Great News! Huggie-Free Nucks Beat Booostoon! For 4th Straight Road Win!

Bad Tank News... Jump 3 places up the standings. No, really. Your Vancouver Canucks are in 27th. One spot above the Jets!

Here's what we learned: The Nucks knocked off a tough Atlantic team using the least expensive players available. Most teams would like to ice 3 first lines. Maybe the secret for the Canucks is to ice three 4th lines. (just not the 4th lines from last month).

Period 1

Unlike the previous commanding Nucks wins won in the 1st, this game starts with a Big Boo! As the Boo-urns score on the PP while Myers is testing for 30 seconds or less another rink's tiny home.

Nucks down 1-0 and getting outplayed, outshot 13-4 and looking like the pro-tankers might be able to get back to dinner and retire to the smug lounge for self-congrats shots.

And then in the last 20 seconds of the period, the Nucks best line - the 4th line - are forechecking hard and furiously. Boo-urns cough up the puck, after some heavy work from Ohgren. Karlsson sends it out front to Sassy, who blassies it past Swayedman.

1-1 tie in the Beanietown arena of horrid memories.

Sasson gets a last second goal to make it 1-1

Tank is on hold right now

-- Westy

#Canucks Karlsson with the textbook forecheck and viola game tied

— JDavid (@jdavidh.bsky.social) December 20, 2025 at 4:54 PM

Great finish after the Bruins had the pressure for the whole period. Lankinen held us in there. Can't blame him for letting in a Geekie goal. The guy is amazing. Never got why Kraken didn't keep him. #Canucks

— DJTaxman77 (@taxman77.bsky.social) December 20, 2025 at 4:54 PM

The #NHLBruins are 11-6-0 (5-3-0 at home) when tied after the first period this season. The #Canucks are 3-9-1 (2-6-1 on the road) when tied after the first period this season.

— Nick Lanciani (@lanci53.bsky.social) December 20, 2025 at 4:53 PM

Turns out, the young Nucks aren't afraid of no stats of the past. They're ready to make some of their own.

Period 2

Canucks get an early PP. And score! Not that fancy 1st unit. They're all a bunch non-scorers. Yeah, we're already on the Sherwood and DeBrusk goal drought watch.

However, the 2nd unit, featuring Linus the Menace get a holiday gift from too confident Say Man as he casually sweeps out of his net to casually misplay the puck. Kane on the boards sweeps the puck to Karlsson who scores into an abandoned goal.

Karlsson! What's taking so long to extend him?

-- Ripper

What indeed. He's key to the best 4th line in hockey. And Canucks best line. In this game. And others.

Nucks lead 2-1 early 2nd. For 5 minutes.

Boo-urns get back on the board after some way too fancy goal line passing for my tastes. Especially distasteful as it was our old Zav who faked out Lank with the pretend shot and then passed.

Tank back in holding pattern 2-2

-- Westy

Of course, the wrong team, the home team scores again. Because you can't sell the comeback kids narrative without a comeback.

tank back on...3-2. They let Jeannot score

-- Westy

Some perennial questions remain just over the horizon of mystery.

Why is Tyler Myers all over the place but can never cover anyone? #Canucks

— Daniel Fung (@danielfung.bsky.social) December 20, 2025 at 5:37 PM

Canucks trail 3-2 after 2. And get outshoot 16-8.

More goods news from the stats of the past.

The #NHLBruins are 16-0-0 (10-0-0 at home) when leading after two periods this season. The #Canucks are 1-13-0 (1-6-0 on the road) when trailing after two periods this season.

— Nick Lanciani (@lanci53.bsky.social) December 20, 2025 at 5:50 PM

Period 3

Never too soon to start the comeback kids narrative.

Early 3rd, a turn over at center ice, a nice swipe from Rossi and Karlsson breaks in to sway the man and tickle the twine again. Slick shot and we're tied 3-3 in the stinky gardens.

Karlsson again! extend him now.

-- Ripper

What a shot by Karlsson. #Canucks tie it at 3

— LesnielBC 🇨🇦 (@lesnielbc.bsky.social) December 20, 2025 at 6:14 PM

Holy cow, that was a snipe! #Canucks 🚨🥅🚨

— CrankyCanucksFan 🇨🇦🏒 (@crankycanucksfan.bsky.social) December 20, 2025 at 6:15 PM

But saving their streak takes strength and skill. That's why the Nucks 4th line gets their 4th goal. Ohgren sloughs off his check in front, tips M-Pety's shot and the Nucks are winning 4-3.

The #Canucks are being outshot 29-17 so of course they are winning 4-3

— Adam Kierszenblat (@adamkblat.bsky.social) December 20, 2025 at 6:24 PM

I’m starting to believe the #Canucks fleeced Minnesota in the trade for Hughes.

— LesnielBC 🇨🇦 (@lesnielbc.bsky.social) December 20, 2025 at 6:23 PM

But, is this how we really want the game to end?

Canucks get a brief 5-on-3 PP chance that they quickly squander. Because... is this how they really want the game to end? Or Brock can't shoot no more?

What has happened to Brock’s shot? It used to be a laser that was practically money in the bank. #canucks

— 🇨🇦 Bi Polar Guide 🇨🇦 pronouns: who, whom, whoever, whomever. (@bipolarguide.bsky.social) December 20, 2025 at 6:35 PM

Didn't get the focal length upgrade over the summer.

— NucksMisconduct (@nucksmisconduct.bsky.social) December 20, 2025 at 6:41 PM

Well you know, Christmas season, eastern road road trip, back to back games, time zone adjustment, 3 days of partying in Manhattan, bit too cold, hotel room tv is too small. All the cliches that the young players don’t know about…yet

— JDavid (@jdavidh.bsky.social) December 20, 2025 at 6:41 PM

Instead.... the Boo-urns come back to score a fluke, a goal that Lank might want back - off the post, off his back and in.

Canucks like close games 4-4

-- Westy

And they keep it close and one little period closer to Lanky time.

Tied up at 4 and going for more.

OT

The 1st Nucking OT period since trading what's-his-name. How will it go?

Went ok, other than the usual worries of not going ok. The Canucks famous OT possession game is now a curiosity of the past.

Some vets were not playing with that old possession passion.

Holy shit Brock. Is your head already in Minnesota? #Canucks

— DJTaxman77 (@taxman77.bsky.social) December 20, 2025 at 6:50 PM

Even Rossi was taking some fan wrath. So soon?

Three really bad plays by Rossi in OT. #canucks

— 🇨🇦 Bi Polar Guide 🇨🇦 pronouns: who, whom, whoever, whomever. (@bipolarguide.bsky.social) December 20, 2025 at 6:54 PM

Or... gets the free dinner from Lanky if he helps get it to Lanky's cozy period.

— NucksMisconduct (@nucksmisconduct.bsky.social) December 20, 2025 at 6:56 PM

Perhaps exactly as Rossie and Lanky drew it up, OT ends with nothing untoward or toward happening.

SHOOTOUT

For the tankers, St. Louis stomped Florida, Buffalo beat the Isles, and Nashville is up two late against Toronto. So a point or two here ain't bad. 😎

-- Thursday

Just as Lanky hoped... it was a long 7 shooter shootout.

Superb Lanky stop after stop, crappy shot after crappy no-deke veteran Nucks, we were getting restless and uncomfortable in Lank's comfort zone.

As is the pattern in this game, when in doubt 4th line it out. Ohgren does something no other Nuck had tried, deke the goalie with a smooth deke and score.

If Lanky made the stop on Geekie, Nucks win. And he did! Woooo!

It's Lanky's safe place... so far. 😆

— NucksMisconduct (@nucksmisconduct.bsky.social) December 20, 2025 at 6:56 PM

We win! Lankinen is perfect! #Canucks

— Rhonda Cates (@rhondacates.bsky.social) December 20, 2025 at 7:04 PM

Lankinen does not like the tank

Canucks Win

-- Westy

Woooooo! Tanks off #Canucks... sign that 4th line now!

— NucksMisconduct (@nucksmisconduct.bsky.social) December 20, 2025 at 7:04 PM

OBSERVATIONS:

• Nucks are on the way up - waaay up to 27th 28th now... 20th for March January?
• Maybe they shoulda traded Huggie sooner.
• Maybe the new path to success is trading all your high-priced talent for young, hungry low cost kids.

No really. Canucks have always spent to the cap limit. And at best got mid-cap results. Maybe when the Faeries took the high-priced talent, it was the hockey gods way of saying "Spend less - win more". Why not just trade some expensive forwards for young keeners other teams picked in the 1st round. We'd take Bedard right now for DeBrusk and Gnarly. Also Note: My fantasy team is last in its league, so you know I have the skill to assemble a bottom-up roster.

But still... we won the trade!

4 1st round picks for 1 superstar player. Who knew this is all it would take? Are you paying attention #LEAFS management?

— DJTaxman77 (@taxman77.bsky.social) December 20, 2025 at 8:58 PM

4 in a row. Quitt Hughes was definitely the problem. #canucks

— jbearz.bsky.social (@jbearz.bsky.social) December 20, 2025 at 7:05 PM

Tanks off. Again.

No tank when you got Lank. And Demko. #Canucks

— DJTaxman77 (@taxman77.bsky.social) December 20, 2025 at 7:05 PM

Also... can you plan a summer parade before the winter break?

#CANUCKS ARE REALLY GOING ON A 2019 ST. LOUIS CUP RUN, BABY!!

— Destany (@bookhalfunread.bsky.social) December 20, 2025 at 7:07 PM

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

Shortie and Dave calling in the Garden of Boo-urns.

Wanna see Anti-Tank Lank in his safe place?

GAME STATS

COMMENTING OUT LOUD

Ohgren get his 1st Nucks game winner and a presser.

Rossi getting his 1st Nuck point and the important presser.

No Tank Lank happy to get the Nucks 4th straight win in his happy period.

Footsey, 7 round shootout gave him to prep for the presser.

4th consecutive vital win in the eastern grim time zone. On a BACK-TO-BACK!

When will this endless Nucks win streak end? Maybe on Monday when we visit another traitor. Who is now coaching in the east, because that's where he wants to be. But Philly? Some people's preferences are strange.

Enjoy the last game of this glorious road trip!