Great News! Nucks keep the basement all to themselves.

Bad news... keeping the spot cost the game. Or losing the game kept the spot. Whatever.

Here's what we learned: When Nucks Luck is bad, it's worse than unlucky, it's strategic immolation.

The Canucks played a good game and lost. Some might say that's just not good enough. Others would say it's the Canucks way. Doesn't matter.

What matters is the Nucks out-played, out-chanced, outshot the Wooly Mammoths 32-18 - really shoulda won, yet still lost. Also... Wooly Mammoths is a stupid name. They had a whole unnamed season to come up with a good hockey name, although Wooly was a nice touch.

Instead, the former desert dogs with a stupid name have a good team - that will miss the playoffs. Which goes to show if you rebuild multiple times the laws of averages and Gary's guiding hand can bring mushy middle success.

At least the Canucks have finally left that terrible mushy meh place. No longer a perennial mediocre team, the Nucks have pushed through the pack to find a special place all of their own.

Your Vancouver Canucks, have secured (for now), last place in the NHL standings.

LAST PLACE. The 32nd most winning team of the season. Or the 1st least winning team in the league if you prefer to keep spirits bright.

This is the bottom. No messing around. No, 'but cowtown is worse' excuses or 'Sabres are below us' - our twin expansion team born from the same evil mothers of league conniving some 55 years ago. Does this mean the Canucks are too old for a mid-life crisis?

Whatever. We're here to recap a game that the Nucks played well, but didn't win.

Game started well. Nucks were playing fast and hard. Refs were playing fast and loose. Nucks coulda had a few calls and goals. No, really. Possibly EP40s best game - especially with his new improved line mates since Kane was busy getting temp Faery treatments.

Instead the Woolies score on their PP - puck deflected by 2 Nucks - that's double Nucks luck. 1st ends with a Mammoth 1-0 lead.

SoSoon after the #Canucks take a penalty, the Mammoth score 😉

— Ralph In The Ridge🇨🇦 (@ralphintheridge.bsky.social) December 5, 2025 at 6:43 PM

Nucks PK restoring normal ROG service. Team with a stupid name leads 1-0

-- jimmi

In the 2nd Nucks come out even harder and get rewarded with nothing, except another goal against.

Despite outshooting the Woolies 14-7 in the period, Nucks give up another goal. Not Lanky's fault, just another tip at the wrong time in the right place. Or the right time in the wrong place. Maybe both. Some say that Huggie was too permissive in front of the net, thereby giving permission for the good tip. No, it was a bad tip, made good. Whatever.

Although, through sheer random luck of the reffing draw, Nucks draw a call. And the Nucks PP completed their 15th straight futile extra-man advantage without a goal. That's a Nucks streak you can believe in.

Period ends with some rough stuff and 4-on-4 play with a Mammoth 2-0 lead. Which seems bigger all the time.

#Canucks unlucky to be down 2-0 as they carried most of the play in the second.

— LesnielBC 🇨🇦 (@lesnielbc.bsky.social) December 5, 2025 at 7:47 PM

The key to solving Vejmelka in the third is ______ #Canucks

— Lachlan Irvine (@lachinthecrease.com) December 5, 2025 at 7:49 PM

Bees. Lots of bees. In his mask.

— CrankyCanucksFan 🇨🇦🏒 (@crankycanucksfan.bsky.social) December 5, 2025 at 8:09 PM

We couldn't score on Skinner tonight. Snakebit

— DJTaxman77 (@hugheshart43.bsky.social) December 5, 2025 at 7:52 PM

In the 3rd, the Vegemite shutout streak ends. No, really.

I can’t pronounce his proper name, so in my head I always think of this Utah goalie as “Vegemite”. I’m a Marmite man myself. #Canucks

— Ian St. (@ian-st.bsky.social) December 5, 2025 at 8:38 PM

The best 4th line in the basement does what the other Nucks couldn't do. Score.

This sole goal of home made goodness was a delight to see. As Bains tips R2's shot and the ROG celebrates the Calder kids all over again. Or for the 1st time as it was Bains' 1st goal of the season.

Finally #Canucks on the board! Banes hanging around the net as usual tipped it in 😂 Still down 1 💙💚💙 2/1 with 14 minutes in the 3rd

— CZ 🇨🇦 💙 🇺🇦 (@choiceznewz.bsky.social) December 5, 2025 at 8:11 PM

That’s the way, uh huh uh huh we like it. #canucks

— Terry & dog 🦮...🇨🇦🍁 (@aweebitdaft.bsky.social) December 5, 2025 at 8:10 PM

Nucks are within one of the Mammoth lead. You might think hope vaguely consider Nucks will tie it up, get through OT and Lanky could take his revenge in his cozy stopping period.

However, while Gnarly is pulled down by Stenlund or the Swartz behind that Mammoth net - which looked smaller than huge - anyhow Nucks down a Gnarly, Sten lunds up ice to score. Refs miss the bad part, but call the really bad part - a goal. Against.

Garland won't get a call because refs can't tell if he's fallen to the ice or not.

-- Thursday

As the timeclock ticks down... does it tick in a huge stadium of ice spectacle? Don't know. As ever, with time running out, Footey pulls Lanky for the extra attacker. Extra extra as it turns out, since the faint hope refs have to call the Woolies on the 'over the glass' play.

As expected the 6-on-4 Nucks are as successful as the 5-on-4 PP Nucks. Did you know the Canucks have spent more than a period with their net empty this season? Shush! No 3rd string goalie jokes allowed by Faery decree.

Canucks lead the league in time spent with their net duly unoccupied. Which says something something about the state of play.

Oh... and unsurprisingly, the Woolies score an EN to get the 4-1 win and give us the willies.

Thus, by playing one of their better home games of the season, Nucks effort is rewarded with solidifying their special place in the lowest of the low - the 32nd level of NHL hell.

That was the #Canucks' fastball. I don't think they could've played much better. They still lost 4-1.

— Daniel Wagner (@passittobulis.bsky.social) December 5, 2025 at 8:50 PM

3rd Period — UTA 4, VAN 1 (Final) • Shot attempts: 17–17 (50% CF) • SOG: VAN 8 – UTA 3 • HD chances: VAN 9 – UTA 5 • Blocks (game): UTA 23 Utah locked the game down. Vancouver pushed but couldn’t generate the same quality as earlier periods. Too many blocks, not enough danger #Canucks #UtahHockey

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— Canucks Watcher (@canuckswatcher.bsky.social) December 5, 2025 at 8:51 PM

I got given free tickets to the #Canucks game tonight and im mad i went

— Tythegoalie (@dempsty.bsky.social) December 5, 2025 at 11:39 PM

OBSERVATIONS:

• All hail the Calder Kids! Where would we be without them?
• Nucks had 3 times the high danger chances and couldn't bury enough danger.
• 43 Nucks shot attempts and outshoot Woolies, 32-18. Too late for woulda/coulda/shoulda?

Now we're ready for a what-if wish:

Imagine starting next year with Manny coaching and Cootes and a Hughes extension and a top 3 pick and no Evander Kane #Canucks

— W. Ron Sweeney (@wronsweeney.bsky.social) December 5, 2025 at 8:54 PM

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

Shortie and Dave in the ROG with the call of the Woolies and Nucks.

GAME STATS

COMMENTING OUT LOUD

Get a goal - get a presser. If only more Nucks wanted presser time like Bains.

Petey looking good with the looks. Had 5 shots on goal. A season record?

Footey gives his most honest presser of the season. How many more will he be giving before Franny rehires Bruce?

We're way past disappointment. We're in the quiet place. The last place. Nothing needs to be said or thought about. We've hit the bottom of our bottomless mushed-pit of Nucks fandom.

Besides, the Nucks are back in the ROG mere hours from now to face another hot goalie and HNIC Saturday ridicule. Fun times!

Canucks securing the 32nd spot could mean a new era or something. You decide.