Great News! We're out of the basement.

Bad Tank News... We're out of the basement. One spot above the Jets. Crazy?!

Here's what we learned: The Nucks knocked off a mediocre Pacific team using the old energy conservation trick. Let the other team take lots and lots of shots to tire themselves out. Then score just enough to get to OT. And get through OT - despite Kane's timeout in the bin - get the game to Lanky time.

Kevin Lankinen is the greatest shootout goaltender of all time. #Canucks

— Daniel Wagner (@passittobulis.bsky.social) December 29, 2025 at 9:56 PM

If shootouts were a NHL playoff thing, Lankinen would fetch #canucks 4 1st round picks in a trade.

— Michael Paweska (@mpaweska.bsky.social) December 29, 2025 at 10:06 PM

Period 1

Because the Kraks had played last night the Nucks started slow and easy. After all, Climate Emergency Arena is awfully close to the ROG.

Nucks down 1-0 after a PP goal against from the stick of a former Nuck - weird 4-on-3 PP, because... Canucks.

Too much man. 4 on 3 Seattle, McCann puts it in the net instantly. #TankOn

-- Twitch

Then to perhaps to spark his sluggish team, one of the Nucks toughest sluggers took the offer from McCann. To our unbiased Nucking eyes, Gnarly won the tussle.

Those goons, Connor Garland and Jared McCann, go to it!

-- Thursday

Spark delivered.

While the play-by-play guys were still marveling at the punch-up, right off a rare O-zone draw, Ohgren muscles the puck to Karlsson who scores!

1-1 tie in the arena of climate emergencies.

And then the Nucks line change emergency collided with the Nucks D. Or 2 Nucks D collided with each other. And Kraklings score a 2-on-chaos.

2-1 seattle on a pretty 2 on 2 that looked like a 2 on 1, cuz myers and Junior collided.

-- Twitch

It was a 2-on-conjoined-twins.

-- Thursday

The Tyler Myers experience, man. #Canucks

— Daniel Fung (@danielfung.bsky.social) December 29, 2025 at 7:53 PM

2-1 home team. Respectable shot count for the Nucks, got 12 while giving up 14. And 2 goals.

Period 2

This was the Nucks best period. For a couple of reasons. One, they played better. And two, EP40 scored a goal! Almost an Alien goal.

FINALLY! Elias Pettersson the Forward gets a good 'un!

-- Thursday

YES! PETEY!!! What a SNIPE!!! #Canucks

— CrankyCanucksFan 🇨🇦🏒 (@crankycanucksfan.bsky.social) December 29, 2025 at 8:19 PM

Canucks tie it up 2-2 after 2. And outshoot Seatown 9-6.

Petey breaking scoring records of the past.

#Canucks Kierszenstat of the Game: With his 194th career goal, Elias Pettersson has broken his tie with Alex Burrows and moved into sole possession of 11th all-time in franchise history for regular season goals.

— Adam Kierszenblat (@adamkblat.bsky.social) December 29, 2025 at 8:23 PM

Period 3

This period was more like the 1st for the Nucks. Starting slowly... waiting for a chance to pounce. While waiting, the Kraks poured on the pressure, the shots, the PP chances. All for naught.

No one thought about it then... they sure did later... could these outplayed Nucks get the game over the line. And past it into Lanky time?

There were other questions, more in the moment.

So the #Canucks are the tired team playing a team who played last night? Phil #McKraken dominating the Canucks in the third… Also, will Boeser ever score again?

— LesnielBC 🇨🇦 (@lesnielbc.bsky.social) December 29, 2025 at 9:31 PM

Brock will score again. Many, many times. When he's in Minni with what's-his-name.

— NucksMisconduct (@nucksmisconduct.bsky.social) December 29, 2025 at 9:33 PM

No matter.

No Tank Lank stopped 16 shots in the 3rd. The slightly less prolific Nucks put 3 on the Sea net.

#Canucks are SO passive 5 on 5 in their own zone, you’d think it was a Kraken PP!

— CrankyCanucksFan 🇨🇦🏒 (@crankycanucksfan.bsky.social) December 29, 2025 at 9:12 PM

TBF the Nucks might have been a little confused, since they'd already spent 10 minutes of the game on the PK.

Yet, after 20, game is still tied and we're going to OT.

Let the wondering thoughts begin...

Can the #Canucks get this game past OT into Lanky time?

— NucksMisconduct (@nucksmisconduct.bsky.social) December 29, 2025 at 9:41 PM

OT

The Nucks strategy of getting possession and keeping the puck away from the greedy opposition went quite well.

Until, you know who... took a penalty.

If you had to guess which player would take a penalty in OT for the #Canucks, who would it be and why is your guess Kane?

— Ralph In The Ridge🇨🇦 (@ralphintheridge.bsky.social) December 29, 2025 at 9:48 PM

Lanky and the Nucks kill off that Kane magic and we're going to that special place. Lanky's place.

SHOOTOUT

Here comes Lanky!

-- Atty

Just as Lanky planned... he stopped all the Krakie shots.

Oh, by the way, Ohgren scores on Dacorrd.

ÖH-MY-GREN!

-- Thursday

YAY! I mean BOO! I mean Yay!!

-- Twitch

Canucks beat the climate pledgers 3-2! Or Lanky did.

No Tank Lank steals another game for the #Canucks... roll up your 70s posters, we're moving out of the basement.

— NucksMisconduct (@nucksmisconduct.bsky.social) December 29, 2025 at 9:59 PM

If only we could get both goalies playing great at the same time, and just get one to play great at home. Lank's best game in a long long time. #Canucks

— DJTaxman77 (@taxman77.bsky.social) December 29, 2025 at 9:52 PM

OBSERVATIONS:

• Nucks are on the way up again - win a road game, get 30th.
• Tough night for tankers. Oh well... can't lose them all. If not for Lanky, Kraklings would have gone more than 1 for 6. Yes, that's correct. Nucks were rewarded with 6 PK practices.
• Get outplayed, don't score enough in regulation - win in the Skillz. That's a strategy that could push the Nucks up the standings... possibly as high as 23rd!!

Ok we know the plan for the rest of the year. Play for ties. Waste OT. Shootout. Lank. Liam. Game over! 2 points. #Canucks

— DJTaxman77 (@taxman77.bsky.social) December 29, 2025 at 9:57 PM

There’s regulation time, there’s overtime… and then there’s LANKINTIME!!! #Canucks

— CrankyCanucksFan 🇨🇦🏒 (@crankycanucksfan.bsky.social) December 29, 2025 at 9:56 PM

Tanks off. Again.

F#$% 32nd place. Win tomorrow and leave it in the dust. #Canucks

— DJTaxman77 (@taxman77.bsky.social) December 29, 2025 at 10:02 PM

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

Shortie and Dave calling the Game of Saves.

Wanna see Anti-Tank Lank in his safe place again?

GAME STATS

COMMENTING OUT LOUD

Karlsson getting the Gnarly boost.

Petey gets a goal and a presser.

No Tank Lank happy to enjoy his happy period.

Footsey, sticking with the start of the presser.

Another road win! Or a just down the road win.

Would have been a fun game to play. At home. And now Nucks get to face their old traitor coach in the ROG tomorrow. Will the Nucks, scuttle the tank, exact some revenge on their loss in Philly or play the good ROG hosts renown across the league?

Stay tuned. Stay strong. And stay home.