GAME RECAP #47: NUCKS WIN!!! Drop Desert Dogs 5-1 in the ROG

No Quinn... no worries. Just as I predicted. Or would have if I wasn’t so worried about the game rusty Nucking turnovers. And ROG-fresh turnovers were amply supplied by the generous hosts.

We’ll start in the 1st period. Or would if the Nucks had started the game in the 1st. Or at least started like they meant to win it early and often. Instead the Yotes out-skated, outshot and out-chanced the Nucks pretty much for the full 20.

Canucks looked tired and off kilter in the first...hopefully they have their legs back in the second... — Twitchy

No matter. With our All Star Demmers holding court no bones were given to the dogs.

Bruce gave them a little talking-to chat during intermission about how vital it is to beat the the 2nd worst team in the league. I know... the desert dogs are so pathetic they can’t even hold down last place in the league.

The Nucks listened and realized they needed to play 3 good minutes a game.

And did.

The clean shaven, but still Gnarly takes the deft pass from Juulsen and shoots the sucking puck into the net. Yeah!

And less than a minute later, the Nucks PP performs the unbelievable. It scores. OEL getting the shot off Bo for the tip. Quinning without Quinn?

Have you noticed the stars are lining up for their spot on the scoreboard? Podz did. And Pete at speed blasts a laser past the stargazing goalie.

3 goals in 2:22! Mission accomplished.

Nucks Win! 3 minutes of the game! — Raddy

With the game won, the Nucks, ever the gracious hosts, let the dogs in. And let Demmers let in the token goal of false hope.

In the intermission, Bruce, again had the chat about playing better than the worst (almost) team in the league.

The Nucks listened and had a good 3rd period - extending the safest lead in hockey to expected lead over the dogs of desert hockey despair.

How they extended - and who was the amazing part.

4-on-4 End-To-End action?

It’s an end-to-end highlight JT goal as he took advantage of a slow dog change with a charge up the ice finishing with a nifty deke. Or lucky. Lucky for us to see it.

Milestone for Miller - achieved his career 400th point in this game. #401 on this amazing goal.

With 4 out of the top 6 getting goals in the same game, how about fleshing out the full set?

Ok. And why not on the PP. Pete sets up Brock for the beauty tip.

Bruce got the result he and we expected. Beating the almost worst team by a good margin.

A home ROG win is something we’ve missed for far too many road games.

The battle of the worst and 2nd worst PK was won by the worst PK in the league. PK Dogs could only stop 1 of 3 Nucking power plays. Who’s the worst PK now?

Special Off Officials

As usual the reffing was pretty awful. But in the 3rd we saw the worst call of the season. Or among them.

Motte had his stick chopped out of his hands by a dirty dog - Motte’s stick no longer in his hands strikes another desert dog in the face. Simple call? Slashing against the dirty dog?

Nope. Motte gets a high sticking penalty.

Didn’t matter as the Nucking PK killed it - as well as the other 3.

Nucks home PK was 100%. Home PP went 66%. That’s pretty special too.

Shout out to OEL on his 3 point game as the game’s 3rd star. He also reached his 400th career point. And looked great on PP1.

Big applause to JT as the game’s 1st star. And bigger applause for the game’s other 1st star, Demko.

VideoROGGING

2 Johns finished their Olympic All Star break ready to ROG out with us.

GAME STATS (Happy PP, happy ROG. Happy ROG, happy game)

	SOG	FO%	PP	PIM	HITS	BLKS	GVA
Coyotes ARI	36	40%	0/4	13	20	10	3
Canucks VAN	29	60%	2/3	15	26	14	12

SHOTS COUNTING (outshot, not outscored )

PLAYER STATS (Top Guys Score - all in the same game)

Sidenote: Former Nucks, Rousell and Loui, on their return to the ROG, surprisingly, didn’t get on the scoresheet, unsurprisingly.

SUPER IMPRESSERS

JT ‘Lucky’ Miller shares his view on the game.

OEL had a big night against his former team - a team that drafted him - that he captained. Tougher game than you’d expect for a big bruising pro hockey player.

Bruce was probably not as adversely affected by the ‘There It Is’ chants in the ROG as his team - our team too - took charge and beat the NHL’s almost worst team pulling away.

Never before this season have we watched all (but 1) top forwards score in a single game. I know we expect our top guys to be the top guys game in and game out.

However, our Nucking fan expectations have rarely been fulfilled. So savour the moment. The chances of it happening again this season are as likely as another coaching change. Pretty sure Westy isn’t couch coach counting anymore.

Great home win after a not great start. Tomorrow, the Nucks ROGing start needs to be better as the Isles aren’t the worst team in the league - not even the worst in their division. Or conference.

Welcome to the MUST WIN portion of the program.