RECAP: NUCKS WIN!!! Prey 6-2 on the Preds

There was a momentary typhoon alert across the lower mainland. The epicentre was tracked by Hockey Environment Canada to be in the ROG. A collective sigh of relief of thousands of skittish Nucks fans caused the gale force warnings across the Straits of Juan de Puca.

Also... the sun was shining. On our Sedinery.

This week is pretty special. The Canucks are going to lift the Sedins into the rafters on Wednesday. Or just their jerseys. Either way, it’s a special week.

And the best way to kick-off the week is with a great win. Of course, any win is a great win after the Nucks brief flirtation with a season-breaking, game-thread-shattering L-streak.

Nazzie, Steamer and Trev were honoured in the pre-game ceremonies.

It was Trev’s first public appearance at the ROG since his mysterious disappearance from the ROG. When interviewed later, Trev praised Green and the coaching staff. Guess who wasn’t mentioned... The tell-all book will be coming out soon. This century. Probably.

Anyhow, with the legends in the building and Rinne on the ice, it’s the tonic we’ve all wanted to guzzle.

Let’s get this party started.

1st Period

And it started well. And ended even better.

7 minutes in and the 3M line is playing a Sedin give-and-go tribute. Bo changed his 1st initial just for this shift. Thanks, Mo.

Zac passes to Millsie who sets up Zac for the first goal of the game!

Zac was playing his best game of the season. Some say he could be the new AMFB. It’s a little early, but we enjoyed his ferocious forechecking. As much as the Preds D did not.

It’s the safest one goal lead in the game so far.

But that isn’t far or as safe as we know too freakin’ well.

And the refs, either to reward or punish the Nucks, grant them a power play. A penalty drawn by new 4th liner and speedser, Justin Bailey.

It looked like it wouldn’t reward. However, it’s a Nucks PP against Rinne. Nucks have had 9 goals on 10 PP attempts this season on the Preds. It’s a tonic that Brown wishes could be employed every 2nd game. And so do we.

Huggy to Petey to slapping pass to Sutz. It’s a goal! A 1st unit PP goal!

It’s 2-0 Nucks and the game is just getting going. In a really good way.

But what about a great way?

Sure, let’s do the great way thing. Who needs a goal? Their 1st Nucks goal?

Jamie Jordie Benn.

He’s back on D-patrol since Fantenberg is playing head-butts with the Faeries. Rinne doesn’t see the shot. Or didn’t want to see the seeing eye shot.

With his heroes (Trev & Nazzie) watching, Jamie is elated. And so are we.

Jordie said after:

“Only having one goal, they’re probably making fun of me (Trev & Nazzie). They scored a lot of goals in their day. But growing up watching the Vancouver Canucks and finally getting my first goal, it was pretty cool.”

Even the East Tropics Hockey judge was impressed.

Benn makes it 3-0

wow — Westy

3-0 lead after 1. Could it be?

Yes, it could. The Nucks out-hustled the Preds and Marky out-stopped Pekka. Nucks win the shot clock, 1st time in waaay too long, 16-12.

2nd Period

2nd periods have been tricky. No, not just for the Nucks, but for Rinne too.

A long shot from Eddie through traffic deflects off Pete’s butt, off a Pred and Pearson, because he was credited with the last flect of the triflection.

Also the last goal Rinne would let in this game.

Game thread were quick to sympathise.

Yikes

Pulled again — Chicky

Buhbye rinne — Twitchy

Don’t walk

away, Rinne — jimmi

It’s 4-0 Nucks not even a minute into the period.

The game is obviously won. Time for the Nuckled L-streak cruisers to switch off and relax.

It’s a great strategy when you have a 10 or 20 goal lead... but with 4?

Let’s ask the game thread.

Boooo

Worst lead in hockey now. — Twitchy

The game thread knows this stuff. Has the experience, the drinking scars to prove it.

And within six minutes the Preds have a PP goal and 5-on-5 PP goal.

And worse... the Nucks are letting the holiday cruise sail into history on the shot clock.

We have now

We may even have 3 shots now too — Chicky

Definite maybe. And the Preds have 11 shots. And period ain’t over.

Some say this was a carefully orchestrated and executed plan by Marky’s agent to deliver a little bargaining leverage.

5 Star stops deserve 5 star pay.

The good ship Nucks is leaking chances and taking on rubber. Too much rubber.

Maybe the new Nucks were trying to show Hank and Dank they care about others and after lighting up Rinne, they tried to atone for their selfishness by letting the Preds hit Marky with rubber bullets. There’s better excuses out there and soon as Atty or ‘82 finds them, we’ll be the last to know.

Meanwhile... just when the game thread was ready to pull the plug on ROG shore power and force Green into taking a timeout, Huggy rescues the beach patrol and makes it a 2 apple game.

The game thread deliberated and decided that another Nucks goal was just as therapeutic as a time out. When taken with another round of Westy’s secret nerve calming libation.

The period ends with the Preds tipping the shot clock on its side, 19-7.

Order in the Pekkin’ order is restored. Nucks lead 5-2 after 2.

3rd Period

With the Preds pushback time expired, they start playing the nasty style. Running Marky.

Geez

DONT HIT THE MARKY! — Twitchy

In a rare moment of rules enforcement, the Nucks get a power play on the running-the-goalie penalty.

And in a twist of hockey frontier justice, the Nucks 2nd unit makes them pay for the outrageous transgression.

Although he later claimed he only had an average game, Quinn makes the space for Jake to transform the 3 goal lead.

It’s a FOUR goal lead! Safest lead in hockey.

And that Nucks PP goal is the only goal scored in the entire 20 mean-spirited period. Not making it up.

Also... that’s 10 for 11 on PP against the Preds this season. Can’t we play them every 2nd game?

It’s the 4th 3 point game for the Hughes brother. 2 have been against the Preds. Again, why can’t we play them 42 times a year? Is that asking so much?

Meanwhile... over on the Preds bench... the coach is angry with the refs. Welcome to Vancouver. He gets a bench penalty for being angry with the refs.

Geez if Hynes has this much trouble

letting go of a missed call, I certainly hope he never coaches the canucks…he’d have a fucking stroke about 4 games into the season. — Twitchy

Since the game is out of reach, the Preds play the frustrated style of hockey that takes it frustrations out on the game winners.

Our old Hammer beats on Jake and Jake retaliates and they both win a misconduct!

Our old Weber hacks Rooos and Rooos hacks back and they both win a misconduct!

Even Pete is getting fed up with the whacks and hacks.

Two minutes

for getting hauled down 42 times and finally getting one back. #Pettersonrules — Twitchy

The game ends with the Preds on the PP for 4 minutes. With less than 2 left in the period. Pretty sure that Hynes was demanding that the refs extend the period until the penalty expired.

Marky stops all their feeble attempts to get me the 2nd SPW point and the Nucks WIN!!!

6-2 over the Preds!

Other than the disengaged period in the 2nd period, the Nucks had this game won right from the start. And even better had it won at the end.

Here’s the 2 Johns to cover the highlights of the game. Finally.

GAME STATS (The Best Kind)

PLAYER STATS (Huggy Gets the Hattie of Apples)

This was the bounce back game we were waiting for. Last week.

Better now than never.

Here’s the 1st Star of the game and leader in the rookie scoring race. And tied with Bourque with the most 3 point games in a rookie season. In the entire history of NHL rookie D. No biggie, for Quinn.

The Marquis de Savings discusses making some timely savings.

Over in the Green Room, Trav is staking the ‘time of year’ claim.

The wheels are back on the wagon. Just need to keep the engine tuned up and battle amour polished.

Because... the Sedins are going to the rafters on Wednesday. Also... there’s a hockey game against the Winded City birds. Who will have beaten the Oil for us the night before, but be so exhausted they will even let the Twins score a couple. From the rafters.

‘This time of year’ is getting very tight in the race. The race we’re still winning in the divi, but the margins are small and gains not big enough. Yet.

The Nucks could string together those things that make game threads a happy place to be miserable in. Or even better, to be unmiserably happy.

Restoring the ROG win streak would go a very long way to making the margins a little wider. And wider margins assists safer game threads. And... ‘Making Safer Game Threads’ is the motto of NM’s Department of Watch for Broken Bottles and Couch Potato Chips.

Also... leave this here...for... historic reasons...