The Return of Staal? Canes at Ducks Game Day Preview - (UPDATE 6 p.m.)

Just got the tweet that they’re activating him off IR.

Oh, and thanks for asking about Ruuty’s status. The lack of media coverage during this west coast trip is very frustrating.

The Canes smash the Sucks and Jussi Jokinen has a hat trick.

FWIW, Left Wing Lock is listing Giguere as probable in net.

After their failure on the powerplay on Monday night, they have dropped to 28th in the league, (14.4%), while with the man advantage.

The team is also 29th in the league in scoring, (GF 53), and 29th in the league in goals allowed, (GA 83). They are last in the East in both of those categories. They also lead the league again in taking minor penalties, not a good thing unless you are playing fantasy hockey.

Statistically, it’s hard to find much positive.

Boy, if that doesn’t just say it all.

so with Staal back and Dwyer still here im guessing Ruutu is out for tonight?

Staal in line up, confirmed. still no word on Ruutu

Just finished another 30% water change on the fishtank. The pH is 7 (perfect) and the ammonia and nitrites are well below toxic levels. I even vacuumed the gravel some and got rid of a lot of crap. However the water is still cloudy – even if the chemistry is finally perfect.

Cam Ward shrimp (who we acquired Oct 24th) is still hanging out behind the filter intake and seems to want to isolate himself from the others. You may remember he molted around Halloween (we all remember the Flyers game) and he really went solo later that week, a few days before the Columbus game.

Eric Cory Catfish Staal, whose pectoral fins got cropped somehow about Oct 28th – (which just so happens to correspond with the St Louis game) seems better, tho I wouldn’t call him 100% restored. Erik looks strong.

(I’m not making these coincidental dates up – check my posts on the matter)

Mo is sniffing the gravel looking for something. Whitney is still everywhere, misses nothing, very flashy. Top-4 D (Gleason, Corvo, Pits, and still, unfortunately, Babchuk-fish) as wells as the 4 refs are strong.

Cullen and LaRose, my latest additions with Cam, look like they’ve grown a tad. In case you wondered, I can’t say they enjoy the bubbler anymore than the others do. They swim with the group mostly. I so want to get a Sutter fish – but there’s hardly room in a 20 gallon tank as it is. Aquarium cap problems. Maybe if one of the other non-player fish dies (or should we just send one to a tank in Albany?), we can then add Sutter to the tank.

The only fish who seem off these days are the 3 remaining members of the Storm Squad – which are now 3+ years old -a little mature for tetras. Apparently they’re tired of cheering this disappointing season and the bad chemistry issues. Stormy the frog looks a little slow too.

And, in case you’re wondering, I can’t find a thing wrong with Ruutu-fish (or Jokinen-fish either since I can’t tell them apart). Hopefully that’s the case in Anaheim too.

The water change is significant because I did a water change last Thursday as well (first major one since pre-season, as part of the chemistry-correction strategy), and the Canes then went on to win the Toronto game that night and then Tampa Bay. Can’t change it more than once a week, but I will keep it up as long as it keeps working.

Forslund just said no Ruuty tonight.

All the drunks on the site will be too hammered to watch by then!!

for our game, there’s an historic first now in progress on Jersey radio for the Senators vs. Devils game.

First play-by-play radio call by a female announcer (Sherry Ross). She’s normally the color analyst and has subbed for a period on the play-by-play before, but this is the first entire game called by her.

Here’s the back story.

Wow. Over 100 posts for the PRE-game.

What’s the weather like in NC today? Any one here in Cary?

Nice. I’m in LA about 30 miles north of Honda Center in Anaheim. High of 78 today, low of 47. Wow, I just realized that’s a 30 degree swing. That’s what happens when you live in a desert.

Big #8 just got sent to the locker room for a hit from behind. Maybe he’ll get suspended for our game on the 30th.

I was so excited that I was going to be able to watch a ‘Canes game on TV tonight I neglected to realize that I wouldn’t be listening to John and Tripp, but the dreaded Brian “Homer” Hayward. Ugh.

So, although Bob and 73% of the poll thought putting Staal and Sutter together might be worth a try, it wasn’t until the last minute of the game that Mo finally threw the correct combination of bones behind the bench to randomly produce that line, and the Staal/Sutter goal that resulted.

Honestly, he couldn’t even last a couple of periods before he had Staal out there between Whitney and Cole, just like “the old days”. I don’t know why they bother to make any player management plans whatsoever.

No wonder no one has any chemistry with each other. It’s like rolling Yahtzee for line combinations around here from shift to shift.

Hello lottery pick. Thy name is Canes.