2 Softies 2 Much in the Tale of 2 Goalies

1st Period

The Run ‘n Gun era is over. Whenever the Blues come to town the 1-3-1 welcome mat is put out. And the Nucks made the Blues wipe their skates before assaulting Marky with no look passes and seeing-eye shots.

Or not. From my not inconsiderable vantage point of fair and balanced reporting, it appeared the Nucks were holding the state of play. At one point in the first they were up 8-3 in shots.

And then this happened. I knew this was going to happen. Westy knew this was going to happen. The other two fifths of NM gamethread knew this was going to happen.

Apparently Marky didn’t. And he was right there - not tracking the puck.

1st Softie for our Big Swede.

Ugh. Not the worst softie on Marky (that’s later), but that fluky goal kinda let out the air of momentum the Nucks were sniffing in the ROG. Especially since the Blues looked out of sync, tired and totally beatable in the 1st.

Period ends in a tie. 8-8 on the shot glass. Blues up 1-zip - the reason we need more shot glasses.

2nd Period

This year, as certain as Marky’s softies - there really is a reason why it took him 129 games to get his first shutout - there’s a certain Flow to the game that we’ll get it back.

Wooo!!! #20 on the season for Brock. Leading all rookies in scoring. Again.

Not only a wristy wizard, Brock is humble - no showboaty goal celie - acknowledges the great setup by Vanek first.

Want to see that goal again? Me too.

If it seems there’s a little much emphasis on just this one goal, there’s an emphatic reason for it. That’s the one goal of the game for the Canucks. Just one. After this string of high event, high scoring games, it’s cold turkey pucks for the Nucks.

So, let’s celebrate our young phenom some more.

Jake Allen on Boeser:

“I think he’s just a pure goal scorer. He’s a shooter, sort of like Tarasenko on our team, very similar just opposite hands. Quick, got a good shot. Already beat me twice this year in the 2 games we’ve played him. He’s going to have a real bright future.

Thanks for the back-handed compliment, Jake. Been more convincing with a hat-trick of praise, but oh well.

Blues outshoot the Canucks 12-10 in the period, but we out score them. Game tied. For reals. It’s 1-1 and 1 period (or more) to wish NucksNation a Merry Xmas.

Or not. The 2nd Softie is even more popular with Xmas Grinches.

A bad angle shot that Marky would have stopped if his teflon-covered jersey hadn’t leaked teflon juice all over his gear.

It was a nothing play - but the Blues had book on our leaky Marquis de Softie - shoot from the worst angles possible - because sometimes the best thing happens from the worst shot. Ugh.

Period ends with the Blues with an impossible lead, up 2-1.

3rd Period

The Blues have won 18 games when leading going into the 3rd. The Canucks, when trailing going into the third, have won....it’s not important. That stat is only depressing and Xmas is almost here. Let’s dream of ponies...ponies that grow in horses....Dahlin horses of history. Yes, let’s just dream of ponies.

The ever valiant Almost-Comeback Kids mounted some good rushes. Virt and Brock in particular. Brock was stopped on a 2 on 1 rush by the ever quotable, Allen. And stopped again by his quick mask/shoulder. That was soooo close.

Not close enough. And when the final couple minutes wind down as they often do, Nucks pull Marky for the 6th attacker - who was Jake.

And as they often do, the Nucks received an EN for their trouble - helping Steen break his 12 game goal drought with a too easy empty net.

Blue win 3-1. And break their 3 game skid. This past month, the Nucks have been nothing if not helping teams break skid and slumps. Canucks: We’re here to help!

Blues won the shooting stat. Barely. 34 to 30. Close game, could have gone either way. But, didn’t.

The officiating in the game was of course up to the usual unbiased, attentive to details NHL standards. It sucked. Blatant slash on Virt when he’s breaking for the net went uncalled. So zebra-biz as usual.

In this little (BIG) streak of games since we lost Bo to the Faeries of IR, the record is an amazing 1-7-1. Or something. Possibly worse, but let’s let lying stats sleep.

Canucks score 20 goals over their final 9 games before the break. Boeser scores 7 of them. This season, Brock has scored 20% of all the Canucks goals. Tonight he scored 100% of them. That’s gotta feel great. And it does. But...what if Marky and Nilly could have played the last 9 like they did the first 9. Or just play this last one like the one won with the shutout. That would have been good too.

Not that goaltending has anything to do with it...but the NucksNation natives are getting ants in their slipper-socks...

What he’s saying there - as a close friend suggested a week ago - is the Nucks should start every game without any goalie and use the next odd dozen games to fine tune the 6th attacker strategy.

Or...try this...

That could work. Or not. Feel lucky, Cory? Well, do ya?

Anyhow - win or lose, the important thing is that Brock kept his rookie scoring streak intact. Imagine the pace he would be on if the Faeries hadn’t stuffed their dust up the upper/lower bodies of Bo, Baer, DD, Sutter and Tanev.

The key takeaway for Xmas is for us, the future takeaways. Or moves.

Another game we could have won if the teflon-coated pucks slithered a better way for Marky. Oh well. It’s timeoff for refocusing. I for one, look forward to not dressing up consecutive losses as winning impostors.

And Brock, he’s got some thoughts too.

Ambitious plans. Win some games. Move ahead of dEdmonton in the standings maybe? They passed us tonight. They’re a massive ONE point above us now - and their rebuild is complete. Just kidding. tOilers rebuild won’t be finished until the 7th Great Extinction - NHL Bankruptcy Edition.

Over in the Green room, the presser ebbs flowed with unflappable confidence.

Let’s refocus on the positive too. The Brocksitive.

We wanted a generational talent. And we got the best sniper talent in a generation. Having Brock provide 20% to 100% of the scoring on this many-men-down streak has taken the edge off. Most games have been fun to watch - if you didn’t look too closely at the scorecard - last year during the Feasting of the IR Faeries watching Canucks games was as much fun as watching our AHL roster play against NHL All-stars.

This season has been one of surprises, unsurprising injuries, and a season full of promise. I can only promise to ask Westy to promise you that next season will be even more promising. Promise.

Merry NHL Xmas break and have a Happy Xmas everyone. And don’t fill up completely on Xmas Turkey - save some room for roasted Hawks. Let’s smoke them over a blazing blowout.

Here’s to a few exciting wins just for grins before we get to the serious work of winning on ice in 2018 and at the table in June.