NUCKS GET A BIG WIN - FOR RONNIE - FOR US!!!

After the BC Faeries took Ronnie to serve shoulder roasts for weeks, tough to expect Desharnais to slip seamlessly back into the lineup. Although he did slip up a number of times.

Uncertain or certain doom awaits? Both. Until later. Much later.

I've said it before... Quinn is the best player on the Nucks. The best D in Nucking history. And one of the best D of the NHL all time. In this game Huggie ties Edler for most points by a Nucking D. In 538 fewer games. Wow!

This was a lunch time tilt on some sort special American shopping holiday. Early games are not good for good Nucking starts. Buffuloo gets the 1st goal, because that's the rule on American shopping holidays. It was a semi-Bufuloo-rush, Sherwood gets knocked down and DeBrusk fails at blocking the shot pass.

1-0 Sobbers after 1.

However, in the 2nd, DeBrusk gets redemption with the Nucks 1st goal of the game and only goal of the period.

1-1 tie after 2.

Early in the 3rd, Nucks go on the 4 minute PP. And score! Bess with the slap pass to Gnarly.

Doesn't work on the 2nd 2 minute PP, because, besides Myers not being a good thing on the PP, the Nucks keep giving the puck away like it was leftover Halloween candy.

Doesn't matter, because off the most strategic block in hockey history, Gnarland manages to put the puck high into the air and Suter scoops it up for the breakaway and scores!

That's it. The Nucks have put the game out of reach. Two goal lead is the safest lead in hockey. We know that. Soup, Myers and Desh for sure know that. So casual Friday defending is just fine.

Of course, the Saberinas deluge the Nucks and Lanky with shots... most are stopped, but Soup can't clear with at least 2 chances, and your cousin puts a puck past the crowd in front of the net and Lanky.

With so much pressure, seemed inevitable the tying goal would be a flukey one off of a Buffy helmet and in. And it was.

Doesn't matter.

Because the OT 3-on-3 Nucks played the perfect possession game through 4 minutes of OT

The only time Boofie got the puckie, was when 3 nucks were behind the goal line and Tage went very tall mano a goalie. Lanky stopped him. And the rebound too!

Nucks regain puck possession, which is 99% or the OT Law. After some circling and borderline mifling, Nucks keep up the pressure. Huggie pops the puck on net and Gnarland, from his knees, backhands the puck into the net.

Nucks win 4-3 in OT! Road Redemption!

What a gutsy effort against Buff and BC Faeries.

OBSERVATIONS

The absence of Ronnie was a big blow to the Nucks. Huggie logged 28 minutes. Not ideal.

Fresh back in the line up Desh didn't look too fresh. Finished with a minus -2 in the game.

Myers logged too many minutes (22:45) for his or our comfort. In one comical stretch, he went from playing on the PK, to playing on the 2nd PP unit. He's a big net front presence, however, hands of stone when the tap in is available. Oh well...

JR/PA are gonna have to go do some BF D-shopping, as Branny and Jules don't have the skilled D-ness to keep the good ship Nucks afloat for weeks and weeks.

Nucks allowed too, too many shots in the 3rd. Which opened the way for a very entertaining OT. Maybe it was just the right amount.

Nucks without JT still suck in the dot. Not nearly as much, won 48.2% of their draws. That's decent.

Anything else? Yes!

Hard fought lunch time win!

Video Replay

Shortie and Dave shuffled off to Buffuloo for lunch.

GAME STATS

PLAYER POINTS

SHOTS

PLAYERS 'N TACO TALK

Gnarland, 1st star of the game, talks about precise shot-blocking breakout passes.

DeBrusk copping to the good, the bad and the awesome goaltending.

Taco Talks Tough about big time plays and key moments.

Nucks get another semi-sweet road win. Lotsa of ups and downs.

Not enough time to savour this beautiful ugly win. The road schedule gets even more ridiculous as the Nucks play in Motor City at 9:30AM! Enjoy your early Sunday hangover and commiserations.