GarageGabs

I know that the majority of the audience that visits this site could care less about the Carolina Hurricanes.  To those people, I am sorry…don’t read this post.

This entire season has been one of frustration.  Missing Stillman and Kaberle for the first half of the season.  Losing to Buffalo on opening night and an 0-4 overall record vs. Buffalo.  A less than average power play.  Watching Eric Staal under achieve.  Multiple injuries to defensemen early and now multiple injuries to forwards.  Pitiful play at home, of all places.  Uninspired skating…..it’s all been rather frustrating, but through it all, the Canes actually had a chance to make a major move Tuesday night.

Just 2 points behind Atlanta and Tampa in the Southeast, the Canes had a chance to make a major move Tuesday night.  Home ice, vs. Atlanta, who had been free falling.  Not only that, Atlanta is the worst penalty killing team in the NHL and started their backup goalie.  Result?  Carolina skates hard for 2 periods, but can only generate 1 goal…none on the power play.  In fact, we give up a shorty.  They completely collapse during the 3rd, giving up a lazy fluke goal, and another on a turnover.  That noise you heard Tuesday night was the wind leaving my sails in regard to Carolina’s chances of repeating as Stanley Cup Champs.
Not only did the Canes miss a major opportunity Tuesday, but we also learned that Eric Cole will be out another 4 weeks with a hip injury.  A team struggling with offense is dealt another major blow.  Corey Stillman will return next week if he’s lucky.  With the trade deadline approaching, and fans expecting a major move…..what happened?  We trade Eric Belanger for Josef Vasicek?  That wasn’t exactly the major move I was expecting….basically exchanging 3rd liners and re-acquiring a guy that many were not sad to see leave.  Cole goes down and Ryan

Bayda gets recalled from Albany yet again….ho hum.  Doesn’t  matter, I still get the forms in the mail to pre-order my playoff tickets…yeah right.

We’re sitting here, 2 points away from missing the playoffs all together, yet just 4 points out of 3rd in the East….and we are acquiring Josef Vasicek.  Wouldn’t ya know that Belanger got traded to Atlanta and ended up assisting on a goal against us Tuesday night?

Tuesday’s 3-1 loss to Atlanta got ugly.  Boos are one things, but when the home fans openly berate players….especially star players…it’s getting bad.  Leading 1-0 (and on a power play) Atlanta knocked the puck into the Carolina zone.  No canes gave spirited chase.  Eric Staal began to go after the puck in what I would call a “gape”…he was skating sort of like a show horse trots.  If you’ve ever seen players skate out for the “stars of the game” presentation….that’s about the speed Staal was skating.  It wouldn’t have mattered if Marian Hossa hadn’t been pursuing the puck as well.  Hossa beat Staal to the puck, and took an impossible shot from the left corner…from my viewpoint, he was at a 90 degree angle to the side of the goal….didn’t matter, the puck defected off the back of Cam Ward’s skate and trickled into the goal. Fans immediately jumped on Staal, and rightfully so.  I wore my Staal jersey that night…trying to inject some luck into him and the team.  I was embarrassed….I thought people were going to throw rocks at me for a minute there.  “Way to go Super Star!”…”Way to hustle Staal!”…..and they were right.  Where is the urgency?  Where is the hustle?  I see it constantly from Craig Adams and Scott Walker…everyone else just hustles in spurts.

Anyway, the season is far from over.  Carolina still has 20 games left, including several vs. Atlanta and Tampa, the teams they are chasing.  I’ll go watch them play the worst team in the East tonight….Philadelphia…and hopefully pick up 2 points.  I’ll hope for an improbable run.  It can still happen….I just don’t think it will.

FACTS

*Carolina is 15-12-4 at home this season- Last year they were 31-8-2

*Carolina’s longest win streak this season has been 5 games- Last year they had 5 streaks of 5 or better.  Three times they won 5 in a row, and two times they won 9 in a row.

*Eric Staal scored 100 points last year on 45 goals and 55 assists.  This year, with 20 games to play, he has 57 points on 25 goals and 32 assists.

*Carolina is 0-4 in shootouts this season

It’s Not Over  (The Guy Behind The Guy)

I took in two games at the RBC Center this past Saturday. Honestly, I should have stayed at home. NC State lost to Duke, 79-56 and the Hurricanes lost to Tampa Bay, 6-5 in a shootout. Oh well. Figured I’d post a few photos of my day, and finish up with a quick video review of my 8 hour adventure in losing. I wanted to add that Martin St. Louis is perhaps the most pesky hockey player to every suit up. He is listed at 5′9″ but I really don’t think he’s a hair over 5′6″. He is super quick, and super deadly anytime he touches the puck. I wasn’t all that impressed with Duke overall, (State was just out manned and played BAD) but freshman guard Jon Scheyer seems awful smooth.

Here are some highlights lowlights.

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Edmonton got some sweet revenge vs. the Canes last night with a 3-1 win in Edmonton in the teams only meeting this season.  Worse than the loss for the Canes was the potential loss of Captain Rod Brind’Amour, who left the game with an undisclosed “lower body injury”.  Brindy has been limited in practice of late, but it is not clear if this is the same injury.  He left the game in the 2nd period and did not return.  Cory Stillman did not play last night.

If Brindy’s injury is major or even lingering, this could be a MAJOR blow to the Canes.  Brind’Amour is unquestionably the leader of the team both on and off the ice.  The timing might seem ok, (with the return of Stillman) but this is a team that really needs to hit stride….not remain in neutral.  Knowing Brind’Amour, he’ll play through whatever this is if possible.  Carolina has lost the first 2 games of this road trip, scored 1 goal, and gone 21 straight chances without scoring on the power play.  Somethings gotta give.

Next up for the Canes is Vancouver on Friday night…hopefully the can do something to salvage this road trip.

Recap 

Carolina was shut out last night 3-0, on the first game of the roadtrip by the Calgary Flames.  John Grahame took the loss, Cory Stillman did not play.  Carolina visits Edmonton tonight in a rematch of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Recap 

I’ve been saying since the season started that if the Canes could hover around .500 during Stillman’s absence that they would be just fine. Well, they’ve been a little better than .500 (15-10-3) and now the versatile Cory Stillman is back. The Canes have been without Stillman all season due to surgery over the summer.

Honestly, I doubt Stillman even plays tonight, Carolina plays at Calgary) and will probably be slow to return to the ice. Either way, it’s a great sign that he’s back, and hopefully he’ll be full strength by January. I worry a bit, as I felt the Canes have just recently been hitting a bit of a stride, but having Stillman back on the wing makes a short learning period well worth it.

Hurricanes Activate Cory Stillman

Getting this up kind of late, but the Canes played a fantastic game last night, beating Boston 5-2.  This whole “just have fun” thing that Laviolette suggested to the team seems to be working pretty well as Carolina put in some straight up BEAUTIFUL goals last night.  Eva J and myself attended the game, and had a good time.  Carolina begins a 4 game road trip against Northwest Division opponents Tuesday vs. Calgary.

Recap 

By the way, not sure how many people remember my post complaining about the turkey on the scoreboard.  Well, now it’s a snowman.  He stands there on the scoreboard the entire game and juggles the same 3 snowballs.  I can’t take any more of this snowman.  Make him melt.  Please remove the snowman.  Thanks.

Carolina got back in the win column last night with a 4-2 victory vs. Montreal.  Eric Cole scored 2 goals, and Justin Williams broke a 2-2 tie in the 3rd period.  We had a good time at the game, “Eva J” brought along her friend Kaliah.  The Hurricanes next game is Saturday as they host Boston.

Carolina skated with a purpose last night, it was obvious that they were determined to get back to winning.  They hustled to the puck, defended fairly well, and outshot Montreal 48-27.  I truly believe Carolina is about to go on a bit of a run.

Recap 

I wasn’t able to make the game last night so I gave my tickets to my neighbors, Brad and Miranda.  From what I’m seeing, the Canes played pretty bad last night, even after getting 4 days rest.  I’ll try and get a game report from Brad later this evening….that should be interesting.

Recap

The Canes notched a win Friday night with a 5-1 win at Boston.  Five Canes scored goals, and backup goalie John Grahame picked up his second win of the year with 25 saves.  Carolina returns home Tuesday night to play Ottawa, and I’ll be there.

Recap