TOUGH DAY TRIP - GUTSY WIN. NUCKS HOCKEY POLARIZING US.
This was marked down as the least winnable game on the road trip. For a couple reasons. Nucks haven't won the 2nd of a B-2-B this season (until now). And it's a Saturday game on HNIC in the Center of the Universe!
However... and I quote myself from last night's Caning:
Still... with our only moderately beaten and battered NM false hope, we can hope the Nucks top 6 were saving their top sixishness to win on HNIC just for the yucks. Unlikely, but still...
jimmi
Turns out they were. Didn't get to the legendary CoTU rink until after 1pm. No morning skate.
Also no excuses.
1ST
The best time to get the 1st goal of the game is in the CoTU barely 30 seconds in.
Myers puts a shot towards the net and ever sneaky tipper, Brock, deflects it off his leg into the net. He was both grimacing a bit in pain and smiling in joy. Not unlike many of Nucks fans.
It's the GWG in the first 30 seconds of the game!
Nucks lead 1-0 - very early.
Also, more importantly, lead 1-0 after 20 minutes.
Not bad..
Atty
The first period, that is.
2ND
As expected the legendary heroes of CoTU fame push back in the period. However, the Nucks play Taco Tough hockey and limit chances and when needed, Blankinen stopped all 6 shots.
Nucks were the more tired team. And the more determined team. Late in the period, Mifler took a high sticking penalty. Nucks PK dealt with it with the best and only scoring chances - shorthanded.
In the final couple minutes of the period, Nucks draw a call, but don't even get on the PP, with Quinn scoring 6-on-5. Wooooo!
You ain't seen nothing like the mighty Quinn!
Ripper
Nucks lead 2-0 after 2. No really.
3RD
Nucks up 2-0 on one of the hottest teams in the east. Are we worried? Probably. The Nucks?
Not really.
So confident they could keep the lead, decided to extend it. In the 1st minute of the period!!!
Huggie did Huggie things on the line, skated downhill attracting attention and then sent a perfect pass back up to Sherwood who fired a perfect shot past our fav Laffs goalie.
what a pass, what a shot Sherwood!!!
Atty
3-0 Nucks! In the CoTU! On HNIC!
What kind of turn-around wizardry is this? The game lockdown type.
Nucks just kept playing the lockdown style we were so familiar with last season, not so much this one.
Nucks made keeping the lead look easy. No, really. Minimized CoTU chances - limited to 5 shots and disrupted any dangerous plays against.
At the end of the period the score was still Nucks 3, CoTU nothing!
Wooooooo!
wow, what a clean and structured game for the Nucks..
Atty
and they can actually defend a lead. Their defending is impeccable.
Somehow, this weather-ravaged, B-2-B Nucks team made winning look so much easier and more efficient than losing. Hockey is a weird game.
Not sure what to say. Should I be happy or annoyed for not playing like this every game. I can use some happiness, so I choose to be happy.
Atty
Woooo!
OBSERVATIONS
Huggie dominated the game. He is the Nucks best player. Another multi point game from a true professional. And in the record books. Again.
#Canucks defensemen Quinn Hughes in pretty good company
— Travis Wall (@travisawall.bsky.social) January 11, 2025 at 10:08 PM
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Pete was on his Alien defense game. Anticipating high dangers plays and defusing them.
The Nucks D from Breeze to Soup were cool, collected, effective with rarely a miffler among them.
And Kevin Blankinen?
With 20 saves in Toronto on Saturday, Kevin Lankinen becomes just the 3rd goalie in #Canucks history to post a shutout vs Maple Leafs The other former VAN goalies to blank the Leafs? Roberto Luongo-Nov.2/13 (4-0 Win) Dunc Wilson-Oct.27/71 (0-0 Tie) @snstats.bsky.social @snstats.bsky.social
— KenwardsKorner (@kenwardskorner.bsky.social) January 11, 2025 at 10:01 PM
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Anything else? Yes!
Shout out to Twitch for taking the pressure off the Nucks with his selfless act of not watching a great win.
Gonna have to miss the game against the CoTU... the good news is I won't have to watch or listen to the HNIC assholes.
Twitch
Video Replay
Watch HNIC get shut out in CoTU. As did the Laffs.
GAME STATS
SHOTS
| PERIOD | VAN | TOR |
| 1st | 9 | 9 |
| 2nd | 5 | 6 |
| 3rd | 4 | 5 |
| TOTAL | 18 | 20 |
PLAYERS 'N TACO TALK
Capt'n Huggie talks about a professional game, not the weather.
Pete played a great defensive game but not defensive with media.
Taco Talks about bouncing back and praising Pete for his best game so far.
Wonderful amazing bounce back game from, apparently the same team we were so deeply disappointed in last night.
With this season-changing win in CoTU, it could mean we get to keep Pete and Miller.
Nucks finish this terrifying roller coaster tour through the eastern provinces on Tuesday in Winterpeg. The Jetsetters are the top team in the central and the Nucks will need another strong, possibly stronger performance to make this road trip end on a happy note.
For now, just bask in the glow of defeating CoTU in CoTU. Woooo!
