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GAME RECAP #46: NUCKS WIN! Another Loss In The ROG - Get Buffaloed 3-2

January 21, 2025
- jimmi

GET A LEAD - BLOW A LEAD. NUCKS TRAGICOMEDY ACT 3.

Coming into this match of Expansion Hockey Titans, Nucks had defeated Buffalo in the last 5 consecutive meetings.

After the great win over the tOilers and Gnarland putting his face into McWhiney's stick in the last seconds of the game and Chaos Giraffe learning stick etiquette from the best player in the game, we know, the Nucks know, this time for sure... no doubt aboot it... they've turned the corner. The good game/bad game existential hockey dichotomy is in the past! Yay!

And still the question lingers, like a post-game dank aroma in the ROG.

Remember the last time the Nucks won consecutive games?

Nucks don't either.

The last time was Dec. 1st, 2024. That was 23 games ago.

This wouldn't be horrible... if the Nucking goal was to summit Mt. 500... like the peak of late 2022.

But this isn't late '22, even if it feels like it.

However, this is 2025 and the Nucks have regressed. Lots of reasons why... and we'll have plenty of time in late April to discuss.

For now... we just watch as we wait for the next retool/rebuild/re-coach to make the Nucks a contender. In 2030.

The task in this game for the Nucks was to win another hockey game against the 3rd worst team in the league. Turns out, that was a task this team couldn't quite fulfill.

1ST

Nucks don't give up the 1st goal in the 1st in the 1st few minutes. No, they give it up in the last few minutes of the period. After Pete loses a D-zone draw. After an avoidable icing.

See the pattern?

No? Just wait a bit.

Nucks down 1-0 after 1. Not a big deal.

2ND

The sluggish Nucks came out and put some pressure on the worst team in the eastern conference that has a habit of giving up goals when they have the lead. We know what that feels like.

Within mere minutes, Nucks get a bounce and PDG gets a goal!

Woooo DiGi!

Twitch

Nucks have secured the tie! Let's go straight to OT!

That would be the best move.

Instead, the Nucks apply some determined pressure to the Sabres, who broke, just like their sticks. And here's something we haven't very often, Pete scores!

WOOO! PETEY!!!

Twitch

The ROG is rocking. All is forgiven. The Nucks have the one goal lead. That's all they need.

2-1 Nucks after 2.

3RD

The Nucks come into the 3rd looking to cruise to the early win sporting the unsafest lead in hockey.

And surprisingly, Buffalo isn't going away easy. In fact, they're pushing the pace - the tired team on the 2nd of a B-2-B. It's not fair!

Early in the period, Nucks are content to sit back while getting outshot 5-2.

The Nucking contentment ends mid period as the Sabres expose the Nucking malaise. Huggie goes to cover the puck carrier man and Ronnie is somewhere, but nowhere near the front of the net. Puck is passed to the unattended Buffalo forward who swats the puck past Demmers.

It's a 2-2 tie! FFS!

Not letting them get into the zone quite so easily would be good. A bad sequence and now that cushion is gone. They've been able to generate offence this game, so that's promising.

Thursday

But then, surprise, surprise, the promising isn't as promising as hoped.

Huggie makes a bank pass to Sherwood, but Sherwood was banking the other way. It's another icing.

Blueger loses the face off and in seconds the blown coverage is converted into the GWG.

Now we see the pattern.

And yet... Nucks only lost 2 D-zone face offs all game. Both resulted in goals against.

Still... the comeback kids have the motivation to comeback and lose with dignity in OT.

The motivation, perhaps, not the execution.

Buffalo beats, the once again consistently inconsistent, Canucks 3-2. In the ROG.

Oh well... 2 game win streaks are for showy-off teams... we're the NHL Drama Club.

jimmi


OBSERVATIONS

I know, I know, real Canucks fans are hardened to disappointment. We've just recovered from the lost decade where JB/Wily/Green wasted the end of the Sedin's careers. We can take it.

We're tough. We're resilient.

This team that won so many home games last season. That rarely gave up a 3rd period lead. That team is no more.

So, if we're feeling a little disappointed, it's not just because the Nucks have regressed, but this core is going Ground Hogging to recapture those bitter losses of 2021-2022.

No trades have been made, despite the one million soc-media words being spilled about the trade(s).

And yet, feels like we've already lost our 100 point star forwards of last year.

Whether Pete or JT or both are traded and we win the trade(s), which we won't, doesn't seem there's a retool that could fix all that is broken.

Even Taco is getting worn down. Says this season is the hardest he's ever had to work through... and he had some dire ones in the desert.

Not saying the Nucks are cursed to have a single good season once every 5 or 10 years... but what if it's true. What if the league doesn't want the Nucks to be a winning hockey team, but an award winning drama society?

Maybe Bluesky posters have some uplifting messages for us...

He's not the first coach they've done this to. At a certain point, the blame has to go to the core. And if the #Canucks only get two more years of Quinn Hughes, they better make it count.

— W. Ron Sweeney (@wronsweeney.bsky.social) January 21, 2025 at 10:52 PM

#Canucks

[image or embed]

— David Cee (@canucksin4.bsky.social) January 21, 2025 at 9:42 PM

That was a hard luck loss. Sabres made zero mistakes. Probably because we didn't force them to make any. Suter's post on the PK was a bit of a turning point. Have to start drawing penalties. And finish our chances. #Canucks

— DJTaxman77 (@hugheshart43.bsky.social) January 21, 2025 at 9:41 PM

It's so weird watching a team that is painfully average. Not even comically bad, just mid #Canucks

— FraserValleyBricks (@fraservalleybricks.bsky.social) January 21, 2025 at 9:39 PM



Anything else? Yes!

If Taco Tough hockey is all about the stinge, then the Nucks need to be Scrooging on every shift. That attention to detail is too fine a thing for this 25 minutes a game roster.


Video Replay

Shortie 'n Dave in the ROG again to call the 1st consecutive ROG wins in over a month - except for the non-consecutive part.


GAME STATS

PLAYER POINTS

SHOTS

PERIODVANBUF
1st87
2nd139
3rd1310
TOTAL3426

PLAYERS 'N TACO TALK

PDG likes playing and scoring... giving up leads... not so much.

Pete looking for better consistency. Has he tried ordering online?

Demmers shares his disappointment. This is like game 11 for him - the beginning of the season. Except it's the end of January.

Taco has to resort to scientific analogies, this game is a microcosm of the season. The microcosm is like a macrocosm of NucksNation. Or something.


This latest humiliation at home is over. The Nucks Country Club ethos we thought was history, has returned and worn away the Taco Tough Tactics. Not saying it's hopeless to save this season... but it's a good start towards a lost season.

Nucks can't beat one of the worst teams. But get another chance to beat one of the best. On the road.

On Thursday, Nucks are in Oil Country to face the outrage, the idiotic outrage. Going to be fun for the commenters and the internet. We expect that Troy from Richmond will be looking to put the hold on Gnarly.

Another ROG loss, the 16th this season doesn't diminish the 8 ROG wins. It just feels twice as bad, that's all.

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