MUST EXPECTED WIN GAME WON! WOOOOOOOO!
This was and wasn't a game we might have been looking forward to. We very much wanted to see another home win in the ROG. Very much. But we didn't want to the fLames again on HNIC... Homer Night in Cowtown coverage.
1ST PERIOD
No worries. 1st shift in the 1st minute of the 1st period the Pete/Gnarly/Hogz line are performing the requisite ROG start of the game. It's Tick, Tack and Hoggie Goal!
Hoggie goal almost as big as my mute button working for HNIC broadcast.
Rob
And that's the scoring total from the 1st. Nucks 1-0 after 1. But for an interesting observation.
Hard to believe this is a HNIC broadcast. First is almost over, and no cheap pens assessed against Nucks. 🤷🏻♂️
Rob
No penalties to each team were given. Refs gotta get ready for the 2nd season too.
2ND PERIOD
The Petey line is just getting started. Best line on the ice. Gnarly and Hogz creating chaos and Pete doing Pete things. Altho... Pete did send a few passes into negative space where the invisible 7th player wasn't.
We do not care.
Ok, fine. We care a little. And so do the Nucks. Playing Taco Tough hockey and not giving up much. And saving the highlight reel goal of the night for the mid period.
Gnarly sent the puck up to Pete at center ice. He and Hogz could have a 2 and oh. But Pete sees Hoggie has more speed and more moves. His crazy deke puts Marky on his belly and the backhand in the net.
WOOO HOGGY!!!!
Twitch
Hogs....I saw it
Westy
2-0 Nucks after 2 and only 20 minutes of semi-tense tension to go.
Correction. In the last minute thirty, Millsie, who didn't have a good game, made a lazy move at the Nucking blueline, Anderson has time and space to send a floater past DeSmith.
Canucks looking pretty casual that last shift or two...
Twitch
2-1 Nucks after 2. And only 20 minute of more seriously tense tension to go.
3RD PERIOD
Early in the 3rd, Millsie, who wasn't having a good game, takes an unrequired tripping penalty on Kadri. Sure Kadri sold it, but if just let him go, he was skating into 4 other Canucks. No worries, even though we did. Nucks PK kept their perfectly efficient stinginess at full stinge.
Then it happened. Refs call the 1st penalty of the game on Cowpunchers.
Oh oh… Nucks PP…
Rob
It's ok...we don't have momentum to lose...
Twitch
Unsurprisingly the Nucks PP didn't score. However, a little more surprising, refs call another penalty against the visiting team that contributed two players to the Nucks.
8 seconds after the O-zone FO, Huggie passes to Millsie, Millsie to Bessie and back to Millsie who blasted a rocket past Markie. Wooo! Nucking PP goal! Don't see that every day.
3-1 Nucks with 4 mins to go.
Funny aside, the ROG started a Miller, MIller, Miller cheer to show how much they appreciated him. Post game, Miller commented, "Don't know why they were cheering me - I was the worst player on the ice, most of the game."
That's the GWG. With the Cowering net empty, Lindy scored into it.
Lindholm!!!
Atty
What an amazing goal!!!
No one in NM was more excited to see Lindy break the desert ducking goal drought.
Clowngary came back to score a late nothingbuger with 30 seconds to go. Still hurt DeSmith SV% and was a preventable tally.
NUCKS WIN 4-2 in the ROG!
What a fun game.
Atty
Canucks have a 3 Game Home Win Streak. Woooo!
This home-stand is exactly what this team needed to get out confidence back.
Atty
ROG WINNING REEL
As good as this win was to watch, was a little hard to listen to, compliments of HNIC. Enjoy the Mute button replay.
GAME STATS
SHOTS
| fLAMES | Period | CANUCKS |
| 6 | 1st | 6 |
| 10 | 2nd | 12 |
| 8 | 3rd | 8 |
| 24 | TOTAL | 26 |
PLAYER POINTS
| GOALS | ASSISTS | +/- | |
| GNARLAND | 2 | +2 | |
| HOGLANDER | 2 | +2 | |
| PETTERSSON | 2 | +3 | |
| LINDHOLM | 1 | +1 | |
| MILLER | 1 | -1 | |
| BOESER | 1 | -1 | |
| HUGHES | 1 | +2 | |
| Saves | Shots | SV% | |
| DESMITH | 22 | 24 | .917 |
TACO TALK
Taco was happy that Hogz was driving the Petey line. As did Gnarland. And said it was a "busines-like, workman-like game." Taking care of biz. And making millions. Sounds good.
Taco Presser at NHL.COM.
In the grand scheme of things, Nucks are tied with the Rags for 1st in the entire league. And more importantly maintain 1st in the West.
How important is the next game? Very. It's a 4 pointer on Monday against LA. Nucks must win this one to keep LA in the 8th wild card spot and destroy their confidence. But they aren't in the 8th spot, you say. Fine. Doesn't matter then. What does?
Let's find out.
