The Final Stretch: Hurricanes at Canadiens, Game Day Preview

by Bob Wage on Mar 31, 2010 11:30 AM EDT

The Carolina Hurricanes, (32-35-9) are making their final trip north of the border this season as they visit the Montreal Canadiens, (37-31-8) for a match tonight at the Bell Centre. This will be the first of a back-to-back situation for the Canes as they travel to Ottawa for another game tomorrow night.

The Habs were in a good position to be in the playoffs last week, but have not clinched yet and the race is tightening. Robert, at Habs Eyes on the Prize, has a good analysis this morning about the team's chances. The Canadiens are 1-2-2 in their last five games.

The Hurricanes are 2-2-1 in their last five contests and are coming off a solid win in Atlanta on Monday night. Cam Ward made his debut of sorts in that game, his first work in regulation after missing 18 games due to a back injury, and he played very well. It is expected that he will start again tonight.

The rest of the Carolina lineup should remain the same as it has been in recent games.

Will Paul Maurice continue to mix the lines, looking for some chemistry? These are the fowards.

Staal, Whitney, Cole, Jokinen, Sutter, Boychuk, Dwyer, Bowman, LaRose, Brind'Amour, Samsonov, Kostopoulos.

The defense should also remain unchanged.

Pitkanen, Pothier, Harrison, Carson, McBain, and Rodney.

The Hurricanes usually fare well in the Bell Centre and have not lost in regulation there since December 6, 2003. But the Habs are 2-0 against the Canes this season as they beat them earlier this year in a shootout in Montreal and won 5-1 in Raleigh back in December.

The game will be telecast by FS Carolinas starting at 7. We will have the infamous open game thread up and running at 6:30.

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If you have not seen it, you may want to check out a recent N&O article about Brandon Sutter here.

Also, a friend of Canes Country, Sean Mitton of the Canadian Expat Network, recently interviewed former Canadien great, Yvan Cournoyer. You can check that out on You Tube, here.

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Comments

So, no guess on the initial lines?

by ncdavid on Mar 31, 2010 12:28 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

All we have to rely upon at this point is what is updated on the Canes website as being the depth chart, although it seems to function more as a “here’s what the lines are, as we know them” than an actual depth chart.

by Elsker on Mar 31, 2010 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions

yep, I didn’t go with the lines on the depth chart because I think those lines have been updated. So, I would just be guessing at this point.

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by Bob Wage on Mar 31, 2010 3:24 PM EDT up reply actions

So, I would just be guessing at this point

, as does Mo, the entire game :)

"That’s what happens when you suck" - Tim Gleason

by jenniwa30 on Mar 31, 2010 6:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Montreal will really be scrapping for a Win… Will be a tough battle. At least this one is televised though.

by JussiJuice on Mar 31, 2010 12:48 PM EDT reply actions

I know. I’m struggling on whether to start Cam tonight in my Fantasy League…he always plays well against Montreal…argh!

Can someone please get Manny a new shirt? He DESERVES one.

by Tachi828 on Mar 31, 2010 12:53 PM EDT up reply actions

my guess is

Whitney Staal Jokinen

Boychuk Sutter Cole

LaRose Dwyer Bowman

Samsonov Brindy Kostopoulos

sent via iphone

by abramsdoug on Mar 31, 2010 1:08 PM EDT reply actions

I would

agree with AD..it seems logical and our best set up …but if the canes come out slow …it will be a long night…and AD…no texting wile driving..That B Dangerous ya know !!! And that pic of Zac,Brandon & McGuirre…as cool ! for a geek…McGuire does know hockey !!

" Chadness" is contagious ! Go Canes !!

by CaniacSteve on Mar 31, 2010 1:14 PM EDT reply actions

Chip’s tweeting that it “looks like” Cam and Carey Price in the nets tonight.

Phoblographer and aficionado of all things Finnish
Sisu

by Jamie Kellner on Mar 31, 2010 1:44 PM EDT reply actions

Cam loves the Bell.

by Go_Shelf on Mar 31, 2010 1:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Who would like to see a line of Staal centering Boychuk and Bowman? Other than me, of course.

by ncdavid on Mar 31, 2010 2:22 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

I wouldn’t mind seeing that for a game or two. I actually think that Bowman has a little Cole in him. Maybe Bowman could become “Newer Binky.”

Triple Gold Juice - It's Potent and Guaranteed to Help You Score!

by PackPride17 on Mar 31, 2010 3:51 PM EDT up reply actions

I think that would put us up to Binky 3.0 or something…

Can someone please get Manny a new shirt? He DESERVES one.

by Tachi828 on Mar 31, 2010 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions

We could call him Binky XP or Binky Vista.

Triple Gold Juice - It's Potent and Guaranteed to Help You Score!

by PackPride17 on Mar 31, 2010 4:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Binky 10

by Go_Shelf on Mar 31, 2010 4:57 PM EDT up reply actions

For the thousands of line combinations that Maurice tries every game it’s interesting that usually the obviously entertaining choices such as a Boychuk – Staal – Bowman line never show up.

by JussiJuice on Mar 31, 2010 4:27 PM EDT up reply actions

Probably because it presupposes that Mo feels that Bowman and Boychuk are ready to face the opposing team’s #1 D-man pairing and checking line…which they aren’t.

by Elsker on Mar 31, 2010 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Boychuk has been playing on Staal’s line for the past few games, I don’t think that is the issue. Ever since they switched Staal and Sutter, I would say that Staal’s line has been the 2nd line. Their minutes have been pretty much equal if you take out PP time which Staal plays most all of our Power Plays.

There are always matchups created by icing, hell at LEAST try Boychuk or Bowman on the Power Play. Wanna guess how much PP time Boychuk and Bowman have combined for in the past 5 games? 1 minute and 6 seconds… Seriously, it’s the end of the season, I want to see Boychuk out there on the PP instead of Brind’Amour.

by JussiJuice on Mar 31, 2010 4:50 PM EDT up reply actions

Not a bad idea, I think Bowman would struggle in that case, but who cares let him sink or swim.

by Go_Shelf on Mar 31, 2010 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Salary Cap Question

If Brind’Amore retires does his salary count against the Cap next year? I’m thinking he retires takes a “well paid” position as a consultant in the organization next year etc.

by Mullett on Mar 31, 2010 2:43 PM EDT reply actions

He has a contract worth $3M for next year. It’s probably unrealistic to think we would see anyone “retire” with that amount of money involved, especially since it’s really a re-negotiated contract that stretched his compensation out over a couple of extra years post-Cup so the team could retain more of those Cup players.

But, the answer to your question, is “yes”, it will apply toward our cap, whether he retires or is bought out ($2M paid over two years @$1M/yr), because he signed that contract at age 36 (36 and over invokes this rule).

However, cap concerns are minimal next season, since there’s little chance we will be spending that much on salaries.

by Elsker on Mar 31, 2010 2:49 PM EDT up reply actions

However, cap concerns are minimal next season, since there’s little chance we will be spending that much on salaries.

Ever again.

it always burns within
the downward spiral never ends
when driven into sin
your salvation's found in a sinner's deed

by Douchebag St John on Mar 31, 2010 3:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Thanks……I’m a novice to the nuances of the game.

by Mullett on Mar 31, 2010 4:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Hang out here in June and July during Free Agent season and contract signings and you’ll be amazed how much knowledge oozes out of the walls from the people who post here. Excellent place to ask questions.

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by Carolyn Christians on Mar 31, 2010 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions

I don’t think we will have the cap concerns for awhile eaither but if Rod retires would he still be owed the 3M? or would just be a cap number?

I wonder how the buy out process would work, I just couldn’t see someone leaving the much money on the table. I surley wouldn’t.

by CarolinaCanes on Apr 1, 2010 12:53 PM EDT up reply actions

If he retires, he would not be owed the money…which is why he will not, in my opinion, “retire”.

$3M is a lot of money, and is actually an extended, restructured contract that he signed post-Cup win to help the team have more cash flow for the next season, so other Cup winners could be re-signed.

So, to some extent, it could be argued that he is owed at least a portion of that money for past services to the org since, under the terms of the renegotiated contract, he took less compensation than he was already under contract to receive for the ‘06-’07 season.

If he is instead bought out by the org (which they can do with or without his consent), then the $3M remaining contract amount can be reduced to a $2M payout over a two-year period of time ($1M/yr).

by Elsker on Apr 1, 2010 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions