RECAP: NUCKS WIN A Road tOil Loss - Lose 3-2

Another day, just another hockey game. Back-2-backs are like that.

After last night’s Most Important Game of the Year, possibly ever - and winning it, we couldn’t expect the Nucks to swagger into the ROP and drop the Oil.

So this was, as they say in the hallowed halls of stretched cliches, an honourable loss. The Nucks didn’t play well enough to win, but they played some comeback hockey to only lose by one.

The good news, Pete got a point. Finally. Brock got 2. And Demko wasn’t terrible. That’s pretty much a full almost win.

It didn’t quite start out so noble.

1st Period

26 seconds in and the Nucks were almost scored on. What? Why? Because Poolie is really studying Lowry’s little essay, Art of the High Stick. The delayed penalty with the tOil circling must have given Demko shark-attack flashbacks.

Fortunately, the Nucks got brief possession and Poolie was put in the box.

Unfortunately, the refs hate us and let Poolie out of the box. And worse, our old friend Gags, put Poolie in a compromising position. Stop it! Not like that!

It was worse. Poolie was behind the net losing the puck (or assisting to give the puck) to Gags who snapped it out front for Chiasson to snap it past Demko.

Hutton can’t return soon enough.

Down 1-0 just five minutes in isn’t so bad.

No, it’s not.

Despite the Nucks putting some shots on Koskinen, the Oil have McD and he can out-skate Bulldog.

And worse, our former Kasquatch gets the nifty feed from McD and puts it past Demko.

The good news, pretty sure there’s not anymore former Nucks playing against us. Some say a couple current Nucks are playing against us, but let’s not mop up that pool just now.

The bad news, despite outshooting the Oil, 18-17, the Oil lead 2-0 after 1.

Yes, McD is a thug, took a penalty on Motte and the Nucks were made to pay on the power play. At least that’s the 0 for 1 out of the way.

2nd Period

At least we’re not down 3 goals to start the 2nd.

For about a minute.

Some scrambly board work by the Nucks and guess who gets the puck, gets some skating space and puts a perfect pass to Nuge?

Ok, it’s 3-0 and the long tough back-to-come-back games starts for realzies.

Finally, the puck luck wheel of fortune favoured the Flow. Brock sent a rocky rolly puck to the goalie. Puck rolled through him and stopped just before the goal line. The eager Beagle finished the sweet roll into the apres goal zone.

We scored a goal! 2nd consecutive game! Wooo!

Another embarrassing shutout loss averted. That’s what we watch the Nucks play for. Averting further embarrassment.

And so did Demko. Stopped a shot from a streaking McD, who had blown past a couple Nucks to get in alone on Dem. Stopping a McD breakaway will boost the rookie tender’s tender confidence.

The two teams traded failed PP opts and the period ended with the Oil winning the shot count 14-10.

However, they only tied the Nucks on goals. In this period. Just delete the 1st period...

For the tired Canucks, this period was twice as good as the first.

3rd Period

Last night the Nucks were trailing going into the 3rd and won the game and stunned the most important team and the most important media in the universe.

Could they do it again?

Maybe, but this is only a semi-important game, so let’s not get too greedy.

Unlike Eddie, who is hot and greedy - wants that multi-game goal streak more than a contract extension. Or just wants to improve his opening salary position.

Just after the futile Nucks power play played their 3rd Futile Fugue of the night, they still had possession in the O-zone.

And possession is 9/10ths of a goal. Assists from Pete and Bock on Eddie’s seeing-eye wrister.

Hitch claimed Bo had goalie interference in his Bo-ness. The goal was reviewed and the goal stood.

Woooo! One goal game! We can win or tie or have one of the Oil goals over-turned because of Poolie interference.

However, as the refs would have it, they granted another PP to the Nucks midway through the period. As the dispirited PP statskeepers at the NM No Goals For Old 29th Command discovered, the trend of one PP goal per 100 chances continued.

And to make things worse or better, the legendary Nucks PK had to go pump up the legend late in the game.

The comeback was completed, but the reward was not a fully formed comeback.

Oh well. It wasn’t a blowout. Demko looked strong later in the game. As did the Nucks. They had 79 shot attempts vs 57. And outshot the hosts 37-34 in the game.

If you want to watch the Oil homer broadcast team, feel free. FYI: As ever, NM doesn’t provide nausea relief meds during video recaps.

Close(ish) Game Stats

Semi-Important Team Stats

Close(ish) back-2-back game against a team on a hot streak. A decent close loss.

Bo, thought it was decent comeback too.

The mobile Green room was too quick for our slow ears. Expect a thorough ear cleansing at tomorrow’s practice presser. Just before...

We play that scary Knight music. The Stolen Knights are coming to the ROG on Saturday. In Vegas they stole the Nucks energy and our will to watch.

So... this game is a pretty important payback statement for the Canucks. We can hope that those tireless Knights of Stealing are tired by the threat of rain or snow or blankets of blue-clad mad hattie-ers doubling down on energetic game starts.

Have a fab Friday and super-fast starting Saturday.