Seidenberg in, but who is out?
by Bob Wage on Apr 21, 2009 4:28 PM EDT
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PrintThe latest news about the game tonight is that Dennis Seidenberg will return to the lineup, but the big question is, who will he replace? The team is being quiet about it for now.
While Joni Pitkanen, Anton Babchuk, and Joe Corvo have each had their fair share of mistakes in recent games, the fact of the matter remains that the team set or tied franchise record winning streaks with them in the lineup. I asked the question a couple of days ago and I'll ask it again, why would you change that up after one bad game? (game one in New Jersey).
Frank Kaberle has been a healthy scratch most of the year, Dennis Seidenberg has been one of the league leaders in blocked shots, plus is not afraid to use the body in his own zone. Now, the Canes powerplay has suddenly gone dormant with the insertion of Kaberle and the benching of Seidenberg. Coincidence?
Nothing against Kaberle but why not go with the players who got you in the playoffs? There is talk of possibly benching Babchuk, which I think would be a huge mistake. If it wasn't for Babchuk, does the team even make the playoffs? The youngster from Kiev led the team's defense in goals scored, powerplay goals, and plus/minus.
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if anyone OTHER THAN Kaberle sits out…. I’ll be pissed!!!! I didn’t understand the lineup change after game 1 anyway…. why go into “panic mode” when the series is still young???
Ric Flair is a guest on 620 the bull live from the sports bar behind the RBC Center…. I wonder if he’ll be at the game…. Pardon my excitement, but I think the “nature boy” has a good deal of “hockey karma…”
Go ‘Canes! I’ve got to get ready for the game (not tailgating today)
by Mateos_Canes_Lamp on Apr 21, 2009 4:49 PM EDT reply actions
babchuk out would be a huge mistake.
if mo sits babchuk, there is no telling where his head will go.
he has bee nso up and down mentally the last few season that we cant afford to sit him right now.
his confidence is soaring and he can handle a few games with no goals.
kaberle doesnt know the team that won 9 in a row because he wsnt out there. siedenberg does.
sit kaberle please.
Sitting Babchuck, outside of him having an injury we aren’t aware of, would be ABSOLUTE INSANITY! He has been RED HOT since the all-star break and 3 bad games aren’t gonna change that. EVERYONE on the PP has seemed reluctant to shoot, they all want the perfect play and it has to stop TONIGHT.
Babchuck maybe gets a little blame for NJ’s first goal the ot her night. He was in no man’s land with noone around him, instead of sticking to his man and lifting the stick.
Look at his shooting percentage on the season! I never saw that till just now.
12% of his shots go in. Shoot it more Babchuck!
Babchuk hasn’t scored because the Devils have been all over him. Rest assured that Brent Sutter has told each and every one of his players to keep an eye on Babchuk, a defenseman with offensive upside and a good slapshot from the point. Whether they’re down a man or at even strength, the Devils have done a very good job at being aware of Babchuk’s presence on the ice and preventing him from unloading from the point and keeping many of Carolina’s shots on the powerplay to the perimeter. Many gave Carolina’s defensive corps the edge going into this series, largely because of the presence of Anton Babchuk and Joe Corvo, who combined for thirty goals during the regular season, over the Devils ‘offensively unspectacular’ shutdown defense. Ironically, however, both Babchuck and Corvo have combined for only two points in the past three games, both of them assists, while Paul Martin, the anchor of the Devils blueline, leads all defensemen with three assists.
Maybe Babchuck needs to not worry about hurting the guy in front of him and just let loose even if someone is in the way. The way our PP has been this series, they just need to quit messing around and fire the damn puck.
Babchuk is probably less worried about hurting one of the Devils with his slapshot and more concerned with having his blocked point shot turn into a shorthanded rush in the other direction. The Devils scored twelve shorthanded goals during the regular season. It may be frustrating for fans to watch but in that situation Babchuk is probably better off holding onto the puck and waiting for a better chance to open up or passing it to one of his teammates rather than risk giving up possession of the puck and having it wind up in the back of Cam Ward’s net.
D Men
I can see the logic in sitting Babchuk. He has struggled with the smaller, quicker NJ
forwards. Seidenberg is much more of a banger ; they may have decided Parise is
too comfortable and needs to be roughed up some. I can also see Kaberle sitting out.
In fact , it would not completely suprise me if MO dressed seven on the blue line
and one less forward. Our D showed some signs of wearing down Sunday – maybe
an extra body would help.
Good point on dressing 7 D, I could live with that.
I definitely don’t agree with your Babchuck assessment, but I agree on maybe sitting a forward.
If we bench a forward, i think it would have to be Conboy. Bayda and Jokinen and Walker all did really well in game 2. But what about Wallin? If we end up benching a D man, maybe Wallin would be a good choice? I think that Babchuk needs to be in the lineup no matter what!
I would also agree with dressing 7 D, though. In my opinion, I think we should sit Conboy
From NHL.com http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=419368&navid=DL|NHL|Home
“We’ll look at moving some people around,” Maurice said after the morning skate.
Additional line changes?
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