Most Important Last Win of the Preseason!

Nucks win the 2nd of the home on home series of preseason champs. Defeat the Oil just like we knew they would when icing an NHL roster.

Good start to this game, even better mid-period play as Huggie puts the Nucks on the board 1st. Nucking D weren't finished. Taking a beauty backhand pass from Petey, Soucy picked his spot and beat Skinnie clean.

2-0 Nucks after 1.

In the 2nd, Nucks extend the lead early with a 2nd unit PP goal that featured better puck/player movement than the 1st unit. Good to see.

Unfortunately, Ruty taking a draw on his offside, lost the draw and went the wrong way and lost coverage and Stealovs lost his SO. Oh well... still the preseason. Until next week,

3-1 Nucks after 2.

In the 3rd, Oil comeback with the McDrei pushback, that got a few chances, but no goals. In fact the only goal in the 3rd was the EN from DeBrusk with a pass from Sprong. Taco putting the EP line out in the last minute facing 6-on-5 is the stuff of nerves of preseason papier-mâché. And the line delivered.

Nucks win 4-1. Fun game! Always fun when the Nucks beat the tOilers.

Final Pre-Impressions

Nucks gave up 17 turnovers. Yeesh. Keeping the fresh ROG baking in play.

'Special Teams' Nucks PP scored! Another Bains goal. Even better, Nucks PK was perfect against the world's most highly rated PP who got 4 chances to prove how highly rated they are. Forbort played really well on the PK. A coincidence? You decide.

Petey looked good with his new wingers, DeBrusk and Sprong. As did his new wingers. Could be some good chemistry bubbling in the Taco lab this season.

Raty didn't play his best game... and worse, lost his check on the sole Oil goal. But, hey, Taco said that's what the preseason is for... make mistakes, and learn from them.

We got to see JT!!! Sporting some early game rust and Mifflers. Got better as the game progressed. Bess was shooting for the moon. And the bars. He'll get dialed in.

Huggie was Quinning all night. Pots a goal and nearly undresses Skinnsie twice. Also solid in his own zone. As was his partner, Ronnie.

We didn't see Gnarly in the lineup. Yikes! However, Taco said he tweaked something this morning and since this was a mean nothing game - THAT WE WON! - decided to let Gnarls heal up to be ready for next week.

Video Replay

Shortie's back in the ROG enjoying sharing the haute cuisine with Dave.

GAME STATS

SCORING

PLAYERS 'N TACO TALK

Sherwood talks about driving Nurse nutz.

Soup delivers the sauce.

Taco Talks Tough about the game having a little bit everything - the good, the bad, the fugly. He's already in mid-season presser shape.

Fun game, great outcome. Lots of good stuff to build on.

Nucks get a few days rest to circle the dots, clean the rails and polish the walls again. The full 82 begins next Wednesday in the ROG. Are we ready? Are the Nucks? Let's find out.