Carolina Outlasts Tampa Bay in Pond Hockey Game: Hurricanes 8, Lightning 5

Here I missed a 1000+ comment game thread thanks to baseball practice and DVR delay. Wow – what a wild response to the sleeper in Raleigh Saturday. Ya never know what you’re gonna get in these kind of no-pressure scenarios, do you?

Event summary. Drayson Bowman leads all forwards for 17min TOI. Samsonov (who had that injury) had 11min. Really even. And with Pits out, the D was all pretty close too, Carson and McBain with 24 mins, Harrison over 19 mins.

According to the chock full of goals Game summary, the media awarded the Stars to
1 – Staal
2 – Jokinen
3 – Brind`Amour.

Bowman was robbed.

Great idea !! but I did get upset as the 3rd period started as the canes were sloppy and slow…hence the 2 goals in the 3rd all but back to back as no one was in place …not even McCutie AKA McBadass…but over all at least the canes didn’t take a whipping that the caps gave the pens…and it was a very pleasent surprise to see Tom Barrasso behind the bench tonight as well…and Yes Bowman got robbed ! but we’re fans…they think we don’t know…good night all…

Whitney and Dwyer the only forwards w/o points tonight. Really shared the wealth.

Ray earned his “A” again!

The worst thing possible happened last night. Rod had a good game. 3 yrs of crap and this one game will cement in his mind he still can. Though it’s painfully obvious that he can’t.

Looks like some exciting hockey on tap for next year. Following what should be an interesting off season.

Tampa crowd was pitiful. I hope Stamkos catches on fire and starts chucking massive amounts of goals. Get some of the automotons off the crybaby/ovenchicken crap.

A

What is the point of playing this hard at this point in the season!? And AWAY!? Seriously, what a pointless effort!

By my calculations, we can no longer draft higher than the 5th overall pick, but can drop as low as the 9th overall pick if we continue winning! What a pointless, painful season which can no longer even be redeemed by a solid draft pick unless we miraculously win the lottery!

I’ve definitely been a glass half full person for the ENTIRE season due to looking at the long run and knowing we would come out of this shitty season with a genuine prospect that would add to our already solid team and help keep us at the top of the table for years to come – but this game is the final straw!

And it was AWAY!!!! Would’ve appreciated if theyd done this at home but no!

Sorry, rant over now! * exhales *

Good News!!! We finish the season against two teams still in a close playoff qualification battle. Neither Boston or the Habs will play like the perinial top three draft pick bolts (spelled with lower case b). I want to see a similar coaching strategy: Rest Cam, play the kids big minutes, winnning is never bad….especially if young players gain confidence. If any of you wish for losses….why watch the game?…why BLOG?…you can bet our pros are too competitive to just quit…

but I did get upset as the 3rd period started as the canes were sloppy and slow
I got upset before the period started because you knew it was going to happen. This was the picture in the dictionary of MO’s we have a lead hockey. Stop attacking, sit back and wait for them to come to us, also meaning blow right by our D because they are standing still. Lots of things need to be addressed this off season: This shuffling of lines is getting crazy, how can you have cohesiveness never knowing who your gonna play next to… MO may your wife put the saddle on you and ride your ass all summer long with yard work, lots of T.O.M.( time on mower) Eric, please watch the highlight of last nights breakaway goal OVER and OVER and yes OVER again. As far as an early pick, yes Stamkos and Tavares can score but their teams still suck. I will take the wins and the winning attitude before a pick…done with the morning mumble… OUT!

   I watched the game on the dvr (after watching it on slingbox on a PDA during a lacrosse game); and I found myself wondering yet again how different this season would have been if the young Albany Rats and Sutter had been given their chance ten games earlier. It’s somewhat pointless to look back and to ask that question; but it does have meaning for the future. The momentum of the Hurricanes team is now being driven frequently, if not almost uniformly, by the young players. Sutter, Boychuk, McBain, Carson, Bowman, Dwyer, and Rodney exerted their own will over the game. I found it in the intensity with which the Boychuk, Dwyer, Bowman gained the zone, hounded the puck, and crashed the net.

  To some degree it is understandable that Boychuk, McBain, Carson, Bowman, and Rodney would feel compelled to prove they belong; but I think it goes beyond that explanation. My take is that Sutter and the other young players have an internal voice that tells them to fight every shift. Even when the Hurricanes were ahead, Sutter and the other Rats were skating as if they were behind. One of the real tests of an individual hockey’s players grit and heart is how he plays when the game is over — either won or lost. If every shift has urgency, you know you have a player with the heart of a warrior.

   It was exciting to see Jokinen work his magic and particularly against Tampa Bay. He too has a quiet intensity under which beat the heart of a winner.

   One of the lessons for last night is that the speed and skill of the younger players can define the Hurricanes next season. Additionally, the Hurricanes may potentially benefit from finishing slightly higher than projected because it may result in the top three defensemen being taking. As a result, the Hurricanes may well wind up chosing a forward for its first round pick. Players such as Connolly, Sheahan, Nieddereiter, Bjudstad, Nelson, among others, come to mind.

   As others have pointed out, the Hurricanes went 23-12-3 since Jan. 1st. The Hurricanes will begin next season with a far more talented and inspiring team than the team that began 2009-2010. I am convinced as long as Sutter and the young Rats have their time on the ice next season, they will never let the team become complacent. It is simply not in their nature. In fact, I predict training camp will be far more competitive and energized than 2009-2010 because each of the young players will be hustling after every puck and working each drill to prove to the coaches they are simply too good to leave off the roster.

Hey y’all, anyone know who this kid is? Looks vaguely familiar, but perhaps the smile is throwing me off.

Bowman was like that when he was with Spokane too…he reminds me of another Jussi…does his job quietly…does his best each shift looks for the openings and gets the puck there when he can…my grandson texted me and said severl of the sports writters there said that the chiefs front office was getting poster requests of Bowmanas most of the stores are out of them …AD is correcrt in the possible draft picks…personally the canes should try and go after “Nino” as his stats in the first round of playoffs (against spokane) were very good..and he’d fit in well with the crew there in Albany( soon to be Charlotte) …but we fans shall see what we shall see…and yes this years OFF Season will be very very interesting…

No One @ the N&O has bothered to even put a AP wire story of the cane’s win last night over at the Canes Now blog…gee maybe Chip & Javier fell asleep…hmmm….

Weird game last night for sure. Funny how Bowman had 2 after I openly questioned whether he was NHL ready in the Ray thread.

I now openly question whether we can win the cup next year….wink wink!

Well, the Tampa Bay paper has noticed the obvious: Jim Rutherford’s trade for Jokinen was one of the steals/deals of the last four or five years, if not longer. It is hard for me to imagine a GM not valuing what Jokinen brings to the game.

http://twtr.net/sports/nhl/canes/2010/04/07/former-tampa-bay-lightning-wing-jussi-jokinen-finds-success-with-carolina——tampabaycom

Jokinen finds a groove in Carolina

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer

Published Tuesday, April 6, 2010

TAMPA — Jussi Jokinen had to admit there was something special about getting his 30th goal Tuesday against the Lightning, the team that put him on waivers and finally traded him last season.

“I obviously have a little extra motivation playing against your old team,” the left wing said after the Hurricanes’ 8-5 victory at the St. Pete Times Forum. “It’s unfortunate things didn’t work out there.”

But, boy, have they worked out in Carolina, who stole Jokinen for D Josef Melichar, W Wade Brookbank and a fourth-round draft pick.

Jokinen, 27, had seven goals and 11 points in 18 playoff games last season. His 30 goals this season are a team high, and he is second with 64 points, though the team is out of the playoffs.

He had two points and five shots against Tampa Bay.

“He’s really played very well for us all year and scored big goals right from the time he came in last year,” Hurricanes coach Paul Maurice said. “So, I’m happy for him because (30 goals) are quite an accomplishment, quite an achievement.”

When Jokinen scored to give Carolina a 3-1 lead with 2:03 left in the first period, his teammates swarmed him with congratulations.

“It feels good,” he said. “But I’d trade that in a second to get in the playoffs and play for the Stanley Cup.”

also gave “the Juice” many Kudos as they gave an overview of what the juice was going through personally just after he came to the Canes last year…gee he fits in so well here…heck you think he had been here for the last 3 years…sigh…time is going by way too fast for this old guy !!! heck i best put my parking brake on me chair…so i feel like i really NOT moving…:)

An interesting perspective from the Lightning:

Tampa Bay Lightning can’t help but think of draft position

Marty St. Louis did not want this to come out wrong, but the Lightning wing said, “Sometimes when you’re not going to make the playoffs, you’re better off just finishing last. At least you’re going to get a great draft pick.”

“It’s not like you’re trying to lose games,” St. Louis added Saturday. "You’re playing the game, and whatever happens, happens, and when it’s all said and done, you see where you are. But it’s nice to get the best possible draft position. We wouldn’t have gotten (Steven Stamkos) if we weren’t in that position. Pittsburgh would not have gotten (Sidney) Crosby.

“Those draft positions sometimes can turn a franchise around.”

Now, I know MSL is a good guy with a lot of character and never-say-die attitude on the ice, but honestly, I can’t imagine ever hearing words like this coming out of the mouth of one of our players who wears a letter on his chest.

Ok this is way OT but I have to share it with everyone. I was googling Pete-Dawg just to check how old he was for the age-cluster discussion earlier in this thread. And I found this picture:

How cute is he?! And it goes along with this article from his Plymouth Whaler days.

Coincidental that we have a Kostopoulos-related Fans Want to Know thread initiated today, but I was intent on giving Tom some love this morning before that thread ever began.

Here’s a guy that has quietly come in and (no jinx) is the only player on the roster to have skated all 80 games to date.

In addition, he’s among a small group of only 3 players on the roster that was with us on Opening Night that has a positive plus/minus at +4 (Staal also at +4 and Jokinen at +5 being the other two), despite being relegated to the “Group W” fourth line for much of the season.

He’s sandwiched at ninth between LaRose and Brind’Amour for points (8-12-20) and is also ninth for shots on goal (100).

And, although I’m not sure I’ve seen him “win” a fight, he’s always ready to do that honorable thing for the team and take one when needed, leading the team with 106 PIM’s (next is Gleason with 78 PIM’s).

And we got all of this performance for a mere $700K this season, with him being under contract for two more years ($0.95M / $1.1M).

Good pickup, JR. Welcome to the Canes, Mr. Kostopoulos (and, at least we’ve learned to spell your name correctly :-D).

Hey yall, I am currently in the finals of my 1st ever fantasy hockey league and am winning 8-1-1. Joni Pitkanen has been a horse for my team in terms of ATOI and I was wondering if anyone had any news on his status for the rest of the season.

I have already learned from this page that he left last nights game due to injury and did not practice today (I hadnt been able to find anything before coming here), so thank you for those tid bits. I anyone knows anything more it would be greatly appreciated.