GAME 1 FAKE SERIES RECAP: NUCKS LOSE 3-0 to Eddie & the Wild

It’s been a long, long, so extremely long wait to see the Canucks in a playoff series. Now that night has arrived and it’s played in an empty arena.

Empty but for the empty HNIC commentary and our empty bad thoughts - this disappointing loss was more disappointing than we can take.

Granted, we’re out of disappointment shape. We’ll get there. In the 2 remaining games.

What might have been a good game turned bad fast. For the Nucks and NM.

The Canucks got out-worked, out-played and stifled by the disciplined Minni D structure. And then the refs and Eddie joined the stifle. And welcome back loose cannonball, Ferlie. Enjoy your game night off on Tuesday.

With all this post-game depression clouding our post-game trauma, we can only take this one period at a time, unlike the Canucks.

1st Period

Ok, we’re watching on TV. NM game thread can’t rely on the unproven internet-to-Nucks-bench neural link up. What can we do?

Or rather, what can Ferlie do. He can start a fight. Yes, the guy who has spent months and months battling post-concussion symptoms invites punches to the head.

The game thread was impressed too.

Ferland fighting

Why? - Westy

Fortunately, the Nucks and the Wild both get penalties on the non-hockey play. Or rather on the most-hockey play. Whatever.

The next step for the step-behind Nucks was our special Ed to take a tripping penalty. With Eddie in the box, there’s no way for him to play goalie badly.

Instead, because your goalie must be your best PK man, Marky gets the McSoftie out of the way. It’s 1-0 for the Wild.

That’s not so bad. No it isn’t. It’s a total nightmare against the possibly the most defensively solid team in the league. Definitely in this game.

No worries. Before getting the high scoring 649 line going, we’re going to get some PK payback. (Oh wait... there is no 649 line no more)

Marky with a big save after

a Lu goal against - Westy

Westy was critiquing the Nucks like this was a playoff game in August.

The Canucks are getting some shots from the point

forwards aren’t getting in front of the net

Shots also have to get higher on Stalock - Westy

It didn’t feel like a playoff game. Zero crowd energy. Not much Nucky energy either. So the refs had to do something. Call a penalty on the Wild.

The sheer shock of getting the 4th best regular season PP on the ice so soon in the last few minutes of the first, caused some consternation and complacency which led to a Nucks too many men penalty.

Wow thats so canucks

absolutely zero reason to take a stupid too much man there. Fucking lazy play penalty.

- Twitchy

That relieved the Nucks PP performance pressure and opened the ice for the Nucks to dazzle us 4-on-4.

The dazzle wore off quickly and the period ended with the Nucks finishing their 4th scoreless period in this empty rink full contact scrimmage TV-series.

Surprisingly, the Nucks outshot the Wild 14-12. The Wild out-worked and out-scored the Nucks. Some say out-coached too. But, let’s not fire the coach just yet. We can wait a couple games.

2nd Period

So what do you do? When you’re down a goal to the stingy boxy-outy Wild D. What do you do?

You play your best game? You juggle your lines? You settle down and pick apart the Wild D?

Or...

Sutter has had the best two chances so far

that sucks - Westy

And then...

Pearson was penalised for being a bad person. Which means the not quite ready for prime-time Nucks PK gets another chance to prove their not quite readiness.

And prove it they do. The game loss began with a bad Marky PK clear, poor coverage by Motte and not quite blocking the shot Eddie... well...

Alex Edler

as a defenseman…is a bad goalie - Westy

Marky expected Eddie had the low area covered. Expectations can suck.

It’s the mid-second and the Nucks are down 2 goals. Just where we want them. If we were Wild fans. We’re not. We’re cranky Nucks fans and we want more. More Canucks goals.

Or just one for starters. Our top 6 is (allegedly) one of the best. Just not in empty rink playoff hockey.

Pete was trying and getting lots of rough coverage- which would be penalties outside the NHL bush league reffing. Miller was having an off night. Pearson and Toffoli were having an even worse night. And Capt’n Bo was getting 0 shots on goal.

Oh well... only down 2 after 2 against a well-trapped team. That’s not so bad. It’s our worst nightmare. Ok, not the worst. That one involves losing game 7 of the SCF and burning stuff.

The Nucks outshot Minni 10-8. That’s a big consolation. But, for being down 2 goals.

3rd Period

Remember those pre-Covidian comeback games from the Nucks? Me neither.

The good news is that the Nucks haven’t given up a 5-on-5 goal. The bad news neither have the Wild.

To get this pathetic period started, Pearson takes a penalty 24 seconds in.

I feel like

Now’s the time to start cursing like a hot sailor. - Chicky

Because it would be too cruel to lose 3-0, the Nucks PK doesn’t let that happen.

And because the Nucks haven’t had a PP so far, the refs grant the Nucks a PP. And they go to work. Work to setup. And work and work. To not get a goal.

Good fucking lord

what a power play… the team did a bang up job of setting up then blowing it on bad passes repeatedly. - Twitchy

From there the Nucks ramp it up to get 1 shot in the final 11 minutes.

And since the PP has been so effective thus far, Green pulls Marky, so the Wild can get the 5-on-6 EN goal.

Not the best Nucks playoff game. So far. But, safe to say it was their worst. So far.

It can only get better from here. Or not.

Minni played exactly the way expected. The Nucks did not.

And in case your masochistic itch needs more scratching, here’s the HNIC’s worst colour crew to lead you into places no Nucks fan need go.

GAME STATS (Not great - altho we win the hits)

	SOG	FO%	PP	PIM	HITS	BLKS	GVA
Wild MIN	31	41%	2/4	11	28	15	5
Canucks VAN	28	59%	0/1	27	40	14	11

PLAYER STATS (Do NOT read)

We know how NM felt about the game. And we will know even more in the next day.

But how did the players feel? Just guessing... probably not great...

Draw some penalties? 1 is some? Oh well...

At least Pete is looking forward. NM is still busy looking back. And under the coach for the empties.

Let’s go Green... although the game thread was feeling pretty green...but not the pretty shade.

Frustrating game. More frustrating result.

Still it’s just one game. One horrible game.

At least this 7 5 game series gives the Nucks plenty little time to figure out how to get the lead. HINT: Score the 1st goal of the game. And the 2nd. And the 3rd.

Then we can discuss how to keep the lead until the last buzzer. But, we’re not there yet.

And there’s no way the Nucks will be shutout for 9 periods of hockey. We know that. And the Nucks know that too. They do, right?

Not a great start, but we can put this loss behind us. Where it can fester for a couple days.

Enjoy what’s left of your miserable long weekend and get over Monday’s full moon fever without resorting to forehead shaving and other hockey rituals.