Better to be good or lucky? Or be great for a few lucky minutes?

What a crazy high event, low event game. Nucks play kinda meh for most of the game. But played great for the 1st few minutes and the last few minutes. Apparently that's all you need.

The Nucks win their 3rd game of the series using their 3rd goalie of the series.

Is how they won hidden in Brockstar's knowing smile? Scored his 1st hattie in the playoffs. Just when we needed it.

I watched this game twice on PVR and still can't comprehend how this amazing win happened. The Nucks were outplayed for 50 minutes, Huggie was getting run early, often and too often. Pete was getting hit - especially during Preds goal cellies.

Maybe the fun fact is the Nucks always win in the playoffs (so far) when they score first. Maybe.

Nucks scored first after a perfectly executed Miller play after JT's FO win to Soucy. Passes to Miller who passes to Brock who shoots into the near empty net.

WOOOOO BROCK! First shot again!

Twitch

Preds tie it up a few minutes later. Not Silvos fault as it was a tipped shot.

1-1 tie on the road. That's not so bad. Some battle scars tho.

Josi deflecting a puck with his face... hope he's ok, but also kinda hope he's not ok.

Myers eats a puck...down on the ice.

Twitch

In the 2nd period, Huggie gets run continuously, Pete waits until some undisclosed time to put a shot on goal.

Preds get the next goal off a 2-on-1 rush in direct violation of Taco's neutral ice coverage rules. 2-1 Preds after 2. And look to be taking over the game.

In the 3rd, Preds get what they believe puts the game out of reach a 4-on-4 goal - a goal on a distinct kicking motion that the NHL has no issue with.

Nucks scuffle around. Preds take over the game. Gamethread is getting a tad concerned.

Just so many bad passing decisions by the canucks this game. Over and over they've tried a pass that i can see from the tv even it isn't going to work.

Twitch

Hang in there NMers. Just need 1 lucky break

'82wino

Then... in the last few minutes, Taco empties the net. Huggie plays like a calm, smart Norris candidate, takes over the game. Gets into the Preds zone and starts breaking ankles and setting up plays. Never give up.

Brock scores the 2nd Nucks goal. It's 3-2 Preds with no way the Nucks are going to get another goal. No way until there's barely 8 seconds left. And Brock scores! While Zav is blocking a couple Preds from getting near Brock.

Tie game! Wooooooo!

In OT, Nucks have the momentum and on the 2nd shift of the period, Cole makes a great play to keep the puck in the zone. Gnarly wins the puck behind the Preds net while Preds forwards are about to blow the zone... Except... Gnarly passes out front to an unchecked Lindy who puts a rocket past Sorass. Nucks WIN!!!

Amazing, shocking comeback!

Seriously though, in my 30 yrs of watching the Nucks, I don't remember more than a handful games with such a shocking ending. And shocking in a good way.

To be honest, watching the third was depressing, not just because we were losing, but because we were so badly out-played.
For some reason, my wife kept saying "come on, there isnstilln5 minutes, anything can happen". I was looking at her as if there was something wrong with her.

Atty

How about those miracle Nucks?

How was this even possible?
This was truly a full-fledged miracle.

1. We are down two goals with 2.5 minutes left.
2. The last two periods, before the EN, we had a combined 7 shots, I think. Must have broken a record in this stat.
3. Up to the EN, the Preds are still pushing the play, as if they were the ones losing.
4. We are completely out-played, out-hit, out-everything. We look like we are desperately protecting a 2 goals-loss.
5. We don't even look like we are trying. Barely have a pulse
6. In short, we gave up long before the end, and trying to forget about this game long before it even ended.

AND THEN......

We take out the goalie 2.5 minutes before the ending and play 4 minutes (regulation + OT) of some of the the most stunning hockey in decades. Turn the script upside down. Leave the Pred fans shocked, some of them sobbing and crying. Many of them still sitting in their seats long after the end, still looking dazed.

They did EVERYTHING right, and it didn't matter.

Atty

Familiar ending is some ways...

Nashville blowing that lead in the last 2 minutes to a team they outplayed the whole game was a very Canuckian thing to do.

Twitch

OBSERVATIONS

First time the Preds have lost a playoff game when leading in the 3rd. First time the Nucks have had 3 goalies win a game in the playoffs since the 2004 Western quarterfinals with Dan Cloutier in Game 1, Johan Hedberg in Game 3 and Alex Auld in Game 6.

Nucks are the 8th team in playoff history to comeback from a 2 goal deficit in the last couple minutes of the 3rd and win. See... they knew it could be done.

The Nucks 3rd goalie-in-net was great. Silovs seemed unflappable despite the pressure of playing in a very unfriendly barn.

Miller is a playoff beast. And Brock has impeccable net front manners. What a performance!

Apparently the Nucks one word motto this season is... Resilient.

Nucks are resilient, but still need to clean up the neutral ice coverage, get their forecheck going, win more puck battles and skate harder, faster. And maybe... get Pete going.

SWEET SWEET COMEBACK MUSIC LIVE IN MUSIC CITY

Shortie just about shouts himself horse late in the 3rd. Dave almost gets a pulse.

GAME STATS

SHOTS

PLAYER POINTS

Wooooooooo Bessie!

TACO 'n TEAM TALK

"Gotta take the positives... but got some work to do, obviously" - Coach Taco

Bess and Lindy talk about looks.

Saveovs just doing his thing.

Millsie showing no quit.

The luckiest 6 minutes of Nucks playoff hockey? Perhaps, but they say, you have to be good to be lucky. And resilient. And lucky. And use 3 goalies in 4 games. Who knows?

What we know is the Nucks can wrap up the series at home on Tuesday. No pressure. But WOW! What a crazy intense series for a bunch of low event games.