Come For The Banter - Stay For The Disappointment
Nucks Fan Rebuild & Retool Center - Come For The Banter - Stay For The Disappointment
NUCKS DONT EVEN GET A LOSER POINT - JUST LOSE - AGAIN
Nucks finish 2024 with another loss. Because... the formerly Roadstar Nucks are at the end of the road... with this 4-point loss have given up the 2nd wildcard spot to Cowtown.
If we were worried about the Nucks being healthy for the playoffs... well... now we worry if the Nucks will make the playoffs so we can worry about them being healthy.
Without Huggie and Pete, the Nucks are fine. Until they start a game. It's the games that present the trouble. Could we ask to have the 4 Nations scheduled moved up?
No? Fine. Let's get onto this loss.
Looked like it could be a scoreless 1st on the road. That's good.
Looks are deceiving... Nucks are puck gazing in the Cow-zone and watch the puck zip past them, through center ice and watch a breakaway... but that's not the worst part. Lanky stops the breakaway chance. However...
Fuck. Juulson and Soucy is not a great defensive pairing. They're both covering the guy behind the net, neither of them covering the open guy. 1-0 assholes.
Twitch
1-0 fLames after 1.
In the 2nd, the Nucks didn't get on the board. But did get some fights in, to rally the home red homers.
Canucks taking a siesta for the second... holy.
Twitch
Brannstrom taking a fight... maybe that will wake up some bored millionaires.
Lots of penalties too. At least the Nucks PK can defend. So, that's something positive to take into the new losing year.
But offence? That's so overrated.
The Nucks look like a giant 3rd line. Every line is a 3rd line. We are trying, but no hands and no shot.
Atty
Still 1-zippo Calgary after 2. That's not so bad.
In the early 3rd, Nucks PP get a goal! No, really!
It's a tie game! Nucks have a chance to drag this into OT and grab another valuable loser point.
Or do they?
No, they do not. Because... the Nucks D-pleted corp can't defend, and worse, the Nucks forwards can't backcheck, as Gnarland stays up ice guarding the last man in the Cow-zone as the puck is passed up ice. Suter is slow to respond too. And then a Flaming 3-on-2 burns into the Nucks zone and Kadri burns Lanky for the GWG.
No problem. Nucks play their best hockey with their net empty and going for the tying goal (again) in the last few minutes. Or not,
Wow miller with an epic travis green era mifler... and then recovers... then soucy...soucy's. Fuck this team.
Twitch
Nucks don't get the goal required to qualify for the loser point as Soupie's giveaway leads to the EN against.
Nucks lose 3-1 on the road. Good work.
At least Taco thought the guys put in a good effort. We're back to trying. NHL hockey isn't a results based sport like it was last year. Just as long as the boys are trying, that's the important thing.
There is one clear benefit from missing Hughes (zero benefit from missing Petey): management can now see that without Hughes we are almost a Team Tank.
Atty
Hopefully that will force them to make a move before the deadline.
OBSERVATIONS
With the Nucks 1st D pair off on week-to-week excursions with BC Faeries, the 2nd, 3rd, and scratched pairs get to step up. They tried... and ran out of talent and composure too often.
Does anybody remember when Miller used to be a game changer?
Atty
Seems like a very long time ago.
Yeah he's really been kinda average since he came back from his leave. Seems to have no fire anymore.
Twitch
While Millise got the primary assist on Brock's PP goal, JT hasn't had a 5-on-5 goal in 20 games. Last time he scored it was an EN. 10 games ago. Maybe he shouldn't take stupid fights and try taking the puck to net and scoring.
Gnarland had over 20 minutes TOI, and had an impact on the game - on the game losing goal. Finished with a -2, 2SOG, 1BLK, 1HIT. At least Taco will say he tried.
Taco praised the team effort. The team trying. The team doing, he'll worry about later. Maybe he can't rag on the team now since it appears their confidence is low, their offense is low and their spirits aren't bright.
Westy quoted PA in the preview.... something something about disappointment in the performance of the highly paid pro players... also intimated that the coaches need to up their game too. So much upping to do. Including refurbishing the D-corp.
Anything else? Yes! More questions!
That we dare not ask.
Video Replay
Shortie and Dave didn't make the trip over the Rockies for a rocky game. It's the locals with the call.
GAME STATS
SHOTS
| PERIOD | VAN | CGY |
| 1st | 11 | 12 |
| 2nd | 8 | 6 |
| 3rd | 5 | 11 |
| TOTAL | 24 | 29 |
PLAYERS 'N TACO TALK
Nothing to see here at posting time. Heard Taco talk about effort and trying...
Nucks don't play another game until next year. Thursday in the Climate Emergency arena against the same team they dominated at home for 55 minutes. And lost to, 5-4 in OT.
OT. Nucks hold the NHL record this season for accumulating the most loser points in OT. Sure be nice to lose that record with some OT wins. Still... a few more regulations wins would be good until we can lobby the league to move up the 4 Nations Distraction series schedule.
Happy New Year, NM!
Remember to save some hooch for the new year Nucks games.
