RECAP #20: NUCKS WIN!!!!! CRUSH Flamucks 5-1

This isn’t your last month’s Nucks road trip to hAlberta, even if we were prepared for the worst. Ok... we’re never prepared for that.

Similarly, we weren’t prepared for the total decimation of the former Nucks and their red mister milers. It was the 7th straight game for Mercenary Marky. The new goalie car smell is smelling old and tired - we know that stench so well.

It is almost poetic justice - (are they any hockey poets still employed?) - at least frontier hockey justice served.

The Nucks were humbled by Marky last month, but in this game were the 1st team this season to put 5 goals past the mercenary stopper and chase him in the 3rd. Also pretty sweet that the Flamucking coach waited until Marky was fully broken by a Brocket shot to pull him.

Not saying the Flamucks are a one player team - but seems his new team, like his old, depend too much on Tanev Marky.

THE WONDERFUL:

Jordie Benn. Miller’s pre-season landlord. And sporadic goal scorer.

If Benn scores on Marky you just know Nucks are going to win. Nucks have won every game this season when Benn scores.

The play was created by a Flamucks turnover caused by a Pepper Pot puck hound. Hoglander had 2 apples in the game and is rapidly becoming a game thread pepper puck hog fav.

Would have been the GWG, but for the 2nd period. Although the 2nd period had a big upside for us. Nucks outscored the red-faced Calgary Nucks 3-1 in the period. 2nd periods may not yet be our friends, but they have chance to be lesser frenemies.

Bo mojo back on the gravy goal train. Beat cheating Marky - on the same (uncalled) dirty play by Marky that put Pearson on his pear. Bo knows. And made sure Marky knew too.

The devastation of the former goalie continued through the period. With timely goals from the top line. How timely? Very. Seconds after the Red Nucklers made it a 1 goal game again.

It’s Miller time in the Rockies. Ok, near the Rockies. Close enough for wet coasters at least. Possibly too close.

Mr. Miller dismantled the $36M stopper with a wicked shot over a slumping shoulder. Order and happiness restored to the game thread. Or disorder and less grumpiness. Tough to tell.

Even better, Schmidtty redemption was served. Finally. Our former Mr. Own Goal potted the puck in the correct net. Just like we were absolutely pretty sure he could.

Nucks led 4-1 after the 2nd.

Some in the game thread... or maybe just me wanted the Nucks to lock down the game and suffocate the red ice players in the 3rd. No events, please.

I would like for them to have some events

and those events should be scoring goals and pasting this crappy pretend Flames team like they’re the Sens. — Raddi

Wish granted. Top line 4-on-1 with a Brock rocket that seals the tired Marky game.

Marky gets pulled AFTER he lets in the 5th goal in. Most goals he’s allowed in a game this season. Wearing out the new car before the engine is fully broken-in. Who’s firing whose coach now?

Holtby, Mercenary Marky’s cheaper replacement, played solid and calm, unlike the muddled Marky with his .828 SV%. Revenge is sweet. Even if it’s a month late.

Juolevi played another solid smart game.

Neither Eddie nor Myers took even a single penalty - in a full game. Maybe this is the BIGGEST most WONDERFUL thing ever. Only Westy will know for sure.

PK was perfect - went 2 for 2. And Holtby was best PKer.

THE NOT SO WONDERFUL:

In the 2nd period, which are not in the cosy NM circle of cosy cushions, the 3rd line got hemmed-in their own end. Almost got scored on. Except for Holtby playing like a Vezina winner.

Not getting scored on isn’t so bad. But, right after escaping a possible deflating, Coach Green (who wasn’t fired last week) put the 4th line on. They got hemmed in. And almost scored on. But for Holtby.

The moral? Is there a moral in a high morale boosting game? I do not know.

What I do know is... we need a better 3rd and 4th line. I know that you know that too. But we’re missing Motte more than we want to admit.

Leisurely Loui on the 4th line with Beags makes for a very slow line. But with Jake the speed average is up, but the hockey IQ drops.

The only silver, nay, gold-gilded lining is that the Nucks have re-established their 4th line NHL Supremacy. Have the highest paid 4th line in the entire league. Which includes this season, weirdly enough, a bunch of American teams you’ve never heard of. But will, allegedly, once they get out of quarantine. In August, viral-sharing permitting.

Petey the Postman. Hit another post. Has double more posts-and-out (with 8) than anyone else in the league.

When Pete re-calibrates that wicked shot, no more sponsorship from PostNord Sverige, but will be collecting big big NM bonuses. Once the rum costs are covered.

The single Nucks PP didn’t score. Maybe should have had a few more chances. Especially on this dirty Mercenary Marky move.

Want to watch the highlights and all the highlight reel goals all over again? Me too. Except it’s not the 2 Johns on the air, but cowtown muffle mouths. So there’s that. The NHL doesn’t mean to spoil our mood, but if it happens, well... that’s hockey!

The most complete game of the season? Maybe. But more importantly, the best payback of the season as the Flamucks were fully flumucked in their own tawdry town hockey hall.

GAME STATS! (Great Stats On The Road)

	SOG	FO%	PP	PIM	HITS	BLKS	GVA
Canucks VAN	33	65%	0/1	4	14	13	12
Flames CGY	36	35%	0/2	2	20	8	11

PLAYER STATS (Bojo is back. Millsie Scores. Brock Scores. Benn scores? Schimmty scores!)

Best zooming presser of the year? Let’s find out.

I know, we were dreading this 4 game mini-series against the red Flamuckers, but we won the series. No really. Got 5 of 8 points. Cowtown only got 4. So, that’s a start toward the lofty 500 heights of middle pack hockey.

Nucks are back in the wetlands for a 2 game series against the Jets starting on Friday. No splits allowed. MUST WIN THEM ALL!

But we’re not there yet. Instead we can bask in the glow of a big win. No big basking, of course, must respect the protocols of our chief Basky-ing.

Enjoy this poetic hockey moment until the winning timing stops rhyming.