Conference Semi-Final Game 7 RECAP: NUCKS WIN! Our Praise. Lose Game 3-0. Drop Series in Game 7. No Big Deal.

First... thank you all for supporting the Nucks and the NM Rum Fund. For those of you who haven’t sent your certified cheque to Westy yet, please send it to me. I’ll make sure he gets it. Or an appropriate 1% share.

Second... What a run! Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!

Third... What a game. Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Oh well... 2 or 1 out of 3 is pretty good. Not great.

But good enough for a fanbase not seen in the post season internet scrums in far too many years.

Yet, here we are. Being greedy. For more underdog growls and barks.

No one expected the Nucks to get this series to a game 7. Other than the Nucks players themselves.

The Stolen Nighties were built as an instant-on money grab for Bettman’s Billionaires. In their 1st year they went to the finals with their carefully grafted/stolen roster.

The Canucks are building a dynasty. The right way. The slow way. The 50 51 Year Plan.

Oh well... let’s get on the scoreboard of this no-goals-game. The 5th game in 7 nights.

And another Back-To-Back game, which as you know far too well. are not our friends.

1st Period

If only. If only the Nucks could score first early in the 1st. If only.

damn what a chance for toffoli

Bo just decided to start controlling the play that shift. — Twitchy

Instead... it’s back to the Demmmer demo series.

And again....the Nucks keep their hot shot mojo in the holster - no wasted energy on excessive normal not-even adequate shooting.

Anyone know the alltime record for lowest number of shots in a game?

Asking for a friend. — radivel

Some might say 2 shots in a period including 2 minutes of PP might be close to the floor. If the Nucks get to double digits after 2, then no chance at the record. SPOILER: They won’t.

What about the Vegan shot diet? It has 5.5 times the rubber content. Demmer had to stop 11 shots. And did.

On the bright side it’s a 0-0 tie after 1. And that means...

2nd Period

Can you imagine if the Nucks

if they scored a quick goal in the 2nd like last game…. — Westy

The game thread is scoring imaginary goals. Probably own goals... but still...

need a shot first — radivel

Vegas own goal could help — Westy

While the game thread is keeping spirits bright, I had a bad feeling about this game. And the previous 16, so my feelings aren’t helpful - I’ll keep them to myself next time.

Besides... the key to victory, is on the sticks of the Nucks. On a Nucky stick other than Demmer’s.

Did Vegas

Just have a 20 minute power play? — Beggsy

No, that was the previous period. And the 12 before that.

The Nucks PK killed off Myers’ tribute call that Eddie took credit for.

Then the winner of the series Douchebag On Skates Award, headshots Motte.

Wow reaves...

head hunting. Suspension hit. — Twitchy

wtf

you shoulder to the face and then complain “Oh waahh I didn’t do it, what what what?” — radivel

And reluctantly, the refs toss the Gross Reaver.

Buhbye reaves

roussel wins, you headhunting douche. — Twitchy

A 5 minute major and bubble hockey’s near tippy top PP can avenge this dirty hit - with a goal and a win.

Or can they?

Game thread and the scorecard aren’t thrilled.

weak shot there Bo

you guys need to shoot more — radivel

PP needs a make over — Westy

SHOOT THE DARN PUCK!!! — SanDiegoNucksFan

If Brown can’t figure out the Nightie Nights PK, NM can.

Zone entries might be a conversation in the dressing room — Westy

Good fucking lord

PLAY A FUCKING POWER PLAY! Do they even want to win this game? Fucking weak assed no intensity excuse for a power play. There is no reason the Canucks shouldn’t have completely taken over the game after that reaves stupidity. Nope, this team never ceases to surprise… — Twitchy

And after all the free, even-handed long-handed coaching the Nucks fail to score. If it wasn’t obvious by the scoreboard, the miserable mood in the NM Drink-To-Forget Lounge and the depressing tone of this, the final NM recap of the season.

At least Demmer is holding the fort. If only the cavalry could find their horses. If they have any horses that aren’t lame in the Nucking corral.

10-4 good buddy! That’s the shot count tilt in this period.

3rd Period

What if.... what if this game goes to OT. A zero zero OT. We’d win that.

Demko has been

Amazing

But the skaters really need to help him out with some goals now — BW

At least we’re winning the FO battle.

It’s good that we win 60% of the draws

Would be nice if a few times we could win the draw and not pass the puck to the vegans tho. — Twitchy

Passing? Is that a thing now?

These are some of the worst passes I’ve ever seen by any Canuck team. — marcness52

Oh well... just watch the play in the dot.

The underdogs are tired. Beat up and worn out. The Nucks get another PP, but you know... there’s a sad streak to keep.

Still... it’s 0-0 with 6 minutes left in the series. We could still win this. Simply wait for the Vegan shot diet to wear itself out and forfeit the game.

Also... stay out of the box.

Or not. Millsie gets the last penalty of the season. So... no Myers memes tonight.

Here’s hoping

Their Power Play is as potent as ours is tonight. — spinwezel

Cue the badada doom soundtrack.

And it’s more bada than hoped. Why?

Well... just watch the play in the dot.

Beagle wins the FO and Nucks control the puck. But... the officials control the game. And blow down the FO. And Beags get to win the FO all over again.

And can’t, because Karlsson falls on the puck and spits it out of his Nordic playoff beard.

Then the moment we’ve dreaded and Lost Wages dreamed of, a puck gets past Demmer.

The game thread is taking this crushing blow without even a ‘FFS’. FFS!

uh oh

this is bad news — radivel

Still... some questions remain...

Why has no one said Fuck? — Westy

I got censored in the recap

So I fucking stopped — Twitchy

Down a goal with a few mins to go, the one Nucks player that terrified the Nighties most is sent to the bench! I’m not making this up!

I really don’t think pulling the goalie is a great idea for this team

since they can’t control the puck at all, ever, for more than like 3 seconds at a time — radivel

Extra man on the ice for the Canucks

What could go wrong? — spinwezel

Soon enough it’s 2-zip Vegans. Then 3-0, then darkness.

But only for a moment because I kicked the remote across the room and switched of the TV.

Meanwhile... the game thread is taking this dog-tired 14 shot effort from the underdogs fairly well.

F***ing deserve to lose

Team didn’t even show up tonight. It’s like the game plan was “pass to the knights… every fucking time”. — Twitchy

honestly though, they’ve had a few consistency issues ie. “shit the bed games” in this post season

They’ve looked “off” or tired all night against a team that plays with that intensity all the time. They are a young, inexperienced team for the most part who no one predicted would get past the first round

This was a shit game and certainly disappointing but I’m still proud of what the team accomplished this post season and think there’s a lot of potential for the near future — BW

What ground my roasted duck was the PP drought since Demmer arrived to make special team play redundant. Until it was no longer redundant, but mandatory.

The Nucks managed... well... not managed exactly... the Nucks got only 2 shots in 11 minutes of PP time. That was difference in this game.

Had their chances, but couldn’t adapt to the 4 Knighties on the line defence. Possibly because they didn’t have the legs left to dump and chase and recover the puck.

Oh well... lots of free time to dissect the team before training camps starts in a couple weeks.

But what a series! What a run!

Sure, the better (on paper) roster won. But just barely.

Actually

I’m happy taking them to 7. They thought they were hot shit, and we gave them a taste of humble pie. So, when they lose to Dallas, and they will… we’ll be ‘See? You’re not as hot shit as you think you are… sit down and be a person’ — Chicky

Here’s the last HNIC clip in my last recap of the season. Small blessings.

GAME STATS (Tired stats)

PLAYER STATS (Tired player stats)

How did we lose the game with a goalie with a .971SV%?!!! Oh... right... the scoring at least a goal thing. I hate stats!

Although... Demmer stopped 128 of 130 shots. Wow! That’s a payday coming soon!

Benning’s taking that $6 million/year contract he was gonna give to Markstrom

and he gives it to Demko. — Beggsy

Speaking of Demmer... He got to face the fake zoom media in the post game presser.

Green was taking this loss as hard as his team. Can’t help but feel he felt that Demmer had one more SO in him. And almost did.

Takeaways from the game:

• Losing Sux
• Back-to-Back playoff games suck
• The underdog Nucks over-achieved
• Our young stars will make the future bright
• Demmer stopped 128 of 130 Lost Wages shots!!!

Also...

The Nucks need:

• Top D-pairing that can move da puck outta da zone!
• Faster, bigger bottom 6
• To sign Demmer (and Marky?)

What a crazy post-season! In the summer! Into September!

Since my recap play is barely at mid-season form, will rely on the game thread (as ever) to take this weird season out. To dinner and a drink. Hopefully lots of drinks.

Oh well, none of us should be sad with this.

This “season” turned out a lot better in the end than I expected it to at the start.

- 2 great goalies for now

- Probably franchise best defenseman is now part of the team

- Super strong top forward group including a genuine star just finding his legs. Most or all of of this group are expected to return next year.

Need bigger guys with more puck handling skill though. The guys we have now are are great and all, but the reason they look so good is because the team keeps up giving up so many chances that they get to look good on. Lots of practice, I guess, haha.

Thanks for hosting gamethreads, having good writeups and whatnot. It’s fun! — radivel

Great season for the boys

It’s a bummer they stayed at the hotel tonight but they punched above their weight for a month here in the bubble. The future is very bright! — Twitchy

Enjoyed the ride, the journey was longer and more exciting than anyone could have realistically thought in September.

So proud and excited for the future. — Geordie Nuck

Well... we’re only a few days into September so...we had a pretty good idea... oh that other September, from 2019. Yeah... didn’t expect this much Wowzers! this soon from the young Canucks stars.

Savour this bubble hockey never-give-up moment. And get ready for plenty more.