NUCKS BOUNCE BACK - IN THE 3RD - WIN IN THE 5TH PERIOD.

A WIN FROM A GAME THAT WE (not me) PREDICTED.

Depleted roster. Depressed fans soaking under atmospheric rivers pouring their Nucking tears on the lower mainland. The last part might not be entirely meteorologically accurate.

However, finding out that not only would Petey and Hoagie not play in this game, they won't be with the team for the rest of the road trip, NucksNation was shaking their fists at the clouds. From indoors, hopefully.

With those developments, Taco had to anoint Suter the #1C, probably with a big ka-ching raise was well.

However, despite outplaying the Rags on Saturday morning, it seemed early on the depleted Nucks still had some feistiness left to gut out an OT loss. Demmers is back and ready to get us a point - on his own, possibly. I know, at NM. we're always looking to the bright side - through dark safety glass, of course.

1ST

Started as a low event period. That's good for us. Besides, the recent trend is to save high events for the 3rd.

Barely into the middle of the period and the events spiraled out of control for the little Devils as the Nucks win an O-zone FO, M-Petey goes down the wall and passes out front to our new $5-$7M center. Suter shoots and scores!

Nucks lead 1-0 after 1 and we haven't even got to the eventful part.

2ND

The events for the Nucks PK took a turn for the worse on a weak call on Teddy... called tripping, even tho it was a follow-thru from knocking the puck off a devilish stick.

On ensuing demonic PP, with one of our best Pkers in the box, Jersey scores.

Now we're back to evens and it's not fair. For fannish reasons I'm not required to explain.

Nucks and Deviants tied 1-1 after 2. At least the Nucks aren't trying to massage a one goal lead into the 3rd.

3RD

Nucks preserve the tie almost to the middle of the 3rd. That's good. Barely 10 minutes away from the exotic, too often elusive, loser point.

Demko is playing near Demmmers level. Our old Marky is playing pretty good too. Dammit.

And Myers goes postal. Nucks get a PP and both Bess and Huggie break their fast Eddie collection sticks - on possibly game-winning attempts. Such is Nucks luck. And leftover Edler sticks.

And then off a Devilish rush that looks thwarted, puck takes a weird bounce off the end boards out to a known little Devil who put a fiendish shot past Thatcher. Or could have been a forehand tap-in.

2-1 Devils.

No matter. We've reached the high event portion of the program. Less than a minute after that demonically-possessed bounce, Nucks are back putting the heat on the Hades zone.

Lekkerimaki and linemates are pressing. Big Bobby Forbort swoops behind the Devils lair and passes back up to the line. Pass comes back to him. Meanwhile Lekker is outsmarting that Devilish Bratt. Little Bratt thinks Lekker is going up the boards and turns his back. Lekker swoops into the middle to receive the puck from Forbort in the corner and snipes a wrister past Demon Marky.

Back to evens. Again. Which isn't fair. As not explained earlier.

Anyways, with a mere 7 minutes until the loser points are awarded, our new 2C, Teddy, loses the FO in the D-zone and loses his Devil-beast-man who snaps the puck past Demko.

And that's it. The battle of good (Canucks) versus evil, they're not called the Devils for nothing, appears lost.

Or does it?

Demmers had done all he can do and it's time for the 6th man to skate into hell and bring that righteous loser point home.

And that's exactly what happened. Pretty much.

Nucks are pressing 6-on-5 and nearly 6 Nucks converge on Marky after a rebound from Huggie's seeing puck shot. Nucks score! We're saved!

It's a team goal!

Nucks have tied it up. They have seen the Devil's 3 goals and matched them all.

We're going to OT. That's great!

Unfortunately, OT has not been a Nucking happy place very often.

OT

Doesn't matter. Taco is using his D, since you know, the forward depletion thing. Huggie and Ronnie and Suter start in OT. That's smart. Despite Huggie having already exceeded 30 mins of ice time.

Nucks keep possession of the puck most of the period. There were a few demonic possession moments and a couple of unholy saves from Demmers. Even one where he had to do the splits, which had the gamethread massaging their groins afterwards.

Nucks do NOT give up a goal in OT. That's the vital part.

SHOOT OUT

Now we can rain hell and pucks on the sneaky Devils. Mainly pucks. But that last Nucking one really pissed off the most-padded Devil.

DeBrusk scores for the Nucks.

Demon Bratt scores for Devils. The only goal Demmers gives up in the SO. [cue foreshadowing sound]

It's Round 4 or 5 and on the advice of the Nucks goalie coach, Taco puts Lekker out to face that big Devil - mano-a-demon.

Lekker makes Marky bite on the glove side gambit and shoots a holy puck into the Devils net, low blocker side.

Marky is a pissed off big Devil, smashes his Devil wand across the goal post and stomps off the ice.

NUCKS WIN A GAME! ON THE ROAD! IN THE DEVILS LAIR!

OBSERVATIONS

What a game! Nucks regroup after losing in the gardens and play a great team game with a fresh AHL infusion.

Suter was the game's 3rd star, with 2 goals. DeBrusk scored a snipe in the Skillz section. Huggie picks up another point (altho not officially, but screw the NHL stat stealers) while playing 32 minutes or less.

Lekky is the game hero. Taco must keep him up. Smart kid, with a wicked shot. Wicked, but he only uses it for good.

What a relief to have Demko back. Maybe not his best Demmmers form, but he made so many critical saves, especially in OT that he is NM's official 1st star.

The sky is pouring out the Nucking fun as well...

I think we forgot an important stat: Lekkerimaki is 100% in his career in the shootout #Canucks

— thegreatdandino (@thegreatdandino.bsky.social) March 24, 2025 at 8:40 PM

Of all players in the NHL that have played at least 50 games this season, #Canucks Quinn Hughes ranks eighth with a 1.19 points per game. He has the highest points per game of any defender.

— Adam Kierszenblat (@adamkblat.bsky.social) March 24, 2025 at 8:19 PM

Quinn Hughes officially clocks in 31:38 of ice time tonight vs #NJD making it the highest TOI total of his #NHL career His previous highest ice time in a game for #Canucks was 31:29 (Oct.11/24 vs PHI) @sportsnet650.bsky.social @snstats.bsky.social

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— KenwardsKorner (@kenwardskorner.bsky.social) March 24, 2025 at 8:02 PM

What a game and what an unbelievable player Lekkerimaki is gonna be. Kid needs to be spoon fed top 6 minutes. Insanely high IQ for his age. #Canucks

— juicemonkey89.bsky.social (@juicemonkey89.bsky.social) March 24, 2025 at 7:45 PM

Jacob Markstrom acting like a diva since 2008. #Canucks #NJDevils #NHL

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— Canucks Watcher (@canuckswatcher.bsky.social) March 24, 2025 at 7:44 PM

Nucks are still on the outside looking in... but Nucks fans are looking too...

Just when you think you're out, the #Canucks pull you back in. Canucks in after a shootout vs the face painters.

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— Paul Le Comte 🇳🇿🇨🇦📷 (@paullecomtephoto.nz) March 24, 2025 at 7:58 PM

Well... that's not fair!

NHL made a change on the #Canucks final goal so Quinn Hughes' point streak comes to an end. Goal is now Garland from Suter and DeBrusk

— Adam Kierszenblat (@adamkblat.bsky.social) March 24, 2025 at 9:53 PM

Anything else? Yes!

TWO Points! TWO!

Video Rehash

It's Monday Amazon coverage - replay sounds better on mute.

LEKKER SHOOTOUT MAKI

GAME STATS

PLAYER POINTS

SHOTS

PLAYERS 'N TACO TALK

Suter with 2 goals and a presser. We have to pay the man.

Demko is back on the ice and taking pressers.

Taco talks about boosting confidence, Demmers' return and Lekker's shooting.

NUCKS WIN! Win in the Devils barn! This road trip through the bowels of hell, or greater New York area, isn't over, but this gutsy win brings the Nucks some confidence and us fans some faint hope. That's pretty good.

Next game against our old Bo, which could be our temp Bo if he jumped the bench - just for one game. Wednesday against the Isles and the Nucks have to do this all over again. Let's get feisty!