DON'T COMPETE - GET BLOWN OUT. NUCKS TRAGICOMEDY ACT 4.
This re-grudged match tilt had idiotic anti-social media bigging it up. Oil Patch was mad. Mad at big (little) bruising Gnarland. Mad at the NHL refs. Also... just freaking crazy mad.
In his preview, Kent sorta devoted a few words and many paragraphs and put more thought into the situation than any Oil fan...
This is criticism of the officials that leaves enough plausible doubt that they can't get fined. But the refs know exactly what they're saying. And I guarantee you tonight, Anytime an Oiler and Canuck player come together, the guys in the orange jerseys will snapping their necks like they're in the front row at a Slayer concert.
Kent
However...
I think you're giving the Oilers AND their fans way too much credit... they are not doing this on purpose. I live in Edmonton, and trust me, these people are straight up stupid. (I mean the ones whining like little bitches, and the Oilers organization). The oilers are the most entitled team in history, they just can't believe it happened.
Twitch
However, having said that, the officiating in the NHL is also straight up stupid, so the result will be exactly what Kent suggests it will... just it's the law of unintended consequences, not a planned thing.
Sure enough, in this game the Nucks didn't draw a single call. But the Oil got 4 power plays, but only scored on 2 of them. 50% PP, Pffft. Our PK was 50% too. Oh... wait...
Worse we watched the Nucks put in a feeble effort, forgetting how Tough Taco hockey is played and even worse didn't respond forcefully enough while Nurse was mugging Gnarly.
And so much worse, DouchePerry almost broke Huggie's neck, pitchforking Quinn to the ice. And no one smashed Perry into the boards. Possibly because, earlier Sherwood was injured and left the game. And Blueger, while drawing a call, dropped his gloves to goad Perry into a fight. Douchebag doesn't fight, he snickers and skates away.
Oh... and there was a few periods of hockey. Not great hockey from the Nucks. In fact, it might be one of their worst efforts of the season. There are so many to choose from.
Between BC Faeries taking Demmers away to remove any trace of Vezinaness, to ravaging Ronnie's hockey IQ, to the media-frenzied trade speculation that never stops making noise, to the dis-improved Nucking D-corp behind Quinn, from the unproductive top 6, especially the highest paid player, to the consistently inconsistent Nucking play, this season seems to be slipping away.
With 1 win in the last 3 games the slippery slope is speeding up. Actually 1 win in the last 5 games, but let's be gentle after last game - set a new slightly less lofty goal: .333 hockey.
Last game felt like late '22. That was a bad feeling, This game felt like late 2017. That's a worse feeling.
Taco can't save the team. Players can't save themselves. Seems unlikely that Trader JR/PA can save the season, or even the team, long-term.
1ST
Nucks get outplayed, by the Oil and the refs and exit the period down 3-zip.
Might be cool if the canucks would show up to a fucking game more than once in a while.
Twitch
They're not coming back, but at least they can try not to get shutout by the Oily backup goalie.
2ND
Good god there is zero energy from the canucks. They look like practice drones for the oilers. Annnnd another stupid undisciplined penalty.
Twitch
After the Oil had scored another 5-v-5 goal and another PP goal, and down 5-0, Nucks finally got on the board.
Boeser scores. Who cares.
Twitch
Huggie cares and sets up Ronnie for the booming one timer and boom! Nucks are only down 3 goals.
5-2 after 2 and nothing is settled changed. Oil still have a 3 goal lead. And Nucks aren't coming back.
3RD
This is the bonus chippy period where Huggie is assaulted, Gnarly is mugged and still the Nucks don't get a power play.
After getting his head driven into the ice #Canucks captain didn't get up & try to cross check Corey Perry to the head... That's what a classy player does. #OilersNation your #McJesus sucks
— Paul Le Comte 🇳🇿🇨🇦📷 (@paullecomtephoto.nz) January 23, 2025 at 8:37 PM
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And worse... more blown coverage and as ever puck is rushed into the zone and Kasper the Unfriendly Forward breaks in on an ill-prepared Demmers, who makes the 1st stop, but returns the rebound to Kapers who scores since Huggie has decided not to pursue his assignment.
The Demko we once knew and loved would have been prepared and made the save... but now...
Will peak Demko ever return?
Ripper
Game ends in the 6-2 blowout we didn't need to see, even if the Oilworkers did.
Well.
Thursday
Relief when it ended isn't what I was hoping for, but here it is.
We can hope that this is it. The low point of the season. But there's been so many so far, that we really don't know where the bottom is.
OBSERVATIONS
Terrible effort by the Nucks. Have they forgotten they are a team of talented, skilled players, coached by last season's Jack Adam's winner? Seems like.
I'm out of insights. Maybe fire the coach and bring back Wily...
Let's turn to the hopeful posters on Bluesky for some answers. Some hope.
Everybody with few exceptions had a rough night in this #Canucks team. - Quinn Hughes had the longest shift of the game 3:08 😮💨 - Desharnais??? I refuse to comment any further 😒 - Soucy ??? I mean … never mind. - EP40: $11.6 - GP:82, G:18, A:38, P:56, +/-: -2 #Canucks #GoCanucksGo #NHL
— Canucks Watcher (@canuckswatcher.bsky.social) January 23, 2025 at 9:47 PM
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Ooooh Oilers so tough glomming in not Garland, and slew footing Hughes post whistle. Our two smallest players are the ones their biggest players pile onto. Helping McJesus through “the process” fer sure. #Canucks 💚💙🏒 (I’d rather be a loser than a teammate of McDavid or Nurse). 🤷🏻♀️🥸
— Cathy Canucks (@cathyrd.bsky.social) January 23, 2025 at 9:12 PM
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Not intending to start a big debate but here it goes. - EP40: $11.6M - GP:82, G:18, A:38, P:56, +/-: -2 - Miller: $8M - GP:82, G:27, A:54, P:81, +/-: +13 - Boeser: $6.6M - GP:82, G:33, A:29, P:62, +/-: -3 Trade Miller? Make it make sense? #Canucks #GoCanucksGo #NHL
— Canucks Watcher (@canuckswatcher.bsky.social) January 23, 2025 at 10:04 PM
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Most disappointing #canucks group since the playoff performances of the WCE era. And did Tocchet really lose the room this quick?
— tonytanti1.bsky.social (@tonytanti1.bsky.social) January 23, 2025 at 10:11 PM
#Canucks thoughts on a 6-2 loss to the Oilers. It’s not that they lost. It’s how they lost. Little to no push back. Three good shifts in the second period Jake Debrusk has been invisible for a while now. This was a night they could have use the energy of Nikita Zadorov.
— @kevole (@kevole.bsky.social) January 23, 2025 at 11:08 PM
Anyone justifying #EP40's $11.6 needs their head read right about now. I was such a bandwagon fan right from the start, now I want his contract torn up. Good players lift others & don't need 'the best' around him. Say hello to Quinn Hughes #Canucks ZERO shots tonight, 1 hit, 1 block
— Paul Le Comte 🇳🇿🇨🇦📷 (@paullecomtephoto.nz) January 23, 2025 at 9:00 PM
I hate to say it but if we just praise Pettersson’s defensive play to justify his contract, remember this…Loui Eriksson was also a very good defender. #Canucks
— fuzzysnack (@fuzzysnack.bsky.social) January 23, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Oh... zing! When we start comparing EP40 to Louie, pretty much all hope is lost.
Anything else? Yes!
All hope is lost. See above.
Maybe not all...
Sign of the night, regardless! 😂 #Canucks #defiant
— CrankyCanucksFan (@crankycanucksfan.bsky.social) January 23, 2025 at 8:56 PM
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Video Replay
It's homers in the other ROG to call the McOil revenge game. No need to watch.
GAME STATS
SHOTS
PERIOD | VAN | EDM |
1st | 11 | 13 |
2nd | 4 | 14 |
3rd | 11 | 7 |
TOTAL | 26 | 34 |
PLAYERS 'N TACO TALK
Bess gets a goal and a presser to explain the unexplainable.
Blueger answering questions that have no good answers.
If Taco hasn't lost the room, the team seems to be losing Taco.
Must win attitude. Must win games. So much mustard and not enough beef and grit.
Turns out the Nucks can't beat one of the worst teams or beat one of the best.
Feels like the old Nucking despair is descending upon NucksNation again.
Will Lord Rutherford swoop in and swat away all the careless, demotivated players?
If only he could do something...