Want a two game road win streak? This is how to do it.
Canucks cruise into Smashville on a miniature win streak of 1 game. The Preds were getting bigged-up by the media as they have been on a 4 game W-streak.
However, other than the one point Sarsaparilla leakage in Minni, the Nucks were on an even bigger streak.
So... with big (and little) win streaks on the line, both teams had something to play for. Preds keeping their wildcard hopes and dreams alive. And the Nucks looking to catch the Knighties for the top team in the West, in the entire league.
Kuz was a pre-game scratch. Some thought he might have impressed Taco last couple games. But Taco Tough tactics are tough on pure goal scorers (in a slump) amongst the hardest hitters in hockey.
Preds have 4 guys in the top 20 of hits of the league...their stats person is rigging it
Westy
The 1st period starts with the Nucks taking it to the Preds. Pretty much. Still... the gamethread is worried about Kuz.
Miky with the good back check....Kuz needs to take note
Westy
Kuz is too busy reading Pavel Burr's autobiography
82wino
The teams trade chances, but not players. Yet.
However, Pete beats Sacred Saros for the 1st goal of the game. 30 seconds later Oh Man grabs a giveaway and gives it to the net that Surprised Saros was minding.
Just as the period was expiring, the Nucks leading by 2 goals, Gnarly gets tossed hard into the boards by some Predator called LowZon. Josh challenges him to fight - Zon declines. Meanwhile... Tomasino gets a breakaway, the other way and scoots in on DeSmith - who made DeStop. While that was happening McCarronged challenges Josh, but Josh declines. Clearly McCarron was McWronged and flips his bird and big bad words at the ref... gets McTossed from the game.
McCarron McMeltdown
82wino
After the excitement of the opening period, could the 2nd keep up? Yes, it could. The Preds get on the board and cut the insurmountable Nucking lead in half.
Doesn't matter. 15 seconds later Hoagie tips a Huggie shot past Soon-To-Be-Sad Saros. 2 goal lead restored. However, it's 4-1 Nucks a minute later after Miki gets the puck past Saros and Suter clears the puck for Saros. Into the net.
Nucks have the most insurmountable 3 goal lead going into the 3rd. And lead the league with wins when leading after 2. But we knew that. We also know it's a 19-0-0 record. Impressive.
Early in the 3rd, just as the Nucks umpteenth failed PP expired, Huggie skates up ice, dekes and dekes, passes to Blueger and he chips the 5th Nucks goal past Saros. Who is both sad and mad as he is pulled, punching the invisible coach avatar as he harrumphed down the hall.
5-1 Nucks and the game is over a few minutes into the 3rd. No, it really is. But still the Preds hang around and get another goal, last minute of the 3rd to spoil DeSmittie's penultimate DeShutti bid and nick our big DIFF. Which has swelled to +45.
lazy last minute defense should come with a fine
Westy
Doesn't matter. Nucks win 5-2. Sweep the season series with the Preds. Won't get another chance to beat them again this season. Oh well, we'll have to make do with 5 points from 3 road games for the holidays. So far.
Can you believe it. We, Nmers, will be talking about the Nucks around the Christmas dinner table
82wino
JUST ANOTHER HUGGIE RECORD
With his 2 points in the game, Quinn is the 1st defencemen in all of Nucking history to reach 40 points or more in less than 40 games. No big deal, 41 points in 33 games. Huggie just doing his job. At a stunning elite level!
SmashedUpVille Highlights
Shortie - still suffering from the Sarsaparilla fever - gets excited. But Dave takes the monotone colour commentary to a dull factual place and leaves it there. Cheech in Nashville was always a dining extravaganza.
GAME STATS
SHOTS (probably Jack Daniels)
| PREDS | Period | CANUCKS |
| 7 | 1st | 10 |
| 11 | 2nd | 11 |
| 14 | 3rd | 10 |
| 35 | TOTAL | 28 |
CANUCKS SCORING
| GOALS | ASSISTS | +/- | |
| HOGLANDER | 1 | +1 | |
| HUGHES | 2 | +2 | |
| SUTER | 1 | 1 | +2 |
| PETERSSON | 1 | 1 | +2 |
| MIKHEYEV | 2 | +1 | |
| BLUEGER | 1 | +1 | |
| AMAN | 1 | -1 | |
| HRONEK | 1 | +1 | |
| EV | PP | SV% | |
| DESMITH | 22/24 | 3/3 | .929 |
TACO TALK
Taco is in a good mood. Good games are a mood enhancer. Who knew?
One more stop of this road tour through the dinner season. Thursday it's dining in Dallas. Hope the Nucks can keep their foot on the gas - gas is cheap in Texas. To return home with another win would make our jaded sense of confidence in the Taco Tough Nucks less jaded and, possibly more... well... hopeful confident.
