RECAP #5: NUCKS WIN!!! (Really) - Beat Habs 6-5 in Extra Special Shooting Time

After the longest road trip of this Nucked-up season, with only 1 win in the most important column in the game, our expectations for this game were low. Low enough the bar is on the floor in the NM lounge basement. 2nd Despair level.

Like the last 3, this was a MUST WIN game. The difference was the Nucks found a way to win. The collective sigh of relief of NucksNation caused gale warnings across the Straits of Wanda Puka.

But, we didn’t know that before the game started. And weren’t that certain afterwards. Toffee’s hattie was a little generous welcome back gift. The SO goal post was not as nice. For him. But great for us.

Questions were swirling pre-game... like would the Nucks PP ever get a goal? Would the Nucks PK ever stop one? Who would put the team on their shoulders and carry the puck over the goal line? Who would put their shoulder into the boards and leave?

So many questions. And just as many answers. That lead to more questions. But we’re not there yet.

1st PERIOD

We might have been afraid to watch the game, but after a couple periods the fear was justified. But we’re not there yet.

Just like the last game, the Nucks have a very good period against the leading team in the great big north division.

And then just when the Nucks momentum was going well, the Nucks were penalised with a PP.

And just when they recovered from that momentum-sucking couple minutes, the refs call another call on Montreal.

And then, the least possible thing that we most hoped for happened.

The 1st Nucks PP goal of the season!

WOOOOOO!

Bo!

I almost don’t know what to do with that…an actual PP goal! I’ve heard of these! — Twitchy

And Pete is going and ready to out-deke Price. Almost.

Oh well... at least he didn’t cross-check Price after the attempt, so that’s good.

Even better, the Nucks keep the lead all through the period. Outshoot Le Habs 11-7.

Even the tired, jaded game threaders were perking up.

End the game right now

I mean it…no joke — Westy

We called the NHL Game Timing Command Center, but they put us on hold for 40 minutes.

Feels like

thats the best period we’ve seen in a long time as far as work ethic and discipline go. Maybe not as one sided as the first against Calgary the other night, but good to see the players all working hard to win it for once. Lets see if they can do it for more than 20 minutes. — Twitchy

2nd PERIOD

Traditionally, 2nd periods are not kind to the Nucks.

But on balance, 2nd periods are very kind to former Nucks. Guess which sharp-shooter we didn’t resign? The guy you don’t want to walk into the zone all alone. Toffee scores a buck and a half in.

Toffee

is turning out to be a good decision for our management, this game. — Twitchy

The tone is set for this period. Track meet hockey is ours to enjoy.

Lose a sharp shooter, keep a sharp shooter. It’s the hot Motte shot.

The lead is back in blue. And then it wasn’t.

The Nucks PK does its 50% 0% solution thing. And helps Toffee get ²⁄₃ of a hattie.

Doesn’t matter. This track meet is just getting going.

Brock takes the lead into his own hands. On the PP! The 2nd PP goal of the game!

Nucks are back in the lead! In the 2nd!

It’s 3-2 Nucks!

And then it’s not.

Another bad Nucks defensive play and another Montreal goal. At least Toffee doesn’t get the hattie. Yet.

Shots are 12-9 for the tieing it up team.

Eddie is hurt after a check and doesn’t return for the 3rd.

3rd PERIOD

Down a D and Weber trying to break shinpads and shins, welcome to round 3 of Terrific Track Meet on Ice.

Early in the period Beagle blocks a Weber bomb. Limps to the bench.

Just as the game thread was about to take Pete to task for shooting too high, the Nucks get another PP.

I know, if this was a normal game, a PP wouldn’t be what we wanted. But Miller and Brock do. So does Bo who makes Price give up another PP goal.

Wooo!!! We’re back in the lead.

And then we’re not. It’s another Nucks preseason defensive display and Montreal ties it up. Again.

No worries. The Canucks have led the game in every period. And given it up. Montreal hasn’t lead at all. Until...

Uh-huh, JB gets another look at the guy who got away. It’s Toffee with the hattie.

Before the game thread could muster the muttering power of miserable Nuck luck, Brock goes the full penultimate hattie on Price.

It’s 5-5 on Track Meet Night with 3 minutes to play.

Montreal is pressing and buzzing, looked like the Nucks might lose in regulation. That would unleash unregulated fan frenzies across the internet.

Holtby stops the frenzy from certain frenzilationalism.

We get a POINT! Wooo!

OT

The game thread was thinking, this is where Pete or Huggie let loose and win the game in fancy skate style points.

Actually, no Nuck got a shot on goal. Altho Brock got close. Instead Le Habs put 6 on Holtby. Who stopped them all.

SO

Skillz Session. We got this. Pete’s got this. But he doesn’t. Miller scores. Suzuki scores.

Next goal wins. Bo scores!

And Toffee doesn’t.

Nucks WIN 6-5!!!

Not a pretty win, but we do not care. Getting 5 pucks in regulation past Price doesn’t happen often, but when it does, we’ll take it. And celebrate for days hours.

What a huge relief. Sure, one win does not make the season, but another loss would be more than our delicate preseason nerves could take.

Finally, the internet lets the 2 Johns share in our relief.

GAME STATS (Track Meet Stats... but still)

	SOG	FO%	PP	PIM	HITS	BLKS	GVA
Canadiens MTL	36	54%	1/1	12	38	15	3
Canucks VAN	28	46%	3/6	2	34	12	5

PLAYER STATS (Some Improvements...)

Not a great game for Huggie on the D-side. Not a great game for Pete on the score side. But still... the BBM was going just fine.

This is the real recap - live from the game thread.

see saw

lands in the win column

5 GA is way too many; must be the worst defense in the league now

probably the worst game I’ve ever seen Quinn play — Armia was playing ragdoll with him more than once

and Petey was just, invisible, which is saying something unthinkable

I think having to play with Virts killed him, but there was nothing to his game tonight

Höglander wasn’t a lot better either; he’s gone quiet

at least Horvat and Brock came to play, and despite giving up 5, Holtby did well enough all things considered and was solid in OT and shootout — copey

How’d the Green room like the meetup?

Bo knows this is just the start.

Jalen looked very good in his 1st game. And with Eddie out for the 3rd and Hamonic shouldering the bench, had to play more minutes and soaked them up.

Would be great to build on this win with a couple days of NM drinking games. But, we have to save our gamy drinks for the next game thread. Which is only hours away.

While the Nucks might have been hard on themselves in hellberta, not as hard as NM was on itself the Nucks, all is forgiven not forgotten.

Nucks are just one win away from 500 hockey. Something to set our low expectations on. Happy Next Game up night!