Great Tanking News! Canucks Lose. But only by a goal!

Bad news... Losing 5 straight on the road could be worse. If you add the previous ROG losses, would make it a straight 8 streak of much losing. We won't do that.

Here's what we learned: This is what we wanted... a close loss. Sure, we gave up 2 goals too early to actually comeback, but made it close enough to pretend that we would/could, but not close enough to actually snag a loser point. Good job!

Could this be one of the finest organic tanks since Franny had his organic vintages on offer at CinCin? We don't know.

Perhaps there is a little too little of youthful exuberance with the dense, almost impenetrable bouquet of coaching enigmas and roster construction befuddlements to confuse the gourmand hockey palette. But we do appreciate a strong finish with a hint of winning.

Is this management group so sophisticated we've fallen for their Faery tales? We could debate this until the summer at least.

Period 1

This was the period where the Nucks had the chance to shake off their previous night's indulgences on the gourmet GA snack board. The chance to renew their organic vows in a more modest fashion.

But, it wasn't easy for them.

It's only a couple minutes in, but man, this looks like two last place teams. I'm kinda waiting for Reilly and Jonesy to jump over the boards, and see Greene kick a garbage can.

-- Twitch

Nucks kept giving the Sens more chances. And minimizing their own.

heh 15 minutes in we have 1 shot. I feel like i've seen this movie before.

-- Twitch

Late in the period, the sneaky basementelligentsia had to resort to the D-zone FO loss gambit.

It worked! Right off the FO and it's behind Lanky.

Sens on the board, 1-0. Is that enough onboard tho?

Not really.

So, a mere 15 seconds later, the Nucks setup nearly the same play. Some say it was the Sens that set it up, but let's not stoop to mere tactics, when a high level strategy is unfolding.

Astoundingly similar result. Sens FO win. Puck behind Lank.

I honestly don’t recall that second goal from the Sens. Did I blink and miss it? And then assume the celebration was an extension of the first?! What have the #Canucks done to me?!

— Chris Golden (@lyteforce.ca) January 13, 2026 at 4:57 PM

Sens lead 2-0 after 1. Nucks got outshot 14-6. Now the game has started on the right Foote.

As per Natural Stat Trick, the Garland-Kämpf-Boeser line were outshot 5-1 in the first period during their 4:25 of ice time. They were also on the ice for the #Canucks first goal against.

— Adam Kierszenblat (@adamkblat.bsky.social) January 13, 2026 at 4:58 PM

Period 2

This period is where the plot doesn't really thicken, but gets a little murky.

Nucks get outshot even more, 18-5. Talk about plucky comeback appetizers.

Early in the period, Ronnie, stealthily popped the puck over the glass where the refs could see it. Automagic penalty.

However, even the best planned planning can have an off night. The Nucks killed off the penalty, spoiling the down by 3 option. Oh, well... gave the fans a hopeful little nudge.

Wooo! We're soooo winning! We killed a penalty! #Canucks

— NucksMisconduct (@nucksmisconduct.bsky.social) January 13, 2026 at 5:09 PM

To compensate, there was a 2-on-1 with Karlson and DeBrusk. It looked like a sure thing... except... it's not on the PP.

The only problem with that pass from Karlsson to Debrusk for a SOG was that it happened during 5on5. Jakey don't score no 5on5 goalzzzz

-- ‪Petrishriekandgo on Bluesky

With that little bump of fan stimulation worn off, the refs generously gave the Nucks a PP. Where nothing untoward occurred - despite the sure goal from Brock that wasn't sure at all - or the sure shortie Lank stopped.

Period ends where it began. Sens leading 2-0 and Nucks with nothing more to do.

Still there is our fan psyche to consider. And lucky for us, we had a special guest offering a fan mental health break.

how to get through a #canucks  game 🏒 1. turn volume WAY down 2. look away at times 3. pretend Boeser scored 4. don’t believe the score

— Raffi_RC (@raffic.bsky.social) January 13, 2026 at 5:29 PM

And it worked!

Oh look! Bessie just scored twice - back-to-back goals... we're winning!

— NucksMisconduct (@nucksmisconduct.bsky.social) January 13, 2026 at 6:06 PM

We had a brief intermission from reality and really enjoyed watching Brock beat the snake bits into well-netted rubber.

Elsewhere in the 'real' world, the game went on.

Period 3

As planned the night before, or summer before, don't know which. Anyhow, seemingly as planned, the Nucks stage the incredible comeback to push the tank tracks way down in the basement of our addled little minds.

After some great forechecking in a zone the Nucks weren't too familiar with - the Sens zone - Karlsson passes to Pete, who scored a sweet goal. Wooo! Canucks Life is good.

Elias Pettersson is now in sole possession of 10th all time in #Canucks history for goals

— Adam Kierszenblat (@adamkblat.bsky.social) January 13, 2026 at 5:58 PM

Canucks are only down a goal and have plenty of time to get the tie and dream of Lanky time.

It's a close game! Nucks are peppering the Sens tender with shots.

As many as 9. In a single period!

Yet as the period wore on and on, the reality drought thing pushed its dry little skin right up Brock's stick.

My God Boeser. Can he even score on an empty net breakaway? #Canucks

— DJTaxman77 (@taxman77.bsky.social) January 13, 2026 at 6:03 PM

#Boeser just has zero puck luck. It’s really astonishing. #Canucks

— LesnielBC 🇨🇦🇩🇰 (@lesnielbc.bsky.social) January 13, 2026 at 6:03 PM

Man, Boeser is more than just snake bitten, he’s being crushed by a python, inside a coiled anaconda, whilst being envenomated by a thousand pit vipers. #Canucks

— CrankyCanucksFan 🇨🇦🏒 (@crankycanucksfan.bsky.social) January 13, 2026 at 6:07 PM

As the clock got within a couple minutes of the inevitable, but respectable loss, we wondered about the tank commander's final option - pull Lanky.

Odds on us giving up a footey in a couple minutes?

-- Twitch

To our astonishment - the pattern was broken when Gnarly took one for the team. A penalty. Broke the miserable 6-on-5 Nucking rhythm just long enough to preserve the noble one goal loss.

Sens win 2-1 in front of their sparsely-populated home crowd.

And with that incredible display of strategic coaching and player deployment, in a Back-2-Back no less, Canucks grind out an almost tie. Or the distant promise of one. Whatever.

The important thing is we watched a close game where anything might have happened if the Nucks were a better team - with a better roster, a better coach and a practice facility waiting at home to hone their craft.

It wasn't one of those hard-to-watch blowout losses. This was a close one. The Canucks were... right there.

OBSERVATIONS:

Nucks made some scoring plays. Yay! Ok, it was just the one. But one Petey goal was all we needed to keep that tiny tear-stained lining of our silver cloud well moisturized.

Players of Interest:

• Brock had 2nd most ice time of any Canucks forward at 17:19. Finished with no goals, but did make us wonder about time and the duration of nothingness.
• Lank was great, but not too great. Kept the game close when needed and posted a gaudy .950SV% which would normally signal a big win. But this isn't a normal process. It's a carefully crafted organic banquet by the dungeon chefs of Tankosity.
• EP40 got the big goal to keep us on the right side of despair. Thanks!

Meanwhile... some were wondering about some secret stuff...

Boudreau was fired for lack of structure. Foote's structure must be a closely guarded secret weapon that we're saving for the playoffs.

-- Ripper

Shots 16-38… Even the tank is surprised. #Canucks

— CrankyCanucksFan 🇨🇦🏒 (@crankycanucksfan.bsky.social) January 13, 2026 at 6:16 PM

However, there's still some sceptics about the Nucks Fan Department of Apparent Right Thereness.

That game is a perfect example of fans being completely justified by wanting a rebuild, and how #Canucks brass will say a 2-1 game on their 3rd in 4 nights shows they're "close".

— The King of Blind Bay (@imrealgoode.bsky.social) January 13, 2026 at 6:41 PM

But still... it was a great result among a turgid stream of crappy games. Sometimes, that's all we need.

What a perfect game, guys.
The third period was my dream-scenario: good flow, plenty of zone time, plenty of scoring chances (for us, that is), and....nothing to show for! We even had a few chances to tie the game. But we didn't!
These are the games I want to see. Losing by one goal. If we want to tank, there is no better way.
Yesterday's was a terrible one. Embarrassing. This one was much better.
As the Epicurians say : "Not too good, but good enough". I love this saying.

-- Atty

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

Not only a delightfully close, loss, we get Shortie and Dave to cover it. Canucks Life Is Good.

GAME STATS

COMMENTING OUT LOUD

Pete gets the almost winning presser.

Footsey talking about shouldas and luck and you know, the tough stuff.

Defeat with dignity. Finally.

Sure, the Canucks are still the worst team in the league - working their cute little Orca butts off to ensure they keep their special spot in the standings until April. Yet, doesn't hurt the armoured stealth golf-tank cart to play above their basement ceiling occasionally.

We get another day to savour this savvy sherman rolling through defeat like they meant it. Could we ask for anything more than the bill on a night out in the rink-side bistro of faux hope?

Bon Appetit! And #TankOn.