Play like you mean it for 10 minutes - Lose like you don't care.
The Nucks came into the game up 2-1 and could have taken a strangle muffle hold on the series. Unlike the previous game where the Nucks started strong and cruised and bruised to the win, Nucks started weak and faded until the late 3rd.
Maybe it was just bad puck luck. But the Nucks found themselves on the PP early. And it went really well. For the Oil.
Amazing powerplay...took a minute to even get into the oilers zone for all of 6 seconds...
Twitch
And the Colean good clean clear therapy isn't on the game cards.
Two failed clears by cole, miller to the box for an oscar winning dive by draisaitl.
Twitch
And Cole gets to stay for the PK and miscommunicates with Josh and... it's 1-0 Oil.
Who cares? Not the Nucks. Because they get a 4 minute PP to eeek out a tie game. Or not. If there was ever a time to push the pace and play like Game 3 Nucking PP this would be it. Or not.
No urgency with the PP....come on
Westy
Do the canucks even give a shit if they score? Holy, lack of give-a-fuck level.
Twitch
That pathetic effort on the 4 minute PP pretty much set the Nucking tone for the game. A monotone with zero compete or finish.
With any hope of any Nucking momentum killed and buried in a shallow fashion shop in the greatest mall on Earth it's 1-0 Oil after 1. Could have been 3-1 Nucks, but that would take effort. A team effort.
1st period Canucks suck tonight
Westy
Someone in the gamethread, might have been me, but that's just an unconfirmed rumour... but someone in the gamethread noted the lack of interest in playing hockey from the Nucks was somehow tied to off ice threats.
The fix is in. Nucks have been told to throw the game... for reasons we're not allowed to know.
There's no hustle or intensity, not from even one player. Gotta be a team-directive to play passive.
jimmi
To be fair Gnarly was hustling... just not enough.
In the 2nd, gamethread is hopeful.
Good news is that we couldn't play worse than this period, so we should be better in the second.
Atty
Nucks do play a little better, giving us a little hope.
Ref trips garland...one of those nights.
Twitch
But then...
Cole needs to sit
Westy
Until 2025 preferrably.
Twitch
Gamethread, as ever, has the best strategies.
We need to screen our shots. Too easy for the goalie.
Atty
And lots of questions.
Why didn't lindholm shoot there?
Twitch
And then just when it looked like the Nucks would get out of the 2nd being just a goal down... Juuls decides to blow coverage and put a big hit on Stockieholm while taking out one of his own wingers - that's how big a hit it was. Which setup a 2-on-1 where Nudge scores on Silovs, who didn't stop the breakaway because it wasn't DrySaddling-in.
I am not even surprised or shocked by the Oils scoring the second one. We are trying to work less than the Oil and sneak in a goal or two.
Atty
No chance of that.
2-0 Nucks after 2.
I would luv to see a video comparison of a 1974 playoff game to a 2024 playoff game
It would look the exact same...right lolololololol
I'm out of breath just sitting and watching
'82wino
In the 3rd, Nucks have woken up from the 40 minute power nap and are finally ready to put some pressure on the tOil and their 2nd string backup goalie who plays like a low rent DeSmith.
Gnarly and Arty carrying the team.
Atty
Hopefully more will join.
That's the thing that is soooooo frustrating to watch. The Nucks, when the team, the entire team plays Taco Tough hockey, they can beat the McOil. When the team engages and forechecks with intensity and put pucks on net, goals will follow.
Only fitting, that Gnarland, gets the 1st Nucking goal of the game in the early 3rd. From the hard work of his linemates forechecking. 2-1 Oil.
As with most Nucking comeback stories, have to wait until the goalie is pulled in the final minutes. And guess what. The comeback kids scare the tOil. Brock puts a shot on net or on Josh's skate. 2-2 tie.
Brock!!!
Westy
Unfortunately... in the last minute with the tie assured, the Nucks play 5 mistakes in a single tirefire. The most egregious mistake was permitting passes through the 'guts' and not blocking the Bouchard shot. Total gut punch.
Oil win 3-2.
brutal end
Westy
Interesting ending...
Atty
As I said, need to play two periods. Or three is even better.
OBSERVATIONS
Ronnie has no goals, no points in 10 playoff games. Had a good game 1, terrible the last 3. If PA signs him to the 8-by-8 he wants, then we'll know JB is still filtering the paperwork.
Miller didn't have his best game. He knows it. He wasn't alone. As ever in these playoffs, we're waiting for our 'superstar' to show up.
Petey really is out of sorts. He turns to hit people with his ass and his first strides are slow
Westy
Wasting that 4 minute PP in the 1st was a game-killer. Nucks need to keep up in the special teams battle. Or at least get 1 freaking goal on 3 powerplays in the playoffs! Nucks need to move their freakin' feet once they get in the zone. Static powerplays do not work.
Too much hesitation on so many plays, as Taco calls it, "pause hockey - can't win when you have 5 or 6 passengers."
As Taco explains later, he feels some guys aren't aware the playoffs have started. In the playoffs, the work ethic must elevate, the will to win every puck battle raised. And the willingness to sacrifice the body to make the play. Unlike Miller who avoided, rather than block Bouchard's winning shot.
McOIL REEL
Watch with the sound off. It's Homer Simpson night in Edmonton.
GAME STATS
SHOTS
CANUCKS | Period | tOIL |
4 | 1st | 8 |
9 | 2nd | 14 |
8 | 3rd | 8 |
21 | TOTAL | 30 |
TACO TEAM TALK
Taco was pissed. Almost called out some players - hello Pete.
Gnarland talks about the pressure and sustaining it.
Miller is breaking down the presser.
Capt'n Huggie is moving on.
Not a good Nucking game. One wonders what it would look like if the Nucks played fully engaged for the full 60 minutes.
Nucks get a chance to do just that on Thursday in the ROG. After getting their backs re-stripped after Taco takes a few strips out of them, they'll be ready to bounce back.
And win. As a wise commenter stated about the Oil: "They look as greazzy as your 8th grade science teacher's combover." Or something. Once the Nucks neutralize McSaddle and stay out of the box, the Oil's depth is... shallow. And greasy.
Anyhow, we all, or some of us, called the Nucks to win in 7, so it's still possible. On the bright side, we haven't seem them play their best game yet. They've got more to give.