Nashville at Carolina, Gameday Preview
by Bob Wage on Nov 23, 2008 2:23 AM EST
20 comments
The Hurricanes will be taking on the Predators today in another one of those popular 3PM Sunday afternoon contests. This will be the final game of a four game home stand for Carolina. They now have a record of 11-7-2 and have won three in a row, which is the longest winning streak of the year for the club.
Nashville's record is 9-9-1 and they have lost two in a row.
This weekend the Canes' fathers are in town to spend time with the team, which is an annual tradition since Peter Laviolette took over as head coach. Carolina is 5-1 in games played during this happy occasion. Eric Staal has scored two hat tricks during previous dad get-togethers, (not counting the one Friday night against Phoenix, which was officially a bit premature even if his dad was already here). Rod Brind'Amour scored one last season against the New York Islanders.
After the matinee today, the fathers will travel with the team to Sunrise, Florida and watch the Monday night affair against the Panthers.
This will be the only contest against the Preds this season. The Canes dropped the only game against them last year by a score of 1-0, in Nashville.
I would expect the lines to be pretty much the same as they were on Friday night and for Cam Ward to be back in net. The game will not be broadcast locally, but there are some options for live-streaming if you do not have Center Ice.
Here are some tidbits from Cory that are interesting-
• Shea Weber leads all defensemen in goals (eight) and points (18) and is an early season Norris candidate. Fellow young blueliner Ryan Suter is tied for 17th in points with 12.
• Greg De Vries is minus-11 through 19 games. Only Atlanta's Mathieu Schenider (minus-12) has a worse plus/minus among defensemen in the NHL. At minus-13, Rod Brind'Amour is ahead of only St. Louis' Brad Boyes (minus-14) in the league.
• Winger J-P Dumont is tied for 18th in scoring with 20 points (4-16-20) in 19 games. His 12 road points are good for a tie for 10th in the league.
• Agitator Jordan Tootoo's 41 penalty minutes ranks 23rd in the NHL.
• Radek Bonk is the No. 5 faceoff man in the league at 59.9 percent. Brind'Amour (63.0 percent) still ranks second behind Pittsburgh's Mike Zigomanis (65.0 percent). The Preds rank second in the NHL in faceoff percentage (53.5 percent). Carolina is ninth (51.1).
• Greg Zanon ranks third in blocked shots with 57, trailing Dennis Seidenberg by one. Seidenberg also ranks T-25th in the league in ice time, averaging 24:21 a game.
• Goalie Dan Ellis (7-9-1 record) is near the bottom of the league in goals-against average (3.14) and save percentage (.893). Backup Pekka Rinne has been worse (3.77 GAA, .861 S%), but is 2-0 in four appearances.
• Anton Babchuk is pointless and a minus-5 in eight games at the RBC Center this season. All seven of Ray Whitney's goals this season have come at home.
• Captain Jason Arnott had 18 points (7-11-18) in 23 career games vs. Carolina.
• Dumont has 12 goals on just 39 shots in 21 career games against the Hurricanes.
• The Preds give up 3.37 goals against — fourth worst in the league. Their power play is ranked 28th (14.4 percent) and their penalty kill is 24th (79.4).
• Nashville (5-0) is one of five teams that has not lost this year when leading after one period. They are 1-6-1 when behind after one period.
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I have a couple more notes. Someone other than Katherine Fritsch will be singing the National Anthem today. "KK" accepted an offer to sing in Atlanta this afternoon before the Falcons/Panthers matchup. Good luck to her.
Finally, a win this afternoon would put the Hurricanes back into first place in the Southeast Division. The Caps have lost two games in a row, and they were beaten soundly in San Jose last night, 7-2.
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its also family day and I think there is a chilli cookoff starting at 1 pm. So Free chilli and $1 popcorn at the game. (I think).
by neaux on Nov 23, 2008 10:49 AM EST reply actions
This game isn’t on center ice today either, which is a habit for these 3:oo Sun. games. Directv is running it on an alt. fss channel, I believe its ch.648.
by canescup on Nov 23, 2008 11:12 AM EST reply actions
I believe this game can be a good chance to really have the power play to catch on for the Canes. Nashville’s PK is not doing well especially on the road. I gotta say that J Forslund was spot on about Staal’s hat trick the other night….today Staal will keep the streak going. Can’t predict another three goal game but #12 will produce a 2 point effort easy. I can get enough of B Sutter after last game’s efforts-man the kid brings some grit to the ice. He gets the Rudy Rudiger award so far this season….if Lavi could get that kind of effort from all, the Canes get the Cup again. Here’s to the Canes keeping the streak alive and reclaiming what’s theirs, 1st place!! If you can’t get out to the Big ATM hit this link as they’ll web cast the game….again Thanks to THIS BLOG ( got it from previous post) for this link- http://atdhe.net/index.html
GO CANES!!!
by Eman on Nov 23, 2008 11:54 AM EST reply actions
“This game isn’t on center ice today either,”
The game is on Game 3 (Channel 733 on TWC).
by Jonathan on Nov 23, 2008 12:45 PM EST reply actions
Shows on my guide, too. I’ve been able to watch them when all you saw was “blacked out”. I think I’ve only missed one game so far this year.
A
by Paladin6 on Nov 23, 2008 1:18 PM EST reply actions
End of first period-Predators 2-1. Nashville gives the Canes a 5 on 3 advantage twice and the Canes don’t execute. Last power play only earns 2 shots on goal. Poor passing and simply not shooting the puck. Early face offs go to Nashville. Also way too many penalties taken by Nashville (10:00 PIM thru 1) and the Canes only generated 1 quality chance to score. Special teams play a must for any success to happen…still think that Nashville PK has struggled lately but the Canes haven’t helped themselves here.
Brookbank gets 1st penalty for interference by the way.
I’ll bet 5 points that Lavi chews a little ass for early Sunday dinner in this intermission.
by Eman on Nov 23, 2008 3:51 PM EST reply actions
Rant….
WTF?
End of second coming, some good individual effort, but squat for a team effort. Pissed away 2 5/3 PP (BTW, for the ‘Canes PP means “pathetic play”). You all know my stand on Lavi. This is an uninspired team, that had a couple of inspired games. Now they fall back to what seems to be the norm. Only a poorer team than the Pred’s could make them look good. We are making them look great.
I’ll suffer through the third, but, this just sucks.
End of the second had Sutter, Ruutu and Walker on the line.
I’m sorry, I love these guys, but if that ain’t a desperation line, I don’t know what one is.
Coaching change needed, 3 weeks ago.
A
by Paladin6 on Nov 23, 2008 4:35 PM EST reply actions
BTW, Ward is there, this is a team failure. The coaching staff did not inspire and put forth a plan of action. They were unable to compensate from a 1 goal down situation going to the second.
I look at the row behind the players.
I’m pissed big time.
I know, I’m whining and kicking a dead horse.
It’s just a shame to see the amount of talent and potential just get pissed away.
A
by Paladin6 on Nov 23, 2008 4:38 PM EST reply actions
Rant away. No excuses for not being able to score on multiple powerplay attempts against one of the worst PK units in the league. Things went from bad to worse after that.
by Bubba on Nov 23, 2008 4:42 PM EST reply actions
I’m with ya, Paladin. Never faulted Ward, and that is some uninspired play. They were handed how many PP opportunities?
by marc on Nov 23, 2008 4:50 PM EST reply actions
Worst part is they’re pulling the too little, too late crap right now.
(I hope I’m wrong and they’re getting back all four.)
by Cory on Nov 23, 2008 5:01 PM EST reply actions
The third line tries to make a game of it. Nice goal by LaRose
by Bubba on Nov 23, 2008 5:05 PM EST reply actions
Yup, they show up in the third.
Please, someone tell me how this isn’t at least a fair share of poor coaching. I swear I just don’t get it. These can be good.
I duuno, just frustrated. A displaced Red Wings fan is not good at dealing with this crap as a home team fan. These are my guys, I like my guys, my guys don’t win or play hard enough every night…..
Insert much nashing of teeth and cussing…
A
by Paladin6 on Nov 23, 2008 5:07 PM EST reply actions
Out hustled, out checked, out toughed, out quicked, out positioned, out coached, outta here.
by Ken on Nov 23, 2008 6:36 PM EST reply actions
Anyone know how Gleson is doing? He left in the first and never came back.
by McCoy on Nov 23, 2008 6:53 PM EST reply actions
This team just isn’t as good as a lot of people (not meaning writers/commenters here @ all, this site is very objective) think they are. I mean beating PHO…yippee, plan the parade. That is a team they should beat.
Pits has been trying to score on wardo for a couple games now, tonight he finally succeeds! Of course this game isn’t all on him by any stretch (lots of credit to go around there) but this has been building inside me & now I just have to say it: I’m so sick of hearing from JR, Forslund, Tracy etc how we have to accept Pitkanen’s defensive liabilities b/c he’s just soooooo amazingly offensively gifted, that he was given such harsh treatment in Philly & Edmonton & most of all the “have to trade quality to get quality” speech (RE trading Cole for him). Get a freaking grip, geez. From the way they talk you would’ve thought we traded for Scott Niedermayer. If he’s so amazingly special he should be coachable too.
BLECK!!! (imagine said as Snoopy does!) lol can you tell I’m around kids alot :-)
Thanks for this great site btw, I feel happy knowing there are others out there who see this team realistically too & not afraid to say the truth no matter if it’s not bs PR straight from the team (hint Chip Alexander hint).
Oh 1 last thing even thought they’ll surely lose, TB did manage to score 3 when they were down 5-0 to NJ.
by Janie on Nov 23, 2008 7:28 PM EST reply actions
WOW! I was not able to see the game today but it sounds and looks like we got drilled.
Did anyone play well? Sounds from you all like Ward got left out to hang and did Joni really score an own goal?
WTF!
by Jonathan on Nov 23, 2008 7:47 PM EST reply actions
I dunno, I thought Joni was swinging the big axe and playing well. That said, I don’t think he was involved in a team effort. I think most of the guys were playing well. They just didn’t have the team effort thing going on.
I think this team if they were inspired to believe they could play on the moon or win the cup, they might.
They are not of that mind set.
I, in all honesty would be hard pressed to trade or buy a better line up * at this point*.
This team has the talent, they just need talent to meld them into asskickers and heartbreakers.
JR and Lavi squeezed a panty waste run on a new game. The whole game changed, they had great and vast insight into the rule changes.
The jump is over, play with the big dogs or go home.
This is pathetic, the Preds should be owned by this team.
Would a coaching change be the end all and be the cure?
probably not, but should be a step in the right direction.
Do these players have to play different?
Yup, wins are better than losses, but playing a consistent game is always the best way to play. Fancy BS and tricks only get you so far.
this team could be nasty, not big and evil, but flat out fast and nasty.
And they ain’t. I don’t see why (other than Eaves getting gas and laying out a week…), the guiys seem to play the spot they are assigned.
I dunno, I’m too pissed to be rational, I’m outta here.
this will get to a point where there is no turning back if they keep losing these games.
It’s not really a game, it’s a business and we are failing.
A
by Paladin6 on Nov 23, 2008 8:20 PM EST reply actions
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