Yeah, you’re not the only one worried about that thin 4 goal lead

But was I really worried? There was no need, because the Nucks are extending the lead. (Before having it reduced drastically)

The hard-working, fore-checking Bo-line is pushing the play and making turnovers fun again. For us.

While the Sens are standing around waiting for help to arrive, Bo sends a pass to Pearson who snaps it past Nillie. 2nd goal for Pearson. 2nd point for Loui. 2 points for Bo. It’s double points for everyone!

A minute in and the Nucks have a commanding 5-0 lead. Possibly the largest lead they’ve had all season in the 3rd.

What to do with it?

For the next 8 minutes, the suddenly here-to-play Sens create a chaotic lead reduction program that the Nucks endorse. Ok, not endorse, but endure.

At first the gamethread was just bummed about Marky losing the shuttie. But after the 2nd and 3rd unanswered Sens goals, the game thread mood was getting a little panicked.

Even Chicky was a little picky about one of the Sens goals:

Well

Ffs. Why would it be a Tkachuk? Gross

By the time the Sens had scored their 4th goal, the game thread was apoplectic. The ROG wasn’t much better.

At least 83 chimed in to shine the worry-free, happy light on the game’s outcome:

No worries

We win 6-5 in the shootout

Ugh

Really? Do we really need to endure another OT/SO for the 3rd 4th straight game?

No, we don’t.

Because the multi-pointed Bo, is finished with scoring all those OT goals. He wants another reg goal. And so do we.

Wins the draw, saves the game thread’s dubious sanity. And the game. It’s 6-4 in the final minute. We can win this now. Pretty sure.

But wait. There’s more!

While the 5 goal lead that was never in doubt, but for those sad 8 minutes of own-zone consternation, you know who needs to score to ensure total regulation victory?

No? Ok, I’ll tell you. It’s Loui. The Nucks are 9-0-1 when Loui scores. Even more statistically improbable and hard to comprehend, but since Loui’s first goal with the Nucks (sure, on the Nucks, but still), the Canucks are 24-0-4 when Loui scores.

Nucks have never lost a game in regulation when Loui scores. Never.

If you wondered how the Nucks would gain the seed of playoff desire and run the rounds until the finals and beyond, just have Loui score in every game. Instant Cup. Simple.

Just that one LittleThing about getting Loui to score in every single game. But, solve that little thing and statistics will carry us to glory. (NOTE: Statistics are an accurate assessment of past results, do not use them at home for winning prognostication. We have the SPW thread for that).

It’s a 7-4 cruise-control, comeback and take control win! If this game was a metaphor for the Nucks season, it would fit. A little too well.

Let’s enjoy the 2 Johns trying to make sense of this up and down and up again game.

Two Thirds Stats

Runned and Gunned Stats

Marky went from a possible 1.00 SV% to ending the game with a brutal 0.840 SV%.

4 points for Loui. 2 goals and an assist for Bo - who is tied with Pete for the team goal scoring lead. Congrats, Bo! Pete will be pissed.

Let’s hear from Bo about his pivotal role.

The Flow is feeling the 8 game point streak.

In case you missed the memo, Pete is the new rookie scoring leader of all Nucks time. And leading all rookies this season too.

Back in the ROG Green Room, it was a great game, by two thirds at least.

A well deserved (almost) blowout and tough push-back against the comeback Sens.

That was a fun game. Other than those 8 minutes of uh-oh time.

The next game in the ROG may not be quite so much fun for us. Instead of playing the worst team in the league, we’re saddling up to play the best team in the West. Which means on Saturday, on a national HNIC broadcast, it’s Hockey Night in Cowtown.

Mark your calendars and chaps with a big red marker. Try to enjoy the brief two days of smug celebration and straighten your stetson for Saturday’s tussle with destiny. HINT: Just get Loui to score.