Come For The Banter - Stay For The Disappointment
Nucks Fan Rebuild & Retool Center - Come For The Banter - Stay For The Disappointment
Losing Streak. 4 straight. That's not so bad. Not great either.
Nucks got behind early. And late. And in the middle.
First... some good news.
Nucks won't play in Winterpeg the rest of the year.
At least Bessie scored so Nucks only lost 6-2. Less embarrassing.
Thanks for reading!
Game didn't start well for the Canucks. Ended worse.
At least Ohgie is tearing up the scoresheet. With stealth moves.
1st period ends with a 3-1 Jets lead. That's just for starters.
In the 2nd, well... it was a 2nd period in the Peg. Nucks didn't score. Jets scored 2.
Nucks went down 5-1 to the 3rd. Nice comeback narrative could develop from that.
It didn't.
Instead, more dubious defending from the Nucks puts the Jets up 6-1.
Buium is the only + player on the team and has played over 20min in the game so far.
Hronek -4
Cotter -3
Pettersson(s) both -2
Boeser even
-- Petrishriekandgo on bluesky
Canucks didn't want to start the comeback too soon.
Instead they chose too late. Some great board work from Quillian to set up Brock for the almost, but not really close to the tying goal.
But still... think of the fans...
Canucks lose, as they always do in Winterpeg. This time only 6-2.
HEY HEY! Boeser gets his!
Quillan is definitely keeping his spot on the big club, I think!
-- Thursday
And in the final 3 minutes Nucks PK killed off a full 2 minutes of PK time. Not making it up.
GAME STATS
HIGHLIGHTS
Shortie and Dave on the road to victory. Or at least on the road.
POST GAME CHATTER!
Öhgren and Manny cheer us up in a tough situation.
Manny should check out Bluesky - we have so many answers...
Win or lose, remember to keep the vibes rolling!
I am keeping this feeling with me for the rest of the year.
-- Thursday (Sept. 29-2026)
Also... in case the vibes are in need of re-vibrification...
Rebuild Rules: Getting out of the ROG for a couple games of road losses can be a good distraction.
CANUCKS (3-13-1) at JETS (5-8-3)
7 p.m. ET; SNE, TSN3
We're in a different time now. Or time zone.
The Jets just broke a 9 game losing streak coming back 4-0 to the Habs in the 3rd, winning 5-4 in OT. Copycats. We just broke a 10 game L-streak. And have followed it up with 3 game slide. You're all caught up.
Despite the concerns about their season, Winni isn't a threat to Nucking basement sovereignty. They already have double digits in points. Imagine!
Canucks projected lineup
Jake DeBrusk -- Elias Pettersson -- Brock Boeser
Liam Ohgren -- Marco Rossi -- Jonathan Lekkerimaki
Drew O'Connor -- Jacob Quillan -- Linus Karlsson
Paul Cotter -- Max Sasson -- Brendan Gallagher
Elias Pettersson -- Filip Hronek
Zeev Buium -- Guillaume Brisebois
Jamie Oleksiak -- Victor Mancini
Leevi Merilainen
Kevin Lankinen
Scratched: Luke Schenn, Arshdeep Bains
Injured: Filip Chytil (shoulder), Thatcher Demko (hip), Tom Willander (lower body)
Jets projected lineup
Kyle Connor -- Mark Scheifele -- Gabriel Vilardi
Cole Perfetti -- Brayden Yager -- Dawson Mercer
Alex Iafallo -- Adam Lowry -- Viggo Björck
Cole Koepke -- Morgan Barron -- Tyrel Bauer
Dylan Samberg -- Neal Pionk
Haydn Fleury -- Dylan DeMelo
Mario Ferraro -- Elias Salomonsson
Stuart Skinner
Nico Daws
Scratched: Clay Stevenson, Nino Niederreiter, Isak Rosén
Injured: Josh Morrissey (upper body), Nick Bjugstad (undisclosed)
Status report
Willander was a late scratch due to a lower-body injury ahead of a 5-4 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday. He skated in Winnipeg on Thursday but is not expected to play. … Merilainen is expected to start. … Jets coach Scott Arniel says they plan to play Tyrel Bauer at forward for the entire game. Bauer played his first eight games of the season as a defenseman, and then played forward and defense in Winnipeg’s 5-4 overtime win in Montreal on Tuesday. … Morrissey, a defenseman, skated in a non-contact jersey and will not play. He has missed 12 games. … The Jets recalled Yager from Manitoba of the American Hockey League on Thursday, and he enters the lineup in place of Niederreiter.
GAME DAY CHATTER
Record-breaking season? Again?
Source of Leakinen's performance woes discovered.
GAME DAY BATTLE HYMN
Manny says details are vital... but sometimes the devil is in the details.
Go Canucks Go.
Losing Streak. 3 straight. That's not so bad.
But for iffy reffy Nucks might have won. Nucks PK would still have lost.
First... some good news.
It was an entertaining game... pretty much to the end.
Could have gone either way... and almost did.
Thanks for reading!
NOTE: Short non-recap recap due to having to catch up with contests in elections and lakes of America.
Game didn't start badly. Didn't end horribly.
Two guys in that need a boost: Rossi and Lankinen. Put on a good showing tonight, guys!
-- Thursday
Rossi got a primary on the PP. And Leakinen upped his SV% to .773 from 750, so that's progress.
Ducks got 2 goals in the 1st. Nucks got 2 goals in the 1st and Ducks only got 1 goal.
Because Ohgie scored twice... but didn't.
Because it's a Nucks stick lift, it's a penalty and because it's the Ducks 34% effective PP and Nucks PK, it's a Duckie goal.
Another weak call against. Bah!
-- Thursday
And another Ducking PP goal.... FFS!
-- jimmi
In the 2nd, well... it was a 2nd period in the ROG. Nucks PP gave up a shortie. Nucks PK gave up a goal. How special. Karlsson scored, so that was good.
Nucks went down 5-2 early in the 3rd, so that set the ice for...
Jake to score on the PP. And scored again. As the Rig's shot grazed him to make 5-4.
Flashbacks to last week's comeback win in Disneyland was not to be in Lotus Land on Dawali Night in the ROG.
Canucks didn't just fight back on the scoreboard. They fought the fights too.
Cotter and Oleksiak had fights too.
Nucks also scored before/during a fight... so confusing.
Ah, dang!
Big pushback, but another loss. Special teams and that accursed second period ended the game for them.
-- Thursday
On the bright side... basement is secured again. Thanks, Lankx
Still entertaining game with strategic result. That's good.
GAME STATS
HIGHLIGHTS
Shortie and Dave back in the ROG to watch the refs take a couple goals away...
POST GAME CHATTER!
2 Goal Jake, 2 Goal Öhgren (1 counted) and Manny.
Win or lose, remember to keep the vibes rolling!
I am keeping this feeling with me for the rest of the year.
-- Thursday (Sept. 29-2026)
Also... in case the vibes are in need of re-vibrification...
Rebuild Rules: Getting Ducking Lucky is part of a rebuild. A key part for some.
DUCKS (6-7-1) at CANUCKS (3-12-1)
9 p.m. ET; SNP, Prime Video
Notice that new start time? 9PM ET. We're only 2 hours behind CoTU! Although... we're no closer to being as important. Also... is it Prime time already?
Back home again in the ROG. Saturday's game was also in the ROG. But not a home ROG game... because CoTU. It's Diwali Night in the ROG. Those can be fun. Even more fun if Bains scores. From the pressbox... scratching Bains on Diwali night makes sense, right?
Said it before, if there was a home game we'd like the Nucks to win this would be it. Or any home game from now on. Not that we are greedy for wins - the basement doesn't have the space for that - but a few more ROG wins could be good for staff, fan and team morale. Why not tonight?
Why not ask Lanky about that. We hope he can get back in stopping shape before the TDL.
Ducks projected lineup
Alex Killorn -- Leo Carlsson -- Judd Caulfield
Cutter Gauthier -- Mikael Granlund -- Beckett Sennecke
Jeff Malott -- Tim Washe -- Sam Colangelo
Nico Myatovic -- Roger McQueen -- Nikita Nesterenko
Jackson LaCombe -- Drew Helleson
Pavel Mintyukov -- Noah Warren
Travis Mitchell -- Tristan Luneau
Laurent Brossoit
Lukas Dostal
Scratched: Ville Husso, Frank Vatrano, Tyson Hinds
Injured: Ian Moore (lower body), Troy Terry (hip), Ryan Poehling (knee), A.J. Greer (upper body)
Canucks projected lineup
Jake DeBrusk -- Elias Pettersson -- Brock Boeser
Liam Ohgren -- Marco Rossi -- Linus Karlsson
Drew O'Connor -- Jacob Quillan -- Jonathan Lekkerimaki
Paul Cotter -- Max Sasson -- Brendan Gallagher
Elias Nils Pettersson -- Filip Hronek
Jamie Oleksiak -- Tom Willander
Zeev Buium -- Victor Mancini
Kevin Lankinen
Leevi Merilainen
Scratched: Guillaume Brisebois, Luke Schenn, Arshdeep Bains
Injured: Filip Chytil (shoulder), Thatcher Demko (hip)
Status report
Brossoit will make his second straight start since being recalled from San Diego of the American Hockey League on Saturday. ... Greer, a forward, was placed on injured reserve by the Ducks on Monday; he took a high hit from Dylan Cozens in the third period of a 6-3 win against the Ottawa Senators on Sunday. Myatovic was recalled from San Diego. … Terry, a forward, and Moore, a defenseman, skated Tuesday, but Anaheim coach Joel Quenneville said neither is expected to play on its three-game road trip. … Mancini will replace Schenn, a defenseman, for the third time in four games.
GAME DAY CHATTER
The most important part of the NHL... merch.
Not just Rossi. What about DeBrusk? Ok, fine, he gets to the net more often, but...
GAME DAY BATTLE HYMN
Diwali celebration in the ROG... with a Scotsman? Why not!
Go Canucks Go.
Losing Streak. 2 straight. That's not so bad.
It's the Rogers Home Team - with their own (home) road TV crew. That's bad.
First... some good news.
Canucks won the special teams. Went 1 for 4 on the PP and 2 for 2 on the PK.
For those watching at home on the sportynet broadcast, our apologies. On CoTU Saturday games, only the CoTU crew can be on-air. 🤮
Thanks for reading!
Game didn't start badly.
Until the 1st minute passed and old man, Oleksiak, went off the rails? The game? Don't know. Seems like he developed a sudden puck allergy as the puck approached him and passed him by. As did Nylander, who not being puck-adverse, took it and skated in on Merri to score.
WTF kind of defensive play was that Oleksiak? "Oh there's the puck, maybe i'll go the other way."
-- Twitch
On the bright side, when we still believed the Nucks could play to win, Petey got a call. Nucks got a PP. Didn't score. Petey drew another penalty. EP40 was drawing calls like plebs offered free parking coupons at the ROG.
On this PP, Nucks scored. With the old sneaky non-drop-pass play. Unseen in Nucks PP history. Instead, Ronnie sent the puck forwards to Brock, who skated in alone for the PP breakaway goal. Woo!
Even better, although at the time seemed worse, DOC took a penalty. No big. But then the Rig took a penalty while on the PK. Which isn't the best tactic, but when you're having a puck allergy maybe being in the box is best.
OK he made it. Oleksiak is my "Canucks Dman who pisses me off" this season. I mean I was kinda thinking it three games back, but he's cemented it now.
-- Twitch
Amazingly, one of the worst PKs in the league killed off the 5-on-3 and 5-on-4 because it's a team game, even if the team is 3 players and a shell-shocked goalie.
In the 2nd, I missed it. For nutritional and sanity reasons.
Turns out that was the right call as the Nucks were setting up for lots of fluster. Fluster is like bluster, but for introverts on ice.
According to the NHL and especially the CoTU on-air crew, the greatest stache in the game scored at an impossible angle. And then later Merri let in an easy rebound from the blueline. Except it wasn't that easy for Schenny who had it rebound off his back and into the net.
3-1 CoTU after 2 just as Rogers HNIC drew it up.
In the 3rd, the Nucks tried to fight for a mighty comeback. Which took almost half the period for the almost tying goal to be scored. A Sassy goal at that. With assist to Gally. Hard working 4th line.
WOOOO SASSY!
-- Twitch
The Canucks fourth line doing yeoman's work tonight!
-- Thursday
Then a pivotal moment occurred. It was pivotal because Cotter was pivoting away from his check breaking in on goal and was tripped.
Nucks on the PP again. DeBrusk had a great chance to deflect the puck into the goal for the tying goal and as it turned out, deflected it into the goalie.
Since the Nucks didn't score on the PP, Manny had to wait until the legally appointed time to pull the goalie and go for the Footie.
And who better to score the Footie than our good old Teddy. Thanks Teddy. We used to remember you fondly.
Nucks lose in the CoTU's other home rink 4-2. Not a terrible loss, other than it was to the CoTU, so they're all terrible and worse...
Dang. Not the result wished for - didn't even get the late push they've had recently.
First regulation win for the Leafs in Vancouver since 2019. Grump.
-- Thursday
Another ROG winning streak broken. Rebuild Rules have something to say about win streaks. It's not good.
Stinky basement in the ROG still safe for the worst team in the league. No big deal.
GAME STATS
HIGHLIGHTS
No Shortie nor Dave. CoTU home crew coverage. Mute Button Hockey in the ROG.
POST GAME CHATTER!
Brock, Max and Manny on HNIC?! Yes!
At least another Malhotra had a very good night.
Win or lose, remember to keep the vibes rolling!
I am keeping this feeling with me for the rest of the year.
-- Thursday (Sept. 29-2026)
Also... in case the vibes are in need of re-vibrification...
Rebuild Rules state: Never play CoTU on Halloween.
MAPLE LEAFS (7-6-2) at CANUCKS (3-11-1)
7 p.m. ET; SNO, SNW, SNP
So... looks like we're breaking the rules. Nice of CoTU to feature Gavin on their 1st line - very generous of them to let us play in the afternoon in our their home ROG to watch our their 1st overall pick already playing in the NHL.
We're not bitter about not picking 1st last draft. Besides, we might have been better served picking 2nd. But anyways... we're in a rebuild now and it doesn't matter. Yet.
If there was a home game we'd like the Nucks to win this would be it.
Will Rogers permit the broadcast of a 3rd straight Laffs road loss? Is it weird that a megacorp which owns the Canadian broadcast rights for the NHL, owns a team that plays in the NHL? Is it uncomfortable that a corrupt league endorses gambling on games officiated by its corrupt(able) officials?
So many questions, that can best be answered in cynical tones.
Anyhow, this is as much a Nucks player reunion as a hockey game. We can check in on the CoTU careers of: Joshua, Blueger, MacEwen, Tanev, OEL and Stetcher.
Welcome back, boys! You're missing out on working for the Twins.
Enjoy the spooktacular performance art that is hockey night in CoTU.
Maple Leafs projected lineup
Gavin McKenna -- Auston Matthews -- Jack Roslovic
Easton Cowan -- Nick Paul -- William Nylander
Dakota Joshua -- Colton Sissons -- Vinni Lettieri
Brandon Duhaime -- Teddy Blueger -- Zack MacEwen
Jake McCabe -- Darren Raddysh
Morgan Rielly -- Chris Tanev
Oliver Ekman-Larsson -- Troy Stecher
Anthony Stolarz
Sergei Bobrovsky
Scratched: Cole McWard, Bo Groulx, Dakota Mermis
Injured: Max Domi (undisclosed), John Tavares (lower body), Marshall Rifai (lower body), Kirill Marchenko (lower body), Nick Blankenburg (upper body)
Canucks projected lineup
Jake DeBrusk -- Elias Pettersson -- Brock Boeser
Liam Ohgren -- Marco Rossi -- Linus Karlsson
Drew O'Connor -- Jacob Quillan -- Jonathan Lekkerimaki
Paul Cotter -- Max Sasson -- Arshdeep Bains
Elias Nils Pettersson -- Filip Hronek
Jamie Oleksiak -- Tom Willander
Zeev Buium -- Victor Mancini
Leevi Merilainen
Kevin Lankinen
Scratched: Guillaume Brisebois, Luke Schenn, Brendan Gallagher
Injured: Filip Chytil (shoulder), Thatcher Demko (hip)
Status report
Neither team held a morning skate. ... Tanev was activated from injured reserve by the Maple Leafs on Saturday and will return after missing nine games with an upper-body injury sustained Oct. 10 at the Colorado Avalanche. … Joshua will make his season debut following a core injury sustained late last season. … Chytil, a center, was placed on injured reserve Friday after reaggravating a shoulder injury in a 3-2 loss at the San Jose Sharks on Thursday; Quillan was recalled from Abbotsford of the American Hockey League on Friday and could make his Canucks debut against his former team after being traded by Toronto on Oct. 15. Cotter and O’Connor have each played center this season and could also move into Chytil’s spot. … It was unclear based on Vancouver’s short practice Friday whether Mancini or Schenn would play on defense.
GAME DAY CHATTER
GAME DAY BATTLE HYMN
We dinna need no theatrics, just a solid basement-wall solid-D win. For all 3 periods. Is that asking so much?
Go Canucks Go.
Won a lost game in overtime, lost a winnable game in a three-minute span the third period. Now that's what we call a successful road trip!
First, the bad news: the Canucks did really well for about 65 minutes of that road trip.
Now, the good news: They only got two points out of it, giving a division rival one on the way.
Really, though, Vancouver probably deserved better than the results they got. The score against the Ducks felt undeserved for most of it, and the loss against the Sharks felt the same. For an organization pushing the rebuild, that's about as good as it gets.
The extended losing streak sucked, sure; but it's gone, and most fans are going to want the next win to be against the incoming Leafs anyway. Zero pressure to break a losing streak, zero pressure to keep a win streak going. We can root for a win with clear consciences and uncomplicated feelings. And isn't that what beating the Leafs is all about?
Tom Willander has been excellent of late. Not even kidding, despite his three assists in fifteen games so far.
The upper end for Willander is a few more points than that, but otherwise? Using his excellent four-way skating and his sense to break up plays and get pucks moving the other way. I want a second-pair guy who can move up if needed, and that looks like where he's headed.
After being sat, Jamie Oleksiak is coming around as Willander's partner. As the free agent signing with two years, that's a good thing, because it was a rough start for him. We need to see him standing up for his teammates a bit more and being more of a presence out there. The goal was great, showing good timing and awareness, but he's got to be a living vibe check. Luke Schenn can't do it all, especially from the press box.
And, of course, Elias Pettersson the Defenceman. Second in hits to Paul Cotter; three goals - tying last season - in fifteen games; and a +1 on the season, faulty though that stat may be. He hasn't been perfect this season, but no one else on the team has, either.
The story hasn't been as good up front, but there are still some positives.
Elias Pettersson the Forward has made his return after fifteen games. Five goals and sixteen points in fifteen games is the sort of numbers we've been hoping to see for a few seasons now. That he's also third in hits behind Cotter and Pettersson the Defenceman is just hilarious. He'll never have a large frame, so easing up on the physical play is probably for the best. Keep that offence coming, though!
Pettersson has a five- and a six-game point streak already this year, even through the losing. His defence remains strong, and, if this matters to you at all, he looks like he's enjoying the challenge again. Trade him or keep him, whichever camp you're in, his play has been a relief.
Brock Boeser isn't scoring the goals we want, but his point totals are still solid. Four goals and twelve points in fifteen games is just fine, though reversing them would be nice. He's also spoken out in frustration near the end of the losing streak, which is something to keep an eye on. That's a positive. We like that.
Then there's Jonathan Lekkerimäki. Six goals, twelve points, ripping the puck. He's all of 52 games into his NHL career and healthy again. No notes, keep the good times rolling!
Between the pipes, the pickup of Leevi Meriläinen was just what the fan club ordered. At a bargain price of "free" and costing just $1.1 million in cap hit, Meriläinen has stepped in as Kevin Lankinen faltered. It's funny to think of a goalie with two wins in ten games as "the good one" but that's just how this season has gone.
Merl has been, if you'll excuse it, an Absolute Unit in there. He has clearly taken the starting role from Lankinen for now, though I do think the veteran will bounce back as the year progresses. Lankinen will simply need to play his way out of his funk. Fortunately, this is the right year to do that in.
Two forwards look like they've caught Vancouver's attention: Washington's Ivan Miroshnichenko and Matthew Poitras on the Bruins.
There are some similarities between the players: they're turning 23 this season; can play either wing; and are high draft picks who can't get past the fourth line on their drafting team. Neither would come cheap, though both teams likely want to move their players out of the conference if they can get close to the price they want.
Miroshnichenko (not a name you can say quickly, that!) is the more physical of the two. In theory, he's got all the tools: hard shot, very good skating, heavy hitter. He wants to play by smashing through whoever's in front of him, and that's really, really hard to do in the NHL.
He's not particularly good on defence, either, which hasn't endeared him to Washington's coaching staff. The best approach may well be to keep him on a wall and tell him that it's his wall and he should treat it that way. It's hard to tell where he's going to end up playing the bulk of his career.
His other attributes make him a trade target, though. If the Capitals are looking to shore up their offence, then Jake DeBrusk would be a fine trade chip. If DeBrusk thinks of them as a possible contender, then he wouldn't block the move, either. There would need to be some cap moves to make it work, but the pieces are there.
DeBrusk would not work as a part of a Poitras trade, on the other hand. It's hard to picture him wanting to return to a Bruins team he requested a trade from. On the other hand, maybe that conflict is far enough in the past that their 9-4-1 record makes it easier to forget.
Poitras has improved gradually over the years, and has put up good numbers this season. He's got four goals and seven points in eleven games, but still sits between eight and ten minutes of ice time per night. He wasn't really a big scorer, piling up assists in the OHL rather than goals.
Poitras' strength is in his defensive play, though he's good at getting the puck out of his zone with possession. Lord knows, the Canucks could use that attribute! But there's also going to be a bidding war for his services, given his age and ability to play centre. He also plays quickly, which is another Canucks deficit.
It's tougher to see what Vancouver can give Boston. They are lacking in draft picks, and a veteran defenceman to shore up their squad wouldn't hurt. The Canucks have two second-round picks this year, neither theirs, to entice trade partners.
At the very least, it's good to hear that the Canucks are keeping feelers out to actively improve the team. Yes, they need patience, but they don't need too much.
Losing Streak. 1 straight. That's not so bad.
First... some good news.
Canucks won the 1st period! And the 2nd period!
On the scoreboard!
Gave up 3 goals in the 3rd to not win that period. Oh well.
Thanks for reading!
Like some other games, this game was 20 minutes too long.
In the 1st, Nucks jumped out to the commanding 1 goal lead off the heavy work of the Rig and the sleek deke work of Pete. DOC scores off the rebound.
In the 2nd, the commanding lead is promoted to even more commanding. The 2 goal lead. Safest lead in hockey.
Rossi runs a little interfear and Oggie makes up for his Ohgroaning penalty
Not pointing fingers at the refs in this game. They have a tough job to do. Calling the faintest of Nucks infractions while ignoring Sharkie's high sticks and slashes. Easy to get the jerseys mixed up and expect a nasty call from the NHL Room of Doom.
SJ has their PP running at 25%. For those don't enjoy mathing, means that they get 1 PP goal for every 4 chances at the Macklin special time. Surprisingly, the Nucks PK killed 4 thru the 1st and 2nd... Asking to kill a 5th in the 3rd. Well... Ref math wins the Law of Averages game.
Still Nucks were leading after 2. Something like only the 2nd time in 15 games, so might have felt unfamiliar. And kinda fun too!
In the 3rd... that period that gave us so much Nucking madness last game, just made us mad, as after SJ scored on the early PP, the Nucks looked more like the 10 L-streak team we're kinda familiar with.
Worse the sharp-shooting Sharkies added 2 more goals 30 seconds apart later in the period.
Nucks did push back in the final minutes, but no loser point, only the loss. Oh well. No point getting too greedy so soon.
Wild finish!
Lost the lead, which sucks, but still entertaining. I'll take that.
-- Thursday
It was really nice to watch an entertaining game this season. It feels like we've started back upwards...?? Maybe? Please?
-- Twitch
GAME STATS
HIGHLIGHTS
Shortie and Dave getting vocal in SoCal.
POST GAME CHATTER!
Good start in the 1st... and 2nd... and the 3rd? Moving on.
Win or lose, remember to keep the vibes rolling!
I am keeping this feeling with me for the rest of the year.
-- Thursday (Sept. 29-2026)
Also... in case the vibes are in need of re-vibrification...
Rebuild Rules state: Winning is fun! In moderation.
CANUCKS (3-10-1) at SHARKS (6-6-1)
10 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, SN
Have we recovered from rejoicing the biggest win of the season, possibly the decade?
No! We have not. 2 days is not long enough to bask in the giddy waters of duck soup.
If you missed that Komeback Kids game I'm sorry, you missed a Canucks WIN that we will not see again. Until the next 10 game L-streak ends. Maybe.
Can the Nucks deliver another 15-20 minutes of full rink press hockey tonight? Probably not.
Don't care. We're just thrilled to know the team in the bottom of the hapless basement can sometimes climb up the tire fire escape for some bonkers crazy last 10 seconds of winning hockey.
Enjoy the loss tonight. We're not ready for a massive 2 game win streak so soon.
Canucks projected lineup
Jake DeBrusk -- Elias Pettersson -- Brock Boeser
Drew O'Connor -- Filip Chytil -- Jonathan Lekkerimaki
Paul Cotter -- Max Sasson -- Linus Karlsson
Arshdeep Bains -- Marco Rossi -- Liam Ohgren
Zeev Buium -- Filip Hronek
Elias Pettersson -- Tom Willander
Jamie Oleksiak -- Victor Mancini
Leevi Merilainen
Kevin Lankinen
Scratched: Guillaume Brisebois, Brendan Gallagher, Luke Schenn
Injured: Thatcher Demko (hip)
Sharks projected lineup
Ivar Stenberg -- Macklin Celebrini -- Collin Graf
Mason Marchment -- Michael Misa -- Will Smith
Kiefer Sherwood -- Filip Bystedt -- Tyler Toffoli
Barclay Goodrow -- Ty Dellandrea -- Adam Gaudette
Sam Dickinson -- Jacob Trouba
Darnell Nurse -- Nolan Allan
Dmitry Orlov -- Michael Kesselring
Yaroslav Askarov
Alex Nedeljkovic
Scratched: Libor Hajek, Zack Ostapchuk
Injured: Alexander Wennberg (upper body), Igor Chernyshov (upper body)
Status report
The Canucks are expected to dress the same lineup from a 6-5 overtime win at the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday. ... The Sharks, who held an optional morning skate, placed placed forwards Chernyshov and Wennberg on injured reserve on Wednesday. ... Bystedt and Hajek, a defenseman, each was recalled from San Jose of the American Hockey League, with Bystedt expected to make his NHL debut. ... Defenseman Luca Cagnoni was reassigned to the AHL.
GAME DAY CHATTER
Still basking...
You never know when it might happen again...
GAME DAY BATTLE HYMN
What a difference a single win makes. Wooooooo! We're skating on sunshine!
Until later when we're skating in mud.
Go Canucks Go.
We won! An entire game!
Rebuild Rules state: after losing 10 games, you're allowed to comeback from a couple 3-goal deficits, tie it up and win on the PP in OT.
Rebuild Rules are eerily specific sometimes.
Canucks won the 1st period! In our hearts and minds. Freakin' Ducklings outshot Nucks 6-4. That's not so bad. Anawhoo did score tho. 1-0 after 1.
Maybe Nucks were saving something special for the 2nd...
Thanks for reading!
We won't recap the 2nd period. Too much. It was a period where the Nucks tied the game early on Ohgren's shot pass to the Duckie defender and past Dos-stall. Nice. Except before we could enjoy the enjoyment of the goal, Ducks came back to score - 30 seconds later. Oooph.
It was also the period where the Nucks got 3 power plays and didn't score. The same period where the Ducks got one PP and scored. And scored again 5v5 to lead 4-1 after 2.
Still... on the closely-watched Nucks shot count, the count was good. Nucks outshooting the fowl side 12-9.
Was this another game where the Canucks head into the 3rd down 3 or more goals? Yes. Could they erode the deficit and add a respectable loss to the L-column? Also, yes. Possibly more.
In the 3rd, Nucks play seemed to support some impromptu own-end fire drill practice. Good to keep those drills fresh on the road.
Then for whatever crazy reason, Nucks got bored of fire drill practice and decided to let the Ducks get quaking - protecting the 3rd safest lead in hockey.
After a nifty deke by Pete, Brock goes to net and Brocktober is back! Using his front.
As per the SOP of this game, less than a minute later, Ducks score to restore their 3 goal lead.
Really?
Doesn't matter. Because this high-powered Rig smashes that lead right between the goal posts.
Less than 3 mins to go... time to get lucky. Or even better, get Lekki.
Nucks have scored 3 goals in the 3rd! We're sooo coming back!
Not just one... even better. With Merri on the bench and 2 mins left... what's next?
Wooooooooo!
Also... Wooo! We could pick up a loser point.
Nucks keep the tie. AV would be proud. 5-5 after 3.
Canucks scored 4 goals, in a single period. The 3rd period!
You have GOT to be KIDDING ME! WOOOOOOO!!!!
This game is so frikkin' stupid! I love it!
-- Thursday
OT
Nucks keep puck possession as per the OT guidelines. Then penalty-magnet, Senny, high-sticks Lekki and the Nucks get a 4-on-3 PP. After failing to score on the previous 5 chances, maybe the Duckies need to take another stupid penalty. And do.
7th time's the charm!
With 10 seconds left, Nucks PP mongers, mavens, the divas of definitive passing setup Ronnie for the Game Winning One Timer!
Your Rebuilding Canucks WIN 6-5 in OT!
I am watching the Ducks feed. They ran out of words. They say 'this defies explanation'
We beat the Ducks 14 times in the last 16 meetings.
They think it's some kind of curse.
-- Atty
Is this what weird chaotic winning feels like? Feels good.
GAME STATS
HIGHLIGHTS
Shortie and Dave getting ducking amazed at the crazy last 7 minutes of the 3rd.
POST GAME CHATTER!
Gotta be good to be Lekki!
Win (weird) or lose (badly), remember to keep the vibes rolling! Also... woooooooooooo!!!
I am keeping this feeling with me for the rest of the year.
-- Thursday (Sept. 29-2026)
