Gonna be a long series. At least we hope so.

This game appeared to be cursed. The game day was cursed. First we discover that Demmers is back on BC Ferries... then we notice that Myers got the flu. From BC Ferries food? We don't know.

Maybe with the boys knowing Demmers isn't on the ice they felt they had play 10% better. But sometimes better means not over-thinking by 25%. But oh well.

This game starts just like the first one. Nucks give up the 1st goal early in the 1st. Thanks to old new Beau beating Pete on the boards and beating Pete to the slot for the tip. 1-0 Preds after 1.

Better luck in the 2nd?

Canucks need a response in this period.

Westy

The response was... another Pred goal after Juuls was beat behind the net and FaceForestburg puts a skill shot past DeSmith. 2-0 Preds.

2 goal deficit? Not a big deal.

Unless Pete makes a bad play at his own blueline, gives away the puck and then his man beats Pete to the net to score. 3-0 Preds.

Pete is frustrated. The ROG is quietly frustrated. And so are we.

At least the Nucks got 3 PP chances in the 2nd. And guess how that went..

We haven;t even started the powerplay and it already sucks...

Twitch

But then...

JT Miller..PP killer

Westy

Miller giving it away twice in a row...

Twitch

But Pete is on it...

Petey just missed....the net

Westy

0 for 3... that's not so bad in series where special teams can win or lose a game.

But the shots 5-on-5 aren't quite enough either.

3 PP and only 5 shots in the game so far......brutal

Westy

However, Zav isn't going to let a Sorass get the SO. He skates into a pass from Cole and scores with a blast blocker side. Wooooo goes the ROG. As does the gamethread.

Finally

Westy

3-1 Nucks after 2.

Nucks are coming back for another 12 second miracle. But if 12 second miracles happen in consecutive games, they lose the miracle status.

The Nucks dominate the play. Get lots of O-zone time. And lots of attempted shots. But no puck luck around the net when Sorass left juicy rebounds. All the other shots were blocked like Westy blocks others in the NM Rum Lounge.

Others shots tho...

Boeser all alone. Shoots in the pads.

Atty

Of course Taco pulls DeSmith so the Nucks can have an extra player's shots blocked. And of course, Preds get the EN. And the Nucks get a 4-1 loss.

On the bright side, the ROG gets a game 5. So, that's good.

Yannik Hansen said today on the radio: It takes a lot of losing in the playoffs, before you learn to win.

If that's true, then we needed this loss.

Atty

OBSERVATIONS

84 shot attempts. Most shot attempts by any Nucks SCP team. 18 got through. 1 got a goal. 31 missed the net, others blocked. 36 attempts for the Preds. 16 got through and too many became goals.

Nucks outhit the Preds 47-30. Most hits any Nucking SCP team has thrown. Not the most goals.

Pete is struggling on scoring side... missed an open net... bypassed the open net... missed shots... 9 shot attempts, 0 got through. And worse he made defensive mistakes - got burned on 2 goals. Pete finished up with a -3.

Pete needs to become a Keslling beast in Smashville. Put Millsie and the game on his back and go score to win. Also... get the 1st goal of the game, just to change it up.

ROG REELING LOSS LOWLIGHTS

Shortie and Dave are back in the ROG to curse call the game.

GAME STATS

SHOTS

TACO TALK

"learning lesson for the guys.... gotta take what's there... don't force something that's not there." - Coach Taco

Let's hear from the players... whether we want to or not.

Zav Speaks

DeSmith DeSpeaks

Millsie Making Mistakes Count

Huggie (no points and a -2) talks about SCP hockey

Pete (-3, no points) talks about shooting?

Losing a playoff game in the ROG is still better than having no SCP game in the ROG. However, winning a playoff game in the ROG still feels much much better.

Nucks get a few days to regroup and pass the Myers flu around the locker room. Then zip over to Smashville for game 3 on Friday to ruin an early dinner at 4:30 Pacific.

This is going to be so much fun! Right? Right??