Team Finland Falls Short: Capitals 4, Hurricanes 3 (OT)
by Bob Wage on Mar 11, 2010 6:00 AM EST
78 comments
The Carolina Hurricanes had a slow start but battled back to push the Washington Capitals to the limit before falling in overtime last night at the Verizon Center, 4-3.
Alexander Semin started things off just two minutes and change into the game as he got behind the Carolina defense and roofed a backhander past Manny Legace to make the score 1-0.
The Canes were able to draw a couple of penalties in the period, but the powerplay was abysmal as the team was unable to generate any offense at all while with the man advantage. The Caps nearly scored a couple of times, but Legace made some fine saves to keep his team in it.
Then Carolina took a couple of penalties and the Capitals were more than happy to take full advantage. Mike Green would score on their second chance to make the score 2-0 with 2:01 left in the period.
But the Hurricanes youth would come charging back.
Zach Boychuk got the puck to Jay Harrison, who had his first shot attempt blocked. But Harrison stuck with it and got the puck on net with his next try. Tom Kostopoulos took one whack at the rebound and Patrick Dwyer cleaned up the loose change to put the Canes right back into it. The opening period ended, 2-1.
The Hurricanes were battling hard in the second period and were rewarded when Chad LaRose stole the puck in the Washington zone. LaRose faked a shot, then passed to Tuomo Ruutu who buried his blast, to tie the score.
But the Caps came right back again as Mike Green scored yet another powerplay goal to give the home team back the lead.
Once again, the Canes continued to fight hard. They finally connected on a powerplay chance of their own when Ruutu found Jussi Jokinen, and the Finn managed to slip one by Jose Theodore to tie the score. Joni Pitkanen, who had over 30 minutes of TOI for the game, also picked up an assist on the play.
Surprisingly, the underrated Jokinen continues to lead the Hurricanes in goals, (27) and total points, (54).
Both teams continued to generate chances in the third period, but both goalies made several nice saves and regulation ended with the score tied, 3-3.
With just 1:40 left in the extra period, Eric Belanger found an open Tomas Fleischmann, and the "The Flash" was able to get his one-timer past Manny Legace for the win.
After the slow start, the Hurricanes really battled and it turned out to be a very entertaining game which could have easily gone either way. Hopefully, the team will still have some energy in the tank because things do not get any easier as they take on the Penguins at the RBC tonight.
Game Notes:
- Brian Pothier had a great game in a losing cause. The defenseman made play after play in his own zone to help give his new team a chance. He ended up with over 26 minutes of ice time, had four shots on goal, and three blocked shots in the effort.
- The Canes finished with 23 blocked shots led by Tim Gleason who had five. The Olympian was stung badly at one point, but shook off the pain came back out on the ice.
- The youngsters really showed their stuff. Zach Boychuk was all over the ice and did not even back down to Alex Ovechkin as they went man-to-man at one point in the third. Patrick Dwyer had four hits to go along with his goal. Even newbie, Oskar Osala played pretty well with just 6:46 of ice time.
- Team leaders, Eric Staal and Ray Whitney created several chances but could not capitalize. Both players might be on the brink of a slump as Staal has not scored a goal in nine games and Whitney has not registered a point since trade deadline day, (three games).
- Manny Legace had several great stops but had trouble handling the puck at times during the game. He ended up making a very solid 35 saves on 39 shots.
- Tuomo Ruutu finished with a goal, an assist, and led the team with six hits.
- The Caps had 39 shots on goal, missed the net 18 times, and had 23 shots blocked by the Canes, for a total of 80 shots. The Hurricanes had 31 shots on goal, missed the net 12 times, and had 11 shots blocked for a total of 54 shots. It is really tough to limit the Washington shot total, but that is what makes them such a dangerous team, constant pressure.
The Hurricanes have canceled their pregame skate and are not expected to take the ice Thursday morning. They are hoping to be rested up and ready to take on the Penguins, who have been waiting for them in Raleigh.
We will have the game preview posted with the latest news along with any updates around lunchtime.
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Hurricanes Measuring Their Progress
I thought the game was important as a way for the Hurricanes organization and players to measure the team’s progress. Washington is one of the elite teams. The Hurricanes faced the Caps with the Caps coming off a loss in a shoot out against Dallas. Once the Caps got a 2 to 0 lead, it looked grim. It is telling to me that Sutter was the person who took on the mantle of leadership and stepped up his play and that Boychuk, Dwyer, and Kostopoulos also stepped it up. I, too, was impressed with Osala and particularly given the fact he didn’t even get to practice with Carolina. Jokinen, Ruutu, and Pitkanen all had excellent games and continue to show me at least that they are world class hockey players. Pothier plays with poise and does a tremendous job of avoiding turnovers, particularly in the Carolina defensive zone.
Legace showed he is a fighter and scrapper and although he looked rough around the edges at times, which is understandable against Washington’s offensive talent, he never gave up. I also think Pickard and Carson continue to mature as defensive players.
Really, if Whitney and Staal had had excellent games and had scored on their opportunities, the Hurricanes almost surely would have won. I am not criticizing either player, any more than Bob is by remarking that they are on the verge of a slump. Both will bounce back, I am certain; and hopefully that will occur tonight.
funny I felt like Whitney was the one who seemed out of sync on that line. As he has since the Olympic break……….
They made some mention of him not feeling like his legs have been under him since the Olympic break.
by Cory Lavalette on Mar 11, 2010 8:54 AM EST up reply actions
While I like the riding the Staal didn’t step up band wagon as much as anybody, I don’t think that was at fault. I think the team lost due to panalty’s.
Nobody can give the craps any opportunitys to score and not expect them to. So was it coaching? Maybe it’s just what I have been asking for. The youth run wild (yes, music ref.).
The kids obviously were the ones that stepped up. This was a close game against one of the best teams. A few simple mistakes were made and the craps made the extra man count.
A 1 point loss in such a big game don’t hurt my feelers any. I think the only thing I hope for is more Osala, less Cole and rotate more kids up. The mistakes made now will hopefully be lessened next year.
What I saw last was a pretty fair showing. When Cory was writing about the D being better than the Cup run and the potential there, I was a little skeptical (sorry Cory). After seeing the names and pairings, though I have to agree, I think the team finaly has a deadly D core. The forwards? All I can say is the NHL better pray the kids don’t all pan out. If so the Pittsburg Pussy and his sidekick goon will be forgotten and AO will only be remembered for that dumbass hat at the All Star game.
A
Errors of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it.
He who knows nothing is closer to the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors
We must indeed all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately
I am VERY excited for both the forwards and the D-pairings at this point. The flow of the game was absolutely ridiculous last night…very back and forth. I haven’t watched too many games since the Olympics that moved this quickly. Sad that we didn’t win, but I’ll take a point in an OT loss vs. a regulation loss any day of the week. I don’t think we got to see much of Osala, and considering they canceled the morning skate, we may not see a lot of him tonight. I’m thinking if Cole stays out, we’d see more of him vs. Phoenix this weekend. I am curious about how tonight will go though…
Can someone please get Manny a new shirt? He DESERVES one.
tell us how you REALLY feel…. some of the things you say seem very silly, if not way off base. Angry?? Although i am with you on the Crosby comment. I hardly could see AO only being remembered for that hat. Not sure coaching is the problem either. In fact, the Canes could still make the playoffs, which would be just as remarkable as when the Caps did 2 years ago, if not moreso—except for the fact that you were in the Eastern Finals last year, so I dont think anyone expected you to be 37 pts out of the division lead in early March. For a team with so much success and talent this decade, you seem to be taking some things awfully hard..Relax a bit.
by lifetime caps fan on Mar 11, 2010 9:52 AM EST up reply actions
I seriously doubt us making the PO. Apparently losing to your caps last night put the nail in the coffin for those hopes (so 99.9 the fan said here in Raleigh). That really hasn’t been a realistic goal for us to pursue anyway. Hopefully we will be able to vie for SE Division supremacy next year.
Member of Canes Country and the Cat Scratch Reader
Look back 2 years ago
I don’t have to remind you Caniacs of what happened 2 years ago when the Caps were written off after Backstrom put the puck in his own net against the Pens in early March with less than a minute left, and then the Caps preceded to go 11-1 down the stretch, including 2 wins against the Canes to clinch on the last day of the season. There is no team in the bottom 12 of the Eastern Conference playing as good as the Canes are right now, and 8 points to make up is not that impossible. And i will also go further and say YOU are the one team we dont want to see in the first round. The Canes have come to DC 3 times, and did not lose in regulation once, and gave us our worst home defeat of the year. Considering we are 26-3-4 at home, no small feat. I would not sell your team short so fast. You have a bunch of home games coming up and its not over yet. Now, im done kissing your ass, just please kick the shit out of the pens tonight and then play just well enough to maybe get 9th in the conference??? We would rather play the rangers or the bruins :)
by lifetime caps fan on Mar 11, 2010 3:38 PM EST up reply actions
Bruins are current 8th seed and they have road games against Flyers, Canadiens, and devils before getting to your building late next week. Win your next 4 games, and i bet you will be surprised how realistic playoffs could still be. The Thrashers, Panthers and Rangers are not going anywhere and the Lightning are struggling after playing well. If you go 13-3, i will bet you 88 pts will get you in the playoffs this year…it will be close …dont see it if you go 11-5, or 12-4
by lifetime caps fan on Mar 11, 2010 3:53 PM EST up reply actions
If we had not lost 14 straight in November, this wouldn’t have even been an issue…..
Oh well, can’t fix the past.
Member of Canes Country and the Cat Scratch Reader
its funny, because IF it happens, you will appreciate it even more. And you know what happens if you qualify for the playoffs. no one will care what happened in regular season, and everyone goes back to 0-0. I have always said, it really matters very little what seed you get in the NHL playoffs. Just get in, and be playing well. Pens and Canes last year, Oilers of 06 against you. Anyone can win. Im just telling you, this is a big week for you. Caps were out 8 pts 2 years ago with exactly 4 weeks left. ITs 2 pts a week. We would just look at the standings every sunday, and if you are within 6 by Sunday, and then 4-5 next Sunday, you got 3 weeks to make that up. It will start looking easier when you jump over another team or 2, but this is hardly impossible..
by lifetime caps fan on Mar 11, 2010 4:48 PM EST up reply actions
in fact, if you could finish 7TH and knock the pens out in round 1, we could make a deal….You are actually technically closer to 7th spot than 8th because you have 2 games in hand on the Canadiens, and are only 10 back of them…
by lifetime caps fan on Mar 11, 2010 4:50 PM EST up reply actions
mark my words, 13-3, and dont lose any games to the teams between 7th and 12th, and check the standings on April 11th…anything less than that, and its golf on april 12th
by lifetime caps fan on Mar 11, 2010 4:51 PM EST up reply actions
“Lifetime caps fan”
Man if that ain’t about the shittiest most pathetic excuse for a life….
Scew ao and his dork hat..
A
Errors of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it.
He who knows nothing is closer to the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors
We must indeed all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately
send me an email, i will send you a cool playoff predictor/simulator with the entire eastern conference standings, magic numbers, and schedule…you can keep track of it nightly and its fun to play around with…at least while you are still mathematically alive. its an excel doc.
by lifetime caps fan on Mar 11, 2010 5:01 PM EST up reply actions
Plus/Minus
The plus/minus stat should always be taken with a pinch of situational salt, probably best used for monitoring performance over time, but also useful in game analysis.
We had five plus-ones last night: Sutter, Ruutu, Pitkanen, LaRose, and Dwyer.
We had only one minus-two: Staal
Just sayin’.
Caps had only two plus players. Funny, since the Caps are the top ES team in the league by far.
CИДHИЙ KPOCБИЙ: АЛEKCAHДP OBEЧKИH, OH CEЙЧAC TBOЙ ПAПA
by red army line on Mar 11, 2010 10:42 AM EST up reply actions
Tom Pothier had a great game in a losing cause.
Could you by any chance mean BRIAN Pothier? Guess it’s gonna take a few more weeks for him to settle in, eh? SHEESH
fixed … everyone makes mistakes. get a grip.
by Cory Lavalette on Mar 11, 2010 9:01 AM EST up reply actions
Everyone makes mistakes pal. No need to get all bent out of shape over it. Like to see you do a better job than those who run this site.
Member of Canes Country and the Cat Scratch Reader
Couple a things I noticed.
Boychuck was on a mission last night. If he has found his comfort zone, it is only a matter of time before the goals start pouring in.
Jussi is da man. Nuff said.
Picard’s play did not impress me as much as Carson’s and Harrison’s. not a good sign for him.
O and cut Bob some slack, He just juxtaposed Tom Poti (who we played last night) and Brian Pothier
Picard looked a little shaky to me last night, too … but I thought Harrison was iffy as well. Carson was great last night, IMO. Pothier was a beast.
by Cory Lavalette on Mar 11, 2010 8:56 AM EST up reply actions
yes, we were robbed in the Pothier trade. Just straight up Pothier for Corvo would have been enough. Not sure what happened in those negotiations. Pothier is a stand up guy and was loved in Washington. Still shaking my head a little on that one. I sure hope Corvo is going to be worth it. You will LOVE Pothier—-if he stays after the year is over.
by lifetime caps fan on Mar 11, 2010 9:55 AM EST up reply actions
I have been plesantly surprised with his play. He may not have the offensive upside of Corvo but I have been very impressed with his defensive play so far. I really hope the Canes can lock him up for a couple of years on a reasonalbe deal. That is if he continues to play well.
He can be a great mentor for our young guys. I’m sure Corvo will begin to work out for you all soon though. At least Walks has scored for the caps…
Member of Canes Country and the Cat Scratch Reader
Caps only wanted players with contracts expiring. They have so many players to get re-signed. And , FYI, Pothier WILL continue to play well. He is smart defensively. He can shoot the puck. You will rarely find him out of position and he does not often turn the puck over. The Caps think they are going to win the cup with OFFENSE and wear teams down. Mike Green has taken a beating in the playoffs the last 2 years, so Corvo will probably be a guy to take some minutes. He does do some questionable things with the puck, i have seen. Seems like a likable guy. I still think Walker was a scumbag for what he did to Ward, but you know how when a guy puts on your teams jerseys, you gotta root for him… I just dont want any nonsense or bullshit. Although if he cleaned Matt Cookes clock next week, i wouldnt hate him.. The Canes just had a really bad start and too many injuries. This team will be right back to the top next year you can already tell..I was shocked Jokinen had 27 freaking goals. Thats the quietest 27 goals in the league. LaRose is good too, Staal was surprisingly quiet but he usually kills us. 2 more meetings in the next 2 weeks. Should be good
by lifetime caps fan on Mar 11, 2010 3:45 PM EST up reply actions
Walker was under enormous, enormous stress. His wife had just been diagnosed with cancer and they had not announced it publicly. He was doing a remarkable job of coping. Walker is the last person you’d find to deliver a cheap shot. He really believed he was in a fight; but one has to remember his state of mind at the time.
If the Caps can bear down during the playoffs, this really ought to be their year for the Stanley Cup. I hope Walker and Corvo get their Stanley Cup this year.
we may have won it last year if you guys had not put 2 goals on marty brodeur in game 7 in the final minute…we were already ready for NJ, and those damn penguins got in our way again. I hope you are right, but the postseason is so different from regular season. Its going to be tough.
by lifetime caps fan on Mar 11, 2010 4:18 PM EST up reply actions
I also should have added that Aaron Ward was a former member of the Hurricanes and during the series in general and that game in particular was taking late shots to the head of Matt Cullen. Cullen had almost had to retire due to the lingering effects of a concussion and Walker had missed time with a concussion. Aaron Ward is a large personality and some people and players find it amusing while others think he is an arrogant jerk. For clarity’s sake, I think Aaron Ward is a great person although I have no respect for him as a player. Walker acted out of character with that punch; but the reasons are understandable.
I’m just going to reinforce ADog’s comments about Scotty. He was, and still is, one of the best guys you’ll find. No one cares about his teammates more (in fact, he was sticking up for Cullen when “the punch” happened) and no one respects his fellow players more than Scotty.
What was going on in his personal life at that time coupled with the stress of the playoffs created a situation that was so unique it can’t possibly be used as an indicator of how he approaches the game or what kind of guy he is. He’s said that he doesn’t even remember playing that series from the time he found out about Julie’s diagnosis to the time the series ended. Like ADog said, at that time he really believed he was in a fight.
Trust me when I tell you that you aren’t getting nonsense with him. You are getting one of the best in the business who made a mistake while going through the most unimaginably difficult periods in his life.
"This guy is as meat and potatoes as there is of a man."
Gleason for Emperor!
hey he won the game for us his first night out. then i heard his kid asked him if he had to get a walker jersey for Caps and asked if he could an Ovie jersey instead…FYI, he was wearing the Ovie jersey the next night to the game. Pretty funny. I heard good things about him. Its an understandable situation and his story isnt real well known up here. Anyone that can bring playoff experience and big moment scoring, we will take, arms wide open :)
by lifetime caps fan on Mar 11, 2010 5:19 PM EST up reply actions
wooooooooooooooo hooooooooooooooo
POTHIER!!!!!!!!!!
I told all you Caniacs…He just won the game in OT…you got a STEAL!!!!
Still have not figured out why the hell we got rid of this guy. Wait till you get to know the guy a bit. He is an awesome dude..!!!
Enjoy Canes fans…
by lifetime caps fan on Mar 11, 2010 9:36 PM EST up reply actions
Pothier fits extremely well with the Hurricanes. He has excellent hands, great vision, and doesn’t make mistakes in the defensive zone. He also skates extremely well. He probably lacks the offensive moves of Corvo, but Pothier also seems very intelligent and steady. He is a great leader for the young defensemen. Corvo is a bit more of an artist with an artist’s temperament. Both Corvo and Pothier are excellent; but they have different approaches and skills.
Yeah I guess I didn’t say that as well as I wanted.
I agree last night was not Harrison’s strongest performance, but I did think he was better than Picard. My intent was to say that both of the “callups” ( though that term may be a stretch for Carson at this point) looked better than him. Picard just looked lost, and he took a couple of penalties as a result.
You were right on about Pothier, he had a herculean game, and on a couple of plays he outright saved goals.
by wylde4canes on Mar 11, 2010 10:05 AM EST up reply actions
I much, much preferred Picard to Harrison. I think having defensemen with speed and athleticism is a huge advantage. Harrison tends to lack the make up speed it takes for a defenseman to recover from a being slightly or greatly out of position. I would 1000 times rather have Harrison than either Wallin or Aaron Ward; but I prefer more athletic, fast defensemen like Pitkanen, Carson, Picard, Pothier. Gleason is a unique player because he skates much better than one might think, but he is a beast on the ice as well. Harrison lacks the insane, insatiable desire that Gleason has and is not as good a skater. I am not at all a Harrison hater; and think he is doing fine. I totally agree that Carson and Pothier are playing great defensive hockey and are staying within the Maurice/Francis/Rowe system.
I’m not to sure on Picard. I haven’t heard much about him, which isn’t bad, but it isn’t necessarily good either. If I had a choice (right now), I would take Pothier over Picard. Picard’s play hasn’t been to impressive so far IMO.
Member of Canes Country and the Cat Scratch Reader
Picard
Sens fans call him a turnover machine and for the most part were glad to see him leave. He’s an RFA at the end of this season so I hope we don’t re-up on him.
said that about Corvo, too, though. Sens have never been happy with a d-man …
by Cory Lavalette on Mar 11, 2010 11:32 AM EST up reply actions
Corvo vs Picard
Ya but Corvo never lived up to that expectation and 5 games in Picard doesn’t look good, took 2 bad penalties last night and seems a step behind. If we get him for cheap then keep him, I’d rather have him then Harrison. With the way the cap is shaping up, we should have some money to spend, I’m not saying we should spend a ton but I think we should bring up our prospects and have probably have enought to add another dman around 1-2 mil price range.
Sounds similar to what Sens fans said about another former Sens defenseman.
I would seriously hope that the long-term plans for a 24-year old defenseman are not decided based on a five-game sample size, which I might add that Picard is +4 in. Alberts (at the age of 28) completely sucked for the first twenty games or so, then we have fans crying about him being traded a few months later. It’s not like Picard has some huge qualifying offer. I expect he will back.
As for Harrison, he is an AHL-caliber defenseman. A “defensive defenseman” who possesses zero skill and isn’t too good at defending, either. He’s a left-handed Aaron Ward.
Harrison should be a No. 7/8, IMO. Which is what he is right now, really. I def. think Picard’s skill set far exceeds Harrison’s, but in the bubble of last night Picard was out of sorts.
by Cory Lavalette on Mar 11, 2010 10:24 AM EST up reply actions
So the question is…do you think they’re going to give McBain a chance soon?
Can someone please get Manny a new shirt? He DESERVES one.
I know it is pointed at cory, but I think we see him before the season is done.
by wylde4canes on Mar 11, 2010 12:14 PM EST up reply actions
We can’t have it both ways. Young defensemen will make mistakes and will have off nights. Picard has very significant potential and his strengths vastly out weigh his weaknesses as far as I am concerned. The Hurricanes held the Caps to 3 goals during regulation at their home rink following a shoot out loss by the Caps. For two periods, they held an amazing team to a total of one goal.
I fully expect to see some bonehead plays by young Hurricanes defensemen and am delighted they are making so few of those kinds of errors. It is interesting to me how differently people can assess the performance of players while watching the same game. I thought Picard was fine. Harrison just makes me feel nervous when he is on the ice because he seems to be a little behind the speed of the play. Again, I am not anti-Harrison at all; but I’d play Picard over Harrison every chance I had.
The way I look at it, at least with errors, especially from young players, gives a teachable moment for the coaching staff, especially considering the way this season has gone.
Can someone please get Manny a new shirt? He DESERVES one.
Hurricanes v. Pens and Young Defensemen
I thought all the defense played well against the Pens. There were only a couple of coaching/teaching moments. I continue to like how Picard plays. Harrison was pretty steady, but the play in which the puck bounced over his stick and he had to turn to chase it down illustrated to me why I prefer Picard. Picard has much more make up speed than Harrison. It looked like a very hard puck to handle, but I would rather have seen a very fast defenseman try to cut down space and time after the puck hopped Harrison’s stick. Even so, I thought Harrison did a great job and am not calling him out by any means. To the contrary, the Hurricanes defense seems to know how to stay within their limitations and within the system. The over all team defense is far better with the veterans, the Albany Rats, Pothier and Picard. The coaches deserve significant praise for how they have put the defense back together. Few teams could have traded four veteran roster defensemen and played better afterwards.
I blame Tripp
why not?
If the guys and gals who brought you the financial meltdown deserve big bonuses, where do I sign up?
Getting a point out of that game was a bonus considering we were down 2-0. The team showed a lot of intestinal fortitude to fight back on the road in a hostile environment. Props to Corvo and Walker showing us some love and taking back to back penalties. That game probably is a foreshadowing of our season….Down early…fight back….come up short in the end? The next 4 games will be crucial if we are to close the gap on the B’s. I think the Rangers are Dead, Lightning are falling and can’t get up, the Thrashers are dead…Bruins are showing some fight on the road…and the Panthers surprisingly are still moving forward.
You have it dead on. Check the standings in 8 days. That will tell you everything about your chances. Bruins have 4 tough road games ahead. IF you got 4-0 this week, watch out. I would bet on the Canes to take the 8th seed, and then its fingernail biting time for round 1. All things being equal, prefer you guys to wait till next year, we can take the Panthers, or Bruins…But it is NOT OVER yet. By a long shot..8 pts is nothing with a month to go
by lifetime caps fan on Mar 11, 2010 3:57 PM EST up reply actions
Look, I know we were playing the best offense in the NHL, and Legace made some great saves, but I honestly think that if Ward was in net we would’ve won that game. Not to mention the fact that Legace nearly cost us a couple goals with his “savvy” puck-handling capabilities. Yeesh.
Osala looked good considering it was his very first game with the team and his relative youth. He’s got progress to make though and we definitely would’ve been better off with Cole. And this is coming from someone who thinks Cole is overrated and overpaid.
P.S. Can Sutter work on his breakaway/penalty shots more over the summer? Haha. He’s awesome though!
Defense
It looks like goaltending and team defense will once again be Washington’s achilles heel. Going into the playoffs who’s your starter going to be?
PS- Not with anyone on the Caps, no one’s over 42%.
I wouldnt read too much into these games right now. We did just win 14 in a row, and then get 4 new guys. Many players are “auditioning” for the playoffs and getting ice time for evaluation. Team defense has not been that bad, and to win 14 games straight, you have to do more than just score. Plenty of teams we have held to 1 or 2 goals. The Caps are bored right now, lets be honest. What the hell are they playing for?? 33 pt division lead…Hard to get up for games right now. All we care about is the Cup and not getting injured so Boudreau is trying out all line combinations. We will be ready to go come playoffs, i assure you.
by lifetime caps fan on Mar 11, 2010 4:01 PM EST up reply actions
The problem to me looked like Sutter was exhausted at the time…he seriously looked winded when they showed him on the bench.
Can someone please get Manny a new shirt? He DESERVES one.
Yeah, I felt like the team in general had like 3 or 4 breakaways against Theodore and were all stoned.
They definitely had some chances one-on-one. With our team (minus Jussi and sometimes Ruu), I can never decide if it’s lack of skills in that area on the shooters’ part or if it’s the goalie shutting them down from the beginning.
But I’m giving a +1 to the people who pointed out how tired Sutter was. He huffed and puffed the entire time he was waiting to take the shot and looked like he may actually collapse when he got to the bench. I wonder if that penalty shot had taken place earlier in his shift (and therefore before he used every ounce of energy left to blaze by the D towards Theodore) if we would have seen a different outcome.
"This guy is as meat and potatoes as there is of a man."
Gleason for Emperor!
penalty shot
sutter should have taken alittle more time before his PS
am i reading this right !?
are you people already complaining about the defence.
sheeesh!
we played the WASHINGTON CRAPITALS
you know ,they make alot of teams make penalties.
give picard and harrison a break. give them 10 or so games to catch up with the speed of the players
Boychuk
Was certainly encouraging that some of his finest moments last night were on the defensive side of the puck.
In particular, his “rubbing-fenders” parallel rush down the ice with Ovechkin must have been an “OMG” moment for him. :-D
Good on him for taking what was being identified as a temporary weakness for him this season and showing such hard-working improvement.
He definitely drew attention…and in the good way, like you want.
I too Blame Tripp !! :)
The trade mark of the Canes starting slow was and will contunue to be the death nell of the teams hopes for any or the last PO spot. If they did get in, just how long would they last ? This fan saw that the game against the caps was very winnable…but they didn’t keep on the caps as they can and have in the recent past…but that is on them…like many of you here and else where…saw many positive things about the new guys and Mr. O seeing there is only what 16 games left in the season…don’t be too surprised that the newer players on the roster will seem at times either a half step behind or trying too hard and make a feww to many mistakes to suit many of us here.I personally was satisfied with Pothier’s,Picard’s showing …yes i do expect more…as they both can and have done so else where in the past…for we fans there is no time left to try and get it all together..for us, it’s NOW…but the canes are still 28th ? so in the big picture with what the Canes currently have on hand, with what they now have in the AHL and for the future with all those draft picks..tomorrow looks bright…but tomorrow doesn’t help much for today…does it ? This fan is and remains a fan…wibn,lose or draw…as i am being realistic here…after all it is just a wee bit too late now to expect the canes to go from 28th to 10th in 16 games left…isn’t it ? even the rats lost last night as well…and they played just as hard as the canes did and they didn’t have several of their key players…but as far as the physicality of the game..they seemed ( to me anyway0 to out skate the canes…but then again…i do wear glasses and they be bi-focals too !!! Can tonights game be different ?? Yes it can…but they have to remember that in oder to be the man…they have to beat the man…and going into over time may be a small "moral’ victory to some…but it still is just one point…NOT the 2 the canes needs more…and yes…just for no better reason besides i want to…I blame tripp !! Be safe and enjoy the game…because after all that’s all it is you know…Go Canes !!
Relax !! Even Micro Wave Popcorn takes time !! Go Canes !!
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