THATCHER IS UNDEFEATED AGAINST SJ - BUT NOT TOFFEE

After hosing down the Avs previous game, we were kinda expecting hoping the 10-1 Nucks would show up in the tank, get hatties in each period, EP40 scoring at least twice on the power plays. And new kids would score at least 1 or 2 a period and we'd watch the Nucks swagger into the final wildcard spot.

What we witnessed instead was a low scoring scruffy game that could have gone either way but for Demmers saving the Nucks and the game. And new guy, Drew with the GWG on a penalty shot in OT.

Not misreading. Nucks WIN a game in OT!

1ST

Nucks were pretty feisty to start. Outshooting the worst team in the NHL 6-3 in the 1st 10 minutes. Outshooting but not outscoring. Demmers made the most spectacular save after Forbort hit a gravity well inside the Sharks blueline and a speedy Sharkie had a breakaway on Demko - who stopped the 1st, 2nd and 3rd attempt before the Nucks skaters did something something.

In the end the Sharks outshot the Nucks 7-6 in the 1st.

Not the most stellar 1st period for the #Canucks -22 shot attempts and 6 shots on goal - 3 of those shots was from Elias Pettersson (EP25) Yep the other one😅 - Most shots and attempts from low danger areas - Canucks blocked 1 shot while the Sharks blocked 10 #Canucks #GoCanucksGo #NHL

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— Canucks Watcher (@canuckswatcher.bsky.social) February 6, 2025 at 8:37 PM

2ND

Ok, sure it wasn't the sparkling outburst of Nucking scoring that we hoped for. Will the Nucks get a goal in the next 20 minutes?

No, they won't. But get the 3rd futile PP of the scruffy game. In the last 30 seconds of the period. That was exciting. In a false hope sort of way.

Still a 0-0 game after 40 minutes. Let's move on.

3RD

In the 3rd while the Nucks are protecting the tie, the Sharks are attacking. Not a really dangerous Shark attack.

And then the Nucks get another PP. And as ever looks futile without Huggie. However, in the last 5 seconds, it's a DAK attack with a tip from a Suter shot.

Wooo! Nucks lead 1-0 with only 12 nail biting minutes to go against the worst team in the league.

With the new kids Nucks, you might expect the Nucks to keep the pressure up and pot another 2 and get Demmmers another shutting out.

Instead, the Nucks revert to their patent-pending sit back passive style. How passive? Sharks outshot the Nucks 8-0 in the last 5 minutes.

Part of the reason is Chytil gets a penalty and the Nucks PK must get back to work. And work well at killing it off.

However, in the last 2 minutes, Shark net is empty and Sharks are pressing. Then a bad thing happened. New guy Chytil makes his 1st egregious Soupie Oopsie. Accidently passes the puck out front and Toffee, the former and still current Nuck killer, whacks at the puck and finally gets it past Demko.

Nucking initiation completed.

Now you are a Canuck, Chytil. 🥴 #canucks

— Michael Paweska (@mpaweska.bsky.social) February 6, 2025 at 10:07 PM

You're not a true #canucks fan if you didn't know Toffoli was going to score a big goal in this game.

— VanCity Sports (@vancitysports.bsky.social) February 6, 2025 at 10:08 PM

1-1 after 3. and we're going to the scary place.

OT

Surprisingly, Taco doesn't put Gnarly out for the 1st shift - maybe 'cause he was hurt earlier in the game.

Instead, it's 2 new guys, Chytil and O'connor, and Ronnie.

There's some back and forth as is the way of OT. But Chytil is out for redemption. Sets up O'connor who gets interfered/hooked just before he can shoot.

It's a Penalty Shot! In OT!

Drew pulls left and pulls a Miller and scores! It's the GWG! On a penalty shot! In OT!

Nucks scrape out a win over the worst team in the league. Sure, it took extra time, but a Nucks win in OT is rare enough. Winning in OT on a penalty shot, hasn't happened in Nucks lore since Hutton in 2016.

WOOOOOOOOO!

OBSERVATIONS

Some people enjoyed watching this game. I wasn't one of them. Definitely the worst game the Nucks have played since the trade(s).

Despite getting the 2 points and securing (for now) the last wildcard spot, NucksNation had their eye on Pete, $11.6M edition. In 19:33 of ice time, Petey managed 0 shots, 0 goals, 0 hits, 0 blocks. Where has Petey's game gone? We don't know.

Some chatter on the skies of blue...

Frankly the #Canucks do not even deserve to win. They should be demolishing them with all the power plays of course that would require EP40 to maybe SHOOT THE EFFING PUCK once in a while.

— Grant (@pyeinburnaby.bsky.social) February 6, 2025 at 10:16 PM

As a fan of the Vancouver #Canucks I am comfortable with taking the risk of trading EP40 🤷🏻‍♂️ I realize other fans will think I’m bonkers, but if we’re in a win now/as soon as possible mode, this guy ain’t it.

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— Luc (@lcfrst.bsky.social) February 6, 2025 at 11:36 PM

OK, I'm convinced the #canucks have to move Petey before July 1st. For whatever reason he won't shoot, lacks confidence, is well below 50% career in the dot and simply doesn't seem capable of regaining his elite form, which has been MIA through the 2024 playoffs and well over half of 2025.

— James Wanless (@wanless.bsky.social) February 6, 2025 at 10:17 PM

While we're Quinning again, without Quinn... turns out we could be without Quinn a while longer...

In other news, can confirm that it's an oblique injury ailing #Canucks captain Quinn Hughes.

— David Quadrelli (@quadrelli.bsky.social) February 6, 2025 at 10:19 PM

Anything else? Yes!

Not asking for much... but to the aliens who kidnapped the Alien, please return him ASAP.

Video Replay

Shortie and Dave found their way to the tank to cover a scrappy game.

GAME STATS

PLAYER POINTS

SHOTS

PLAYERS 'N TACO TALK

Drew gets the GWG in OT and his 1st Nucks presser.

Suter speaks about the 2 points.

Taco Talks about the speed of Drew and grinding out a win.

Nucks get a must-win game won. The hard way. Not the blowout we wanted, but the 2 points we needed.

Nucks get one more game on HNIC on Saturday before the 4 Seasons break. Hopefully another Saturday Nucks game where they outplay the opponents - on ice and on the panel.