GAME RECAP #76: NUCKS WIN!!!!!! Shoot Down Stars 6-2

We knew this was just another MUST WIN game. Still... as we march up the MUST WIN hill the climb gets more intense with each steeper MUST WIN step.

This game was even more MUST WIN. Than ever before.

Lose this game in regulation and the 2nd season chance drops to 1.2% and if won the chance breaks the lofty, not-quite-for-sure 7% oppourtunity to cancel some tee times.

How exciting!

NM hasn’t been this excited since Westy offered free rum shots to the entire game thread (if they correctly dialed the mystery rum number and correctly answered the series of rum koans).

The 6th Straight MUST WIN GAME Won, while mandatory, is soooo exciting to watch.

Bo goes down, Brock comes back and racks up 3 points - a goal and 2 assists. 3 Point Pete pots 2 goals (a nifty skate to stick and a Pearson) and an assist. And in the most timely fashion, Dicki puts up 3 point against his old team and little old Joe - a goal and 2 assists.

This Bruced-Up Nucks are playing the Bruce game now. Not the Special Team Nucks in this game... because... have to make Bo feel irreplaceable on the PP/PK.

The PodzGoalzin phenom is playing like a confident vet, not a 20 year old rookie. While Millsie had a pointless night, he didn’t go full Miffler and played a +2 game.

The 1st period started in the best possible way. The Nucks score 1st in the 1st!

Gnarland hits the netting - hard - after a great setup from OEL and Podz.

Unfortunately, the Nucks PK had to kill Brock’s 1st penalty after being penalized by the Faeries for 5 games.

Dallas ties the game since the Canucks couldn’t get the puck out of their end — Westy

No worries.

Because Sneaky Pete is bouncing off gravity wells. And Dries is playing like a fevered puckhound.

Just when you think Petey looks a little off his game, he turns a fall into an absolute beauty of a goal - total body control - skate to stick to net. — Gwailoh

Nucks lead 2-1 after 1. If you recall, the one goal lead - the safest lead in hockey - is why we prefer safety in bigger leading numbers.

So do Pete and Brock. And Dicki makes the slick touch pass that gets the ROG screaming early in the 2nd.

With a 2 goal lead, the Nucks go looking for more. On the PP. Without the well-oiled 1st unit... well... good thing Pete scored earlier, because he gets caught at the Stars blueline and a completely unrequired breakaway ensues. Not a breakaway that Demmers stops.

Doesn’t matter. Other than those Special thing stats.

Gnarly was giving Dallas fits all night. He outskated Dallas defenders like he owned the ROG.

Man Garland is buzzing tonight. — marchness52

Finally justice - Texas style - is served. Brock sends a shot off the net - onto the stick of Dicki, who slickly tips in the GWG.

Sustained pressure leads to a goal by Dickinson and a goalie change for the stars — Gwailoh

Late in the 3rd, big bruising Benn squished Huggie into the boards. Ugh.

Schenn made Benn pay for his legal, but brutal, hit on huggie.

Schenn makes the tough-fisted point that no one messes with Quinn without consequences.

Nucks definitely played pretty great that period. Lots of energy and outshot Dallas handily. — Raddy

Nucks take a 2 goal lead into the 2nd inter. That’s twice as safe.

But, why take the chance?

By this point in the game, it was possible that the Stars realized this was an important game for them too.

They realized too late.

Not even a minute into the 3rd, Quinn skates up the ice, dekes old slow Joe, pulls 3 Dallas defenders to him and passes to Podz who made an all-world shot in the perfect spot. Wow!

5-2 Nucks. Game is out of reach. Still the soon-to-be-former Dallas coach thought outside of the timing box.

pulling the goalie with 5 minutes left? That’s nutty! I love it. I wish more teams did that, especially if you’re down and get a late powerplay, go for the 6 on 4! — Raddy

Who gets the EN goal? 3 Nucks tried and Pete succeeded.

NUCKS WIN 6-2 in the ROG!!!

Great team game. No passengers. Every Nucking player was driving play and winning battles.

OEL and Myers played great. The game thread used up some of their D-praise tokens.

Myers played a really good game. Had more than a few dangles to get down low. — marchness52

Not just one game thread praise spender either.

He was really disrupting the Stars’ plans tonight. He was great. — Gwailoh

Myers has been +13 since February. No really.

That’s what happens when he doesn’t get penalized for being tall. — Raddy

Other than the lack of decent specialness, the Nucks played Dallas like this was a pull-out-all-the-stops MUST WIN game.

Woooo! Only positives tonight except for naff PP and PK, and they still clobbered them 5x5. Noice!

Now.... do we start the other goalie.... tomorrow..... ? — copey

Confident power move to start Halak. Confident move to play your all-star goalie in all the games down the stretch. Ask again in less than 24 hours.

ROG ROCKIN’ HIGHLIGHTS

Hockey Monday in Canada hosted by the 2 Johns.

GAME STATS (Great Game - after the special part)

	SOG	FO%	PP	PIM	HITS	BLKS	GVA
Stars DAL	30	55%	1/1	9	30	14	9
Canucks VAN	31	45%	0/2	7	25	11	7

SHOT COUNT (Podz Shots Count)

PLAYER STATS (3 Point Brock is Back! And 3 Point Dicki! And Pete!)

ROG PRESSERAMA

Gnarland and 1st star of the game, Dicki, were fully gassed up for this game.

Bruce is talking the right way about playing the right way.

We win again!

Wanna know something ridiculous? During this 6 game win streak, the Nucks have outscored their opponents by a combined score of 32-11. — Raddy

Great MUST WIN game won. The MOST MUST WIN yet.

Next MUST WIN is almost upon us. Wonderful ride the Brucing Nucks are giving us. We want more.