THIS IS WHY WE LOVE ROAD HOME HOCKEY
Beating the Pens at home is the stuff of NM joy and light celebratory drinking.
4 Consecutive Wins
As is Nucking tradition when returning from a road trip, the Nucks start the game in the 2nd. And worse, former new-Bo scores against his former team to open the scoring for the wrong team.
1-0 Pens after 1.
As ever... NM had moments of confusion.
Have to use the Pitts announcer feed...but they're both really good...unbiased
'Twitch'82
Funny...
Announcer says "Pettersson shoots...blocked by Pettersson"...then "Pettersson shoots again....blocked by Pettersson again"....
Announcer says "They're going to do this to me all night aren't they"
Lolololol
In the 2nd, the Pens keep scoring. Early. Fortunately, not often. Because... once the Pens got that road goal fever out of their system, Nucks decided to play better, faster. Really fast. 4th fastest time a Nucks team have scored 3 in a single period - in just a minute five.
Pete opens the flood of goals.
WOOOO PETEY!!! About fucking time.
Twitch
40 seconds later, Sherwood scores off a beaut pass from Blueger. It's a tie game. And some 20 seconds later, JT shovels his own rebound to take the lead. 3-2 Nucks.
3 goals in 65 seconds... starting ten seconds after i turn the game on lol.
Twitch
But wait! Nucks ain't done (fortunately) as Bains gets his 1st NHL Goal. In the ROG. The ROG goes nuts! We didn't know it then, but it's the GWG! Wow!
4-2 Nucks after 2 and the comeback is complete. Which is good.
Because... in the 3rd, the old tired Pens playing their 2nd of a B-2-B come out faster, harder than the Nucks who feel they've already won the game in the 2nd.
But... Malkie had other ideas... and took advantage of a broken play 3 player collision at center ice - broke in and deked Lanky to make it 4-3 Nucks.
Didn't matter. Nucks hang on to keep it a regulation win.
3 points out of 1st in the Pacific
'82
Oh how a decade happens in a week
OBSERVATIONS
Pete broke the drought, the doubt with his 1st goal of the season. His 1st 5-on-5 goal since last March. Hellava goal drought. Hopefully this opens up his inner Alien goal feasting. And outer too.
New D, Brannie, played great, again. Confidently skates the puck out of the zone. No points but a +2 on the night.
Bains scores his 1st goal in the NHL. That's the stuff of memories. From a smart pass off the pads sprung by Sprong - who played well on the 4th line.
Sherwood, the league's leading hitter, with 6 in this game, had one of the flurry tallies. He's our new Burrs. Fans love him already. Huggie is thrilled too - to not be playing against him.
JT's line was matched up against the old Kid and kept Sid off the scoreboard. Out-played and out-chanced the Hall of Fame line.
Nucks PP didn't score, but had some really good looks... Bess had eleventy high danger chances. Nucks was PK was perfect, so the balance of the special teams was preserved.
How was our minimum wage goalie?
Lanky played much better than his SV% would say - none of the goals against were his fault. Has won 4 of his 5 last starts posting a 1.95GA with a .933SV%.
Anything else? Yes!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
Video Replay
Shortie and Dave's kid covering HNIC in the ROG.
GAME STATS
PLAYER POINTS (so many quick goals)
PLAYERS 'N TACO TALK
Pete almost smiling in the presser.
Bains getting his 1st NHL goal, 1st NHL GWG and rewarded by a minute with Vancouver media.
Taco Talks Tough about being happy with the rush scoring... still not thrilled with the game start and sitting back a little too much in the 3rd.
Big home win! Spicy 2nd period. Got the ROG rocking. It's good to be home - with a home win.
The home stand gets a little tougher - or a lot tougher, on Monday. Canes are in the ROG on Monday to help the Nucks extend their early season win streak. Hope they got that memo.