GAME RECAP #6: NUCKS Win! 1st Home Loss - Get Stabbed 5-1 By Sabres

6 Game Looooosing Streak Keeps Bruce Waiting for Win Number 600.

Could be a long wait.

A simple basic home opening win. Too much to ask for?

Yes, yes it is.

Anything else you want...

Play the full 60 at the home opener?

That’s scheduled for 2024.

This season, the road weary Nucks staggered into the ROG with little swagger, but medium-high-low hopes of a good game.

Except the Sabres 5-on-5 PP was on the ice for most of the game. And when the Sabres went up 3-1 in the 3rd, the Nucks felt even more road weary. The ROG can be a tough building to play in - when you’re the not-good-enough listless home team.

THE GOOD

At least the Nucking popgun PP got a goal to keep the old man Boofoolo goalie from getting the SO.

2nd unit too. Gnarly is back on the ice.

Special mention for the Petey/Podz/Kuz line. They were playing hard and getting chances. We won’t mention the chances and goals against they were on the ice for.

The ROG crowd boo’d ‘Sweet Caroline’ being played. Discerning crowd.

Not all they boo’d.

THE BAD

No Huggie in the lineup. Yikes! Who will step up to fill in? As it turns out, no one.

When the defenseman you have can’t carry the puck up the ice, the forwards have to do it and it slows down the rush — Westy

Like we saw in the preseason, that mean-nothing section, the Nucks keep giving up juicy odd-man rushes. And as we saw, are unable physically, mentally, possibly spiritually, to clear the area in front of Demmers.

Now those lazy habits mean so much. It means they can’t win games. Means Demmers has yet to get to the lofty .900 SV% heights.

[CUE the keystone kops goalie tryouts]

Miller is playing like an average 3rd liner who wants to get traded before the big contract kicks in.

And Bo? We don’t know.

Bess?

Boesser lost that face off pass cuz he was being super casual, not cuz of buffalo’s speed, john... — Twitchy

Big contract casual Saturday?

THE HORROR OF IT ALL

The Nucks close the gap in the 2nd. Go into the 3rd down just a goal. The ROG is pumped - cheering for the home team.

Instead of following up that very good period, the Nucks come out like it’s mean-nothing preseason Saturday in the ROG.

Less than 2 minutes in, the bad preseason habits skates down the ice for the 2-on-1. Demmers has got the shooter. Schenn has the ice, but not the pass.

Down 3-1, the Nucks let the wheels fall off their tentative hockey cart. With Demmers pulled and not having puck control in the Sabre end, the empty net goal against is assured.

Why pull the goalie for the 6-on-5 when the Nucking Special 5-on-4, but for that single glorious moment, is not that special.

And worse, Demmer is back in net - and the tire-fire Nucking team defense let the Sabres score another PP goal. Technically, it’s a 5-on-5 goal. But the tentative, puck-gazing Nucks team defense, is the same as the Nucking PK.

Fine. Consistency 1st, results 2nd.

This type of consistently losing is...

Unacceptable.

Or is it?

Is this the start of something big? Something epic, perhaps?

This is rock bottom, guys. When you get booed out of the building by your own fans, that’s the definition of rock-bottom.

And this happens in your home opener?? How is this even possible? Your fans throwing jerseys on the ice at the first game. Never mind that the players almost getting into a fight on the ice.....a fight between two guys on the same team?!

This must be the fastest rock-bottom in hockey history.

Epic melt-down.. — Atty

The fight that almost happened was between Schenn and Miller at the end of the 2nd. The good period.

God it looked like a sabres power play there for like 20 seconds. Miller should never be on the ice at the end of a period. He gets too panicked.

Perhaps that’s what Schenn was suggesting - don’t panic! Play better.

Seems Schenn was giving JT the how-to-defend-in-your-end pep talk at the end of the period. Very peppy - Gnarly had to break up the ‘talk’

Oh well... The Nucks earned another loss and ROG booooos a week before Halloween. Scary times ahead.

GAME Collapse STATS

	SOG	FO%	PP	PIM	HITS	BLKS	GVA
Sabres BUF	27	45%	1/1	8	17	18	7
Canucks VAN	30	55%	1/4	2	40	14	6

FRACTURED PLAYER STATS

ANNIVERSAY VIDEO TIME

Shortie is calling a HNIC game - because it’s his 25th caller anniversary.

Oh... remember that dragon slayer call! Those were the days... over a decade away...

Anyhow, onto the big-bad-boo game call. Not a happy anni for Shortie. Condolences from the staff and management at NM. If we had any - staff or management.

HOME BOOPRESSER

Petey gets to face the media music. It wasn’t Sweet Caroline, but he still doesn’t like the tune. Tough pressor. Tougher game.

Good news! Bruce is just as stunned as we are the Nucking players would come out in the 3rd listless and disinterested. Like us, he doesn’t have any answers to the Nucking quagmire. That’s hopeful, right?

Rutherford was featured on HNIC After Hours - lucky guy. He was asked how he and the team will fix this abomination.

“Not a quick fix” — JR

Good to know. We’re in no hurry. Take your time. 17 years between Cup runs is just fine with us.

Even better, there’s still lots of the season to be in no hurry with.