Great News! Demmers shuts out JT. Nucks win 3-0. 2nd Straight Win!

Bad news... 2 points closer to getting kicked out of the basement lounge.

Here's what we learned: Winning fixes everything. And that's just fine. For now. It's just that we don't want too much fixing at this critical moment of stealth (s)tanking.

Period 1

You won't believe this. I don't. But for the 2nd straight game, Canucks won it in the 1st period. Even more unbelievable, they won it in the 1st couple minutes! Really. Makes you wonder about those coaches always harping about playing the full 60. Nucks know that's Demmer's job.

This Game Winning Goal was setup with exemplary unintended consequences - slacker style. Brock had just blocked a shot. It hurt. He gets the puck and skates up ice - he just wants to get off the ice. Dumps it into the Raggedy zone.

Fan fav, Kane - fav in this moment - skates onto the puck and then a rare NHL official miracle happened.

Refs in this game - as ever - were jonesing for NY. But the linesman, not so much. Linesman, Devin Berg - new Canucks fan fav -  runs a perfect uncalled interference play on the Rag defender. Kane skates in, dekes and scores a Quickie!

Beautiful goal from Kane! His trade value is soaring!

-- Ripper

Meanwhile... the refs have to compensate for such treachery... no calls even when Nucks are bleeding.

#Canucks with blood a glove, stick and blood in the ice ….. No call on the play This is how useless the refs in this league are 🤦‍♂️

— JJHOLIDAY (@jjholiday.bsky.social) December 16, 2025 at 4:32 PM

This shit reffing has to stop. 2 calls that weren't penalties and then don't call the obvious ones. Wrecking the game. #Canucks

— DJTaxman77 (@taxman77.bsky.social) December 16, 2025 at 4:32 PM

Nucks lead 1-0 after 1. Have won the game! We just didn't know that yet. Nucks undershot the Rags 7-3. Efficient. A goal on 3 shots. Good road trip shot economy.

Not according the Nucks gamebot. What a vibekiller.

1st Period: #Canucks vs #NYR Rough start for Vancouver. • Shot attempts: VAN 8, NYR 21 • Shots: VAN 3, NYR 7 • Rangers controlled possession & scoring areas • DTW O’Meter tilted heavily to NYR Canucks chasing play early. STAY OUT OF BOX 🙄🤦🏽‍♂️ #GoCanucksGo #NYR #NHL

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— Canucks Watcher (@canuckswatcher.bsky.social) December 16, 2025 at 5:08 PM

Period 2

Anyhow, we had to endure another period of sad sack hockey. But this time, it was the sad, scoreless Rags we had to watch as the Nucks and Demko thwarted all the Rags shooters and would-be goal hunters.

Because we've already won the game and want to move on for dinner, a new Canuck fed our hunger as well as his own.

Ohgren, who hasn't scored this season, fixed that blemish, taking a pass from Karlsson in the neutral. Skates into the Raggy part of the ice with a Raggy player trying to be a defensive rag screen. Ohgren shoots and beats Quickness himself. Puck trickles slowly though Quick, bumps the post casually and crosses the thick red line. Wooooo!

2-0 Nucks! We're winning TWICE as much!

Ho-Ho-Ohgren! #Canucks

— Simon Little 🍁 (@simonplittle.ca) December 16, 2025 at 5:09 PM

Holy shit. A guy shot when I yelled "Shoot!!". And it went in. Fancy that. #Canucks

— DJTaxman77 (@taxman77.bsky.social) December 16, 2025 at 5:12 PM

Again the Rags and their sad sack Captain put more futile shots on Demmers. Not going in. Not when Demko is dialed in and taking the Nucks from the basement to the penthouse.

2-0 after 2. Nucks shot 6 to the Rags 7. Not quite as efficient as the 1st period, but we can accept the symmetry; 1 period, 1 goal.

Don't care about draft position right now. We can get two points and remain in the basement.

And against the Rangers, I want ALL THE POINTS.

-- Thursday

Someone is getting their Xmas wish.

Period 3

Similar to last game, Nucks knew they could sit back and just let Demmers perform his magic by getting outshot, outchanced early in the 3rd.

Then, perhaps, just to change it up a bit, Nucks got some of their own chances. Pretty good ones that the Quick and still saving stopped.

As the period dragged on, as the Rags could feel the inevitability of being shut out at home for the umpteenth time, they pulled a Quick one. Just as they were going for the 6-on-5, the refs helped out so they could go 6-on-4.

Didn't matter. Because they gave up the inevitable EN goal. We know what that feels like.

While under pressure in his own zone, Gnarly lofts a backhand high into MSG stratosphere. As the puck re-entered the rink it dropped into the Rags zone and slid gracefully into the unQuicked net.

Wow. That was an unreal goal by Conor Garland. #Canucks lead 3-0

— Adam Kierszenblat (@adamkblat.bsky.social) December 16, 2025 at 6:27 PM

#Canucks Kierszenstat of the Game: Vancouver becomes the sixth team this season to record a shutout against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. New York has only played 17 home games this year.

— Adam Kierszenblat (@adamkblat.bsky.social) December 16, 2025 at 6:32 PM

Canucks win 3-0! In MSG! 1st Nucks shutout of the season! Demmers 1st shutout!

1st TWO Game WINSTREAK since early October!

So many firsts and yet, we're still last! How remarkable is that.

#Canucks WIN! TWO games in a row since trading what's-his-name! Tanks off for today, kids.

— NucksMisconduct (@nucksmisconduct.bsky.social) December 16, 2025 at 6:34 PM

OBSERVATIONS:

• Nucks didn't score on the PP - But didn't give up a goal on the the PK!
• Despite all the winning 32nd spot is still secure.
• Zeeeev is still impressing. Reads the game at a high level and very mobile too.

Zeev Buium in his second game with the #Canucks: 22:28, 1 shot, 1 hit, 52.94 SF% at even strength, Vancouver had a 5-3 high-danger scoring chances advantage at even strength when on the ice

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— Adam Kierszenblat (@adamkblat.bsky.social) December 16, 2025 at 7:02 PM

Zeev Buium showing some ankle breaking potential... #Canucks

— Simon Little 🍁 (@simonplittle.ca) December 16, 2025 at 5:28 PM

There is the bigger picture to consider.

I am getting confused now.
At what point should we worry about winning too much?

I like the wins right now because the new players feel that they are contributing. That's a big factor in putting this young team together.

Also this is great for the coach. He can finally COACH, instead of managing the ebbs and flows of Hughes' self-inflicted apathy that was dragging down the whole team (and yes, I do believe now that Hughes was the cause of the team's death-spiral).

So, I guess it's a wait and see for a while. These wins will remind the players that hockey isnsupposed to be fun.

However, if we keep winning with Lanky in net? That would be frikkin weird.

-- Atty

But we ain't worrying about that today. Beating the Rags in MSG is worth a couple spots up the loser ladder.

Eh, I can't say I'm all _that_ worried about collecting too many wins this year. Two goals a game with the occasional empty netter isn't going to translate to a huge win streak, you know?

If they keep Demko - and he stays healthy - pencil them in for maybe 30-ish wins? That's around 70 points, which is going to be in the bottom five pretty easily, I think. Expecting a couple more trades this season, which could help sabotage even that modest amount while still giving the kids a chance to learn how to play right.

-- Thursday

Can't lose them all!

But what if... we didn't?

Sorry #Canucks tank fans but it's not this year. You're crazy if you think JR/PA/FA aren't gearing up for a playoff run. Kings just lost Kuemper for some time. Bedard is out. Sharks are piling up the injuries. We will have 2 and possibly 4 real centres at some point. As usual we are going for 8th

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— DJTaxman77 (@taxman77.bsky.social) December 16, 2025 at 8:35 PM

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

Shortie and Dave calling a big game on the Jersey Shores. Or Preferential Rink or something.

GAME STATS

COMMENTING OUT LOUD

Kane - temp fan fav with the GWG and a presser.

The real fan fav, Demmers talks about being in the no-GA zone.

Footsey not gloating about the 2 game winning streak.

Another vital win in the eastern grim time zone. Always feels good to beat the Rags at home. Beating them with a shutout doesn't get any better.

Nucks get a couple days in the apple of bigness before going over to visit Bo on Friday.

Will the New Era Nucks string together a 3 Game W-streak? Tune in to find out.

BUT THEN...

Just when we were recovering from losing what's-his-name.... this pops up to tweak our collective groan muscles.

My son heard a rumour that Quinn failed his medical and has a groin injury that he is playing through. If he needs surgery Bettman will probably void the trade. And charge us a 1st round pick for not disclosing it. We are all #Canucks

— DJTaxman77 (@taxman77.bsky.social) December 16, 2025 at 7:37 PM

So.... Canucks.