Conference Semi-Final Game 5 RECAP: NUCKS WIN 2-1! DEMKO WINS SO! Almost.

The Vegas coach was so confident about wrapping up the series tonight that he’d already booked tickets to the West Edmonton Mall.

Turns out, they don’t sell tickets to the WEM. And as it turns out, the underdogs had a secret under-played goalie waiting to stop all but 1 of 43 Vegan shots.

Marky is hurt. Demko is hungry. Is Loss Rages ready to serve?

1st Period

The Nucks start well. At least one of them.

Demko stopped his first shot — Westy

And then Demmers stopped the next 10 shots.

Maybe not planned, but the Nucks seemed content to the let the Nightly shooters wear themselves out.

At 10:24 of the period, Nucks took their foot off the sandbag and took their 1st shot.

And a couple more.

Miller ringing iron

that was a wicked shot. — Twitchy

Doesn’t matter he didn’t score... because neither do the sure winner of this game on their way counting bubbles in the bubble Cup race.

Demmer

Flashing the FU early. — Chicky.

Not that the period didn’t have its moments of body-slamming comedy...

Late in the period, the Nucks get a call. Go on the PP with a chance to get the 1st goal of the game - with no 1st goal for us.

Game thread isn’t worried. And already looking to the future.

Figured I might as well come watch the #1 goalie of the future

for some team or other. — radivel

Doesn’t matter. Nucks have have put 6 shots on goal and Lossy Fages 10.

It’s doughnuts all round. Even after a healthy round of turnovers.

2nd Period

As you may have noticed the Stolen Knights have made 2nd period pressure an unhealthy time and place for the Nucks.

That’s because the Gollum Nights have terrorised most 2nd periods in this series, out-chancing the Nucks 2,714 to 23.

Since the canny inverted bags of sand strategy the Nucks employed was so effective, why change now?

The game thread is fine with this Nucked puck possum play.

geez

win a fucking puck battle or connect a pass. Either would be great. — Twitchy

Not sure if I like this new Canucks strategy

“You can’t miss 100% of the shots that you never take.”

Lulling the opposing goalie into a true sense of security is hardly going to result in goals. — radivel

And on and on it went. Vegans attack. Demmers stops.

Then the refs step up their game - their penalise the Nucks and Roos game.

Maybe they

Should have called the stick hold first? — Chicky

Eff off Vegas

Stop having the reffing hand you a goal lazy asses…

And yes I know it’s not a PP… but the lead up was. — Chicky

Nucks PK takes care of the messy business.

And the Nucks virtual 5-on-5 works its 1-on-3 disappearing magic.

Theodore beat 3 Canucks — Westy

Actually it was 4 Canucks that were beat. The last one beaten was Demmer. Ugh.

The Moulting Shite have scored the 1st goal of the game. And worse, when they score first, they win every game. Every game in the bubble.

Every game. That’s a stat that crushes our game thread grapes. If they weren’t already crushed by trained professionals - the greatest vintners known to porch climbing fermentation.

We’ve seen this movie before. Floodgates: The Sequel is just about to start.

Or is it?

It’s Lotto 649 line time, 27 seconds later. The Greener blender is looking for some mix-it-up magic.

And the Lotto line goes magical Brockstar. From a hard slap pass from Milsie after a great setup from Huggy.

Brock had 1 point thus far in the series. And about a hundred points of trade conversation at NM.

Brocky! FINALLY! — Twitch

Brock played his best game of the series. Led all Nucks with 5 shots.

Brock can be streaky. But, the Nucks are sticking their stingy sandbag game. Waited until 12:30 of the period to put a shot on net.

Doesn’t matter.

What matters is, the floodgates of desert puck flooding are drying up faster than Bettman hockey quips.

It’s back to evens. And that’s frustrating. Not for us. For that smug team of stolen players.

The bag of sand was heavier this period, but more efficient. Nucks put 4 shots on goal. And got 1 goal. The Glittertown Nights put 18 on Demko. And got 1 goal.

That’s some canny hockey right there. Also a totally one-sided scary movie.

This one-sided game is close — Westy

Apparently being close is all that counts.

3rd Period

As scary as the Nighties are in most 2nd periods, they are completely freaking fearsome in 3rd periods. Have outscored every team by triple digits in the bubble. Adjusted for dramatic inflation.

Doesn’t matter.

You know what matters?

The Nucks getting the next goal. Despite getting outplayed and over-matched by the win-now team, the Lotto line is picking their time. Their place. And their tips.

It’s a quick shot from Brock with an Alien tip and an unbelievable goal. For the lead!

WOOOO PETEY!

Nice shot brock! — Twitch

The Nucks are leading with only 17 minutes to go.

17 minutes?!!!

We’re doomed!

Or are we?

Demmer!

Would be nice if the canucks defense could do something other than chip it deep and let vegas skate it out yet again. Maybe, I dunno, try some short passes. — Twitch

Demmer is still stopping everything he can see. And stuff he can’t, he smothers.

We want the game to be called at the 5 minute point. Our wants are not important to NHL timekeepers.

Down a goal, the Sullen Knights are pressing for another tie. Greedy. They’ve already had 2 ties through 2 periods. Nucks aren’t feeling generous. Despite getting out-chanced. Out-shot 15-7.

Finally... time is on our side. Sort of.

Nucks playing much better this period

but still have to defeat their arch-nemesis, the last 2-3 minutes of the game. — radivel

The more the clock winds down, the more wound up we get.

It wouldnt be the canucks

without giving us the last two minutes in high stress terror… — Twitchy

Of course the Vegans pull their goalie. And the game thread stress ramps up to the 40 ounce level.

Then Stoner takes a penalty. And Capt’n Bo scores the EN! 0.1 seconds late.

Doesn’t matter.

Your Vancouver Canucks WIN 2-1!!!!!!!!!!

Unbelievable win. Some might say unexpected.

Being in the semis was a bonus series already. Pushing the Swollen Nights to a Game 6 is so much extra extra bonus bubble hockey, who’d have thought it possible? Other than Atty.

What did I say in the game-day thread?

I said that we’ll win, because we should have no chance against Vegas with a goalie who never played a playoffs game.

Only our Canucks can do this. — Atty

And did it they did.

Enjoy the HNIC video snips. Still miss the 2 Johns, but we’ll take the win.

Demmer stole the game. Stopped 42 of 43 shots.

The underdog Nucks out hit and out blocked the Knighties.

GAME STATS (The Stats We Dream Of)

PLAYER STATS (Demko Saves The Game, The Game Thread, The World)

Let’s hear from the amazing underdogs and their barking coach.

I had expected this to be my last recap of the season. Had the sentimental keepsakes all lined up masked-up with ready-to-deploy 100% natural cliches.

But the No-Quit-Nucks-No-Matter-What are still playing. And Boston isn’t. That’s a little moral victory right there.

And Huggy gets to extend his rookie playoff points streak.

And Pete just beat Bure in postseason goals.

Not the Nucks best, but definitely Demmer’s game of the year. Hello Goalie Controversy!

Enjoy this amazing run as long as it goes. Get your thirsty Thursday ready for more.