Slow Start - Rangers 3, Canes 2

Really too bad, b/c they outplayed them. One thing I know … the Rangers will go nowhere in the postseason playing that brand of hockey. They’re too reliant on hoping for a chance instead of creating them.

Maybe Brind’Amour’s best game of the year, and Ruutu was amazing, too. Whitney was kind of absent, and the ice was terrible (as it always is at MSG).

Tough game: not absolutely horrible, but not good enough either.

Main things I noticed

Brind’Amour looked like his old self, if a week break was all he needed I wish had taken it in Nov.

Staal was not a team player.

Rangers defense is awesome, ours looked really weak in comparison.

Even though he played fairly well I would have benched Eaves in favor of Brookbank. Mara and company were completely having their way with our forwards. I think a little more toughness could have created some desperately needed chances.

Samsonov-Staal-Williams
Whitney-Cullen-Walker
Larose-Brind’Amour-Ruutu
Bayda-Sutter-Eaves

I didn’t catch the game last night (I usually do), but was this the basic lineup CoachMo went with?

Why the hell is Samsonov playing on the first line? Ruutu seems to be the only energy guy on the roster, and he’s on the third line. The fourth line looks like an AHL second-line…and we wonder why we can’t string anything together?

Why is it that three years removed from a Stanley Cup win (and two glorious non-playoff runs), our team looks like it did back in 2003? Man, we had a team that was built for the rugged-high-flying style that brought us that success we enjoyed, and instead of keeping it together for a nice little 4-5 year run, we dumped them off for some smallish flash-in-the-pans. Samsonov was nice for a bit, but the guy is snake-bitten under this “dump and chase” style. It’s typical CoachMo baloney.

And this “well, we out-worked them tonight” mentality is a cheap cop-out. I hear it all the time on Canes’ broadcasts, when the glorious Tripp Tracy (a fine 8th string goalie by the way) will always have a positive spin on something, no matter how incredibly horrid the Canes play. They don’t win because they’ve completely changed their MO from just three years ago…from a feared, skilled, great hard-working team to a “whoa-is-me” puck-dumping “we’ll bring the trap back” bunch of guys that rather run from a fight than drop the gloves.

I love my team. That’s why I hate writing like this. But geez louise, something has to wake these guys up. And I’m sick of seeing the same lousy effort over and over again.

Erik Cole, Cory Stillman, Mike Commodore anyone?

Whether you believe the effort to stay in the playoff mix was there last night, it’s just won’t be enough. At this point in the season the next two weeks are critical in determining if the Canes have time on their side. IMO they don’t far too many execution mistakes are being made to even think these guys are stable in their current position. D men out of position and forwards over skating the coverage allowing too many quality chances…..just speaking of last night. The power play forget it!! Speaking for the Canes opposition just get on the ice and kick the crap out of the Canes physically because the won’t do anything on the power play. The early season predictions are gaining some validity as these guys are on the bubble…
I for one feel these guys will be lucky if they get into the postseason at 7th or 8th place going in. Falling like a rock with no gel for the team so far….Can they get it all together and put a solid game on the ice in time???

Thomas, you have the correct lines. I think they may have moved Ruutu to the other line to help Brind’Amour get going. I agree with you about the “out-working” catch phrase. They played a pretty decent game last night, but bottom line it was not good enough. At this stage of the season, moral victories are not going to get you into the playoffs.

Bubba check cc points from Canes at Rangers.

I’ve looked at the remaining games that the Canes have to face and it does not look good. Out of the 33 games left 21 of those games are teams higher in the standings. The other 12 games should be easy 2 pts but we all know how that goes.
The way I see it if Staal and everyone else doesn’t get on the same page they won’t get any points in those 21 games.
The schedule looks real scary from here on out. Florida can score goals and is playing better then we are. That eighth spot is there but can we steal it from them. We still can’t score goals, which has been the problem all season long.

I’m ready for baseball season.. can’t take anymore of this mediocre ‘Canes team!3 years with no playoffs? i just don’t understand how a team can stay in town without having a tradition of winning and making the postseason… maybe I’ll ask a Florida Panthers fan, oh wait.. they’re gonna make the playoffs this year.

Too bad Lundqvist wasn’t in the goal for the Rangers last night. Looks like the Penguins are not having any trouble whatsoever scoring on him.

If I was the GM of the Hurricanes (call me, Mr. Karmanos…some fresh ideas would do this organization wonders), the first thing I would do send CoachMo packing, again. I don’t care what it would look like…at this point, a well-trained French poodle (no offense to French poodles) could do what he’s doing. Second, I’d tell whoever coaches the team in the interim that the first night they don’t get at least 10 shots on the PP, they’ll be on the ice for an hour after the game. I mean, immediately after the game. As soon as the first star is announced, they’d be skating until I said stop.

Then, once they got the message, they’d start practicing on how to shoot the puck. I’ve lost count how many times Samsonov and Brind’Amour and others have tried to “O’le!” the puck to teammates in an attempt to make whatever highlight show the NHL gets these days. It’s incredulous.

Really guys, I don’t get how we have slipped back into mediocrity after 2006. I understand 06-07 – it happens to everyone not named Detroit. Last year we finally realized how to play this game…but not until April. This year has been a disgrace in my opinion, and the 23 wins we do have is indicitive of the talent that’s on this team. Imagine how many wins they would have it they actually skated, and shot the puck, and stood up for themselves. Instead, we’re relegated to Frank Kaberle dumping it in again and allowing free-reign to any opposing teams’ forwards at our blueline.

For the second time, I’ll say I’m not a bandwagoneer. I’m not a Canes hater. I’m a die-hard fan. But the re-transformation of this team to 2002-03 specifications is mind-boggling to me.

Call me, Mr. Karmanos. I can be in Raleigh by noon Wednesday.