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GAME RECAP #17: NUCKS WIN! (Really!) Edge Sabres 5-4. In Regulation!

Get A Lead - Keep The Lead - Get A Win. A Coincidence?

By jimmi.cynic
/ new
Vancouver Canucks v Buffalo Sabres
Marty Bro Burrs Celebrate Victory
Photo by Joshua Bessex/Getty Images

This game was a scheduled loss. Sabres knew it. We knew it. In fact, some at NM were too busy planning Bruce’s retirement party to get involved with the game thread. Still... Chicky’s stale cookies are better than what they serve at the ROG.

This was expected to be the 3rd consecutive road loss - the wagons and vultures were circling. JR was sitting at Nucking HQ Command with pen and phone in hand.

And then the unthinkable happened. No, not the Nucks getting out to a 2-zip lead in the 1st. But, yeah... that. Ok, that’s not unthinkable, just intolerable this season.

Yet, this lackluster team of multi-millionaires managed to keep keeping the lead despite the Sabres scoring almost as many goals as the Nucks.

There was a hint this would be a better road game - Bruce put highly-paid winger, JT, back on the wing with Bo. The center of the Nucks is more stable with Millsie winging it.

Another hint underfurled as the game progressed as the Nucks extended their lead to 3 goals. By the middle of the 2nd. That got the game thread in a bit of tizzy.

Bah sabres back within 2. — Twitchy

Doesn’t matter. While it does, but still... the Nucking PP put 2 behind Andy. The eleventhies time the Nucks got 2 goals on the PP in the game. Helped them reach that lofty 4 game win threshold from 12 losses.

And then in the 3rd, we cued up the doom soundtrack as Bess took a lazy penalty in the O-zone to make up for being slow on his check.

The Sabre-rattlers didn’t score on their PP.

This meant the Nucking PK was 100% effective on the night. Seems Yeo and others read Westy’s free advise like he’s handing out free rum shots.

Meanwhile... moments after the Bess penalty expires, Boofooloo scores.

Still... game thread is looking to keep spirits high while the sea of despair rises.

Well at least our PK is still 100% this game... small victories. — Twitchy

The Nucks 3 goal lead is down to a single goal lead. In the middle of the 3rd. The Nucks put on the no-skating big boy pants - depends edition.

Somebody needs to remind them that’s only a game. Nobody will die.

So, stop sh#tting in your pants. — Atty

Turns out, most unexpectedly, many Nucks had ice in their pants, maybe not in their veins tho.

ice them all!! — Westy

Seems like uncle Louie’s spirit is still shooting for the stars. And missing.

I wanna try for the empty net too!! — Twitchy

And yet... The Nucks do this:

well fuck...I guess that’s a win — Westy

^ game recap winner right there ^ — copey2

Can’t argue with the astute observations of my rum goggle associates.

NUCKS’ BIGGEST WIN OF THE YEAR!

Win Number 5 brings them within striking distance of 500 350 hockey. Wooooo!!!

EDGEY GAME VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

Winning a game to save jobs - at sportynet and elsewhere.

GAME WINNING STATS

SOG FO% PP PIM HITS BLKS GVA
Canucks
VAN
 32 56% 2/3 6 11 19 2
Sabres
BUF
 32 44% 0/3 6 5 14 4

PLAYER STATS

# Forwards GP G A P P +/- S PIM PIM SOG HITS BLKS GVA TKA FO% TOI PP TOI SH TOI PP GW
6 B. Boeser 0 1 1 1 -3 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 13:09 3:30 --:-- 0
7 W. Lockwood 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 2 2 0 1 10:18 --:-- --:-- 0
8 C. Garland 0 1 1 1 1 2 0 2 0 0 1 1 18:33 --:-- --:-- 0
9 J.T. Miller 1 0 1 1 1 4 0 4 0 1 0 2 25 25:05 3:30 2:13 1
15 S. Dries 0 0 0 0 -4 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 25 7:33 --:-- 0:09 0
21 N. Hoglander 0 0 0 0 -3 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 6:45 --:-- --:-- 0
40 E. Pettersson 1 1 2 2 1 1 0 1 0 2 0 1 50 18:49 3:28 3:06 0
53 B. Horvat 1 2 3 3 1 8 4 8 0 1 0 0 65 22:42 3:30 0:57 1
65 I. Mikheyev 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 100 16:14 0:34 2:20 0
81 D. Joshua 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 50 11:21 --:-- 0:54 0
88 N. Aman 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 2 0 0 67 15:45 --:-- 2:22 0
96 A. Kuzmenko 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 11:06 0:16 --:-- 0
# Defense GP G A P P +/- S PIM PIM SOG HITS BLKS GVA TKA FO% TOI PP TOI SH TOI PP GW
2 L. Schenn 0 0 0 0 -2 4 0 4 3 3 0 0 19:46 --:-- 2:35 0
23 O. Ekman-Larsson 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 17:40 0:34 0:09 0
43 Q. Hughes 0 0 0 0 -1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 21:42 3:28 1:34 0
44 K. Burroughs 0 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 20:06 --:-- 3:16 0
57 T. Myers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 1 1 18:45 --:-- 2:32 0
74 E. Bear 1 0 1 1 1 2 0 2 1 1 0 1 18:41 --:-- 1:53 0
# Goalies GP REC GA SV SA S EV PP SH SAVE-SHOTS SV% PIM TOI GAA
30 S. Martin -- 28 32 23–27 5–5 0–0 28–32 .875 0 60:00

GOING OFF ROAD PRESSORS

Bo still goes - to the media scrum. This time with a smile.

Bruce defends by putting the icing on the finish. And the PK. And the players.

This was a game the Nucks absolutely had to have. And did.

Chicky’s retirement party cookies will have to go back in the bag. And in the freezer?

Don’t know...

Let’s find out.

Poll

Is Bruce’s job safe?

This poll is closed

  • 9%
    Bruce plays the most dangerous position in hockey - NHL coaches don’t have safety gear - or even helmets.
    (4 votes)
  • 19%
    Probably safe - for another 48 hours.
    (8 votes)
  • 41%
    JR, Alvin and the Chipmunks don’t want to play the fire the coach card - too soon. Gotta save something for when they botch the Bo trade.
    (17 votes)
  • 29%
    Does Franny want to pay 3 NHL coaches in a single season?
    (12 votes)
41 votes total Vote Now

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