NO QUINN, NO WIN. NO REFS, NO NUCKING PP.
1st the bad news. Huggie is on tour with BC Faeries. And we missed him.
2nd bad news. 1st game for un-Millerfied EP40 and we're still missing the Alien.
3rd bad news. Since Garland mentally and physically damaged McAnointed and the NHL didn't cancel the Canucks franchise, refs have been instructed to never give the Nucks another PP this season. Possibly beyond.
Politoco news. ROG crowd booed the American anthem. Although to be fair, it was polite booing. However, we already know which team in the 4 Nations series will be getting more boos in Montreal.
Some good news. The New Kids are alright.
Petey-M or is it M-Petey? Anyhow, the Marcus of Pettersson played a solid game - we won that trade.
Chytil looked quite good. Good wheels, gets a goal and has a Mifler in OT. Fair trade.
O'Connor played well with Suter and Sherwood. He's got some speed and drive.
1ST
New kids got the Nucks on the board 1st. O'Connor speed and drive causes chaos in the Wing zone. Results in D-Petey getting his 1st point as a Canuck and Suter tipping EP25's shot for his 14th of the season.
The ROG elation lasted almost a full two minutes, as the Nucks give up a 3-on-2 and Derinkrat scores while Myers is interfered with trying to cover Detrinket. No call. Goal stands.
Get used to No Nucking Calls, because refs are busy getting txts from Toronto and Edmonton.
And then late in the period, for some odd reason, the otherwise occupied refs called the 1st and only penalty of the game.
Everytime I start thinking I like Forbort as a serviceable defenceman, he ends up in the box.
Twitch
Nucks lead tied 1-1. In the 1st. In the ROG!
2ND
Nucks finish killing the one and only penalty of the game. So... Yay!
However, the Nucks get hemmed in their own end. Can't clear. Not even new guy, O'Connor can clear. And then, as ever, bunch of players clog the front of the net and Lanky can't see the screened shot from the point and Nucks are down a goal. And the game thread has an anthem moment
Booo.
Twitch
Nucks pushback, get some good chances but can't put another one in the net. Yet.
Nucks get a great chance to tie on a 3-on-1. Brock has Pete and Debrusk to pass to. Instead shoots it over the net.
I feel like they should put Chytil with Petey. Brock doesn't do shit for him...
Twitch
Annnd it's like he saw me typing that and pulls a full on soupsie juuler on a 3 on 1.
The classic option when you have a 3-on-1 is to pass and pass - make the goalie move and then score. Brock's not a fan of the classics. Also seems that Brock is really missing JT. Looked unengaged, playing to earn a pay check, a trade, but not an extension.
Nucks trail 2-1 after 2.
Chytil looking like quinn hughes out there, dekeing whole teams and shit. Doesn't seem to have the finish though.
Twitch
Yet.
3RD
Nucks need to own this period. Push the tired flappy wings hard. And do.
Maybe not the best players at the best moment tho.
"Forbort tried a one-timer."
Thursday
Something I kinda never want to hear, you know? I mean, glad for you bud, but pretty sure there's someone else on the ice who can do that for you.
Meanwhile on the what-used-to-be-a-penalty game within the game watch...
Go ahead red wings. Run the goalie, it's ok.
Twitch
We'll find out later, but expect it was determined by NHL Officiating on High, that the refs are only there to call icings - which is the Linesman's job, but more eyes make those difficult calls more simple.
Finally as the mid-period rolls into the ROG, the new kids have to compensate for the refs and score the hard way, 5-on-5. Gnarly comes into the Wing-zone, gets fouled, but whatever. Wingdingies clear the puck, to Chytil, who skates around and outwaits the goalie and scores a beautie!
WOOOOO NEWGUY1!!!!
Twitch
Nucks keep pressing and the wings keep fouling and the refs keep a keen eye out for an errant icing.
Which means, we're going to OT so the Nucks can collect another loooooser point.
OT
No Huggie in OT. That's not good. And worse... Taco blew his chance for Tin Cup immortality.
It's 3 on 3 Tocchet, no excuse to not start with... Pettersson Pettersson Pettersson #canucks
— Dave Korzinski (@davekorzi.bsky.social) February 2, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Taco doesn't choose the obvious option. Instead gives Gnarly 3 OT shifts and EP40 gets one shift. Doesn't go well. Despite the Nucks outshooting the Wings all game, Nucks get 1 shot, Wings get 3 and the game winner.
Elias Pettersson (EP40) went Ilya Mikhayev style on this shot in OT that could have ended the game with a win. š„“ Yikes š„: Sportsnet | NHL #CanucksĀ #GoCanucksGo #LGRWĀ #NHL
— Canucks Watcher (@canuckswatcher.bsky.social) February 2, 2025 at 7:55 PM
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Nucks lose the game 3-2, but win a point to almost keep in sight of the 2nd wildcard spot.
OBSERVATIONS
Without Huggie to be the difference maker, we might have hoped EP40 would outshine the other Petterssons in the game. But for the first 40, he was looking to earn his Louie Pettersson defensive forward money.
Haha. Did EP 25 really lead the team on the stat card ahead of EP40? Or is this an error? #Canucks
— DJTaxman77 (@hugheshart43.bsky.social) February 2, 2025 at 7:56 PM
EP played solid in the 3rd but no excuses. He was nowhere to be seen in the first two periods. #Canucks
— fuzzysnack (@fuzzysnack.bsky.social) February 2, 2025 at 7:56 PM
EXTRA TIME
Batch mentioned that Nucks have gone to overtime in 28.8% of their games this year. Have won 3 and lost 11 in OT. Ouch! If they had won a few more in reg or OT, they wouldn't be looking at the dismal side of the last wildcard.
Oh well... we didn't enjoy the Nucks winning the division last year that much. Watching them scramble for wildcard scraps is just as much fun. Or not.
BEER LEAGUE OFFICIATING
Important to mention the unbiased and totally fair refs. So nice when a visiting team brings their own.
They donāt call them the Ref Wings for nothing. #canucks
— Josh (@slads.bsky.social) February 2, 2025 at 7:44 PM
That was a rigged game. #canucks got zero PPs when there were clear offences by Detroit. And that first Red Wings goal should not have happened because Myers got interfered with. What a joke of a league when you have refs like that.
— Chris Choi (@chrisbc.bsky.social) February 2, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Chytil looked very good all game. Fast, engaged and scored. Yay!
Filip Chytil tonight in his #CanucksĀ debut: ā G: 1 ā PTS: 1 ā SOG: 3 ā TOI: 20:03 ā 2nd Star of the Game - āļøāļø He really demanded the puck and very strong on it. Looking forward to watch him as the remaining of the season progresses. #CanucksĀ #GoCanucksGo #NHL
— Canucks Watcher (@canuckswatcher.bsky.social) February 2, 2025 at 8:42 PM
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O'Connor could develop some chemistry with Sherwood. Sherwood was back and making hits - in 15:28, he set a Nucks team record with an NHL-high 281 hits this season. So far.
Mainly positive for the new kids.
I see some potential here, so many new players.
Atty
Not a terrible outcome, but should have been better. We were the better team in the 3rd. Much better.
Anything else? Yes!
Onto the real test for the new Nucks coming next week.
Video Replay
It's Shortie and Ray winging it without Quinn.
GAME STATS
SHOTS
PERIOD | VAN | DET |
1st | 10 | 6 |
2nd | 9 | 7 |
3rd | 7 | 2 |
OT | 1 | 3 |
TOTAL | 25 | 33 |
PLAYERS 'N TACO TALK
Sherwood hitting all the big points.
Filip Chytil gets his 1st Nucks goal and presser.
EP talks about getting his 1st Nucks point.
Taco Talks about the New Kids playing fast and EP40's line not burying their chances. Also evades the question about the Boo-Anthem moment. He knows which side of the rink butters his ESPN bread.
Good game that ends poorly. Outplayed the Wings most of the game. Except the key parts. And couldn't outplay the refs.
Nucks get one more ROG game on Tuesday against another team that's struggling to make the playoffs. [Checks stats] Avs not struggling too much to hang on to 4th in the Central. Will the New Nucks struggle to win that game? Will the Nucks ever get another PP? We don't know yet.