Carolina Drops Preseason Finale: Predators 2, Hurricanes 1, OT

by Bob Wage on Oct 1, 2011 11:29 PM EDT in Carolina Hurricanes Game Recaps

The Carolina Hurricanes finished off their preseason with an overtime, 2-1 loss to the Nashville Predators on Saturday night at Bridgestone Arena.

After a scoreless first two periods, Bryan Allen gave the Canes a 1-0 lead three minutes and change into the third with the help of an assist by Brandon Sutter. But shortly after, Jiri Tlusty would take a double minor on a high sticking call and Patric Hornqvist tied things up during the ensuing powerplay.

The game ended in regulation tied 1-1, but it sounded like the Preds controlled the extra period as they got three shots on goal to zero for Carolina. Craig Smith netted the game winner with just 10 clicks left on the clock.

The Canes have a week left to practice, to reflect on their 1-4-1 preseason record, and to prepare for their season opener against Tampa Bay on Friday night. Paul Maurice mixed and matched up the lines in this game, so it's hard to tell if any chemistry took place or not. Other than the goaltending, it seems like they need work in all other areas.

We'll have more analysis about that starting tomorrow.

Game Notes:

Once again, the team was outshot, this time by a 43-21 margin. The Canes generated zero shots on goal in OT and only three shots during the opening 20 minute stanza.
Eric Staal led the team with four shots on goal.
The team was credited with 21 hits, led by Tim Gleason and Bryan Allen with four each.
Ryan Murphy played 18 plus minutes and was praised by Chuck Kaiton on air for his puck-moving and skating ability, but he was also credited with a game high four giveaways. Should the team continue to play him as a try-out in these all important nine games coming up? More discussion about that coming up this week.
The Canes won 51% of their draws with Staal winning 59%, Sutter, 57%, and Brent 28%. (those who took three or more draws)
The Canes were 0-4 on the PP and generated just 4 shots while with the man advantage.

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While i was still up & awake

And Spokane leading 7-2 in the 3rd period as i write this…This have is not ready to toss the baby out with the water,nor throw half the team under the bus Yet, but and while I nor anyone else here has coached professionally …I don’t understand MO’s thinking..as this last game ,minus 2 key players out with “minor” injuries ( prayting they don’t become season long nagging injuries) one would think or hope Mo would have set a roster to see how it felt to the players as they pretty much have a idea of who they’ll be playing with 90% of the time. But again I am NO Coach..but the last 3 games ( albeit preseason) show a repeat of last seasons weakness and failure…and i base that comment on what many of us have seen posted on Canes Countryt blog and on twitter…so be mindful I am only repeating what has already been said…The coaching staff has until Games time on Friday the 7th to get (like in the movie Ben Hur) the “team” to pull and play as one…because we all know that here in the eastern conference several teams have made improvements just as the Canes have…and on paper..those other teams are bigger,faster than the Canes are despite the off season workouts 99% of the Team has done ..so all this and all the other fans of the Caniac Natiin can and will do is sit back ..watch & wait..to see what is shown we, the fams…Thanks Bob

9/11/01 - Never Forget !!
Long Live #63 The Condor
Go Canes & Checkers !!!

by CaniacSteve on Oct 2, 2011 1:05 AM EDT reply actions

To be fair...

In the NFL, the final preseason game’s most important goal is to get the players out healthy. With two guys dinged up already, I can’t say I blame Maurice for taking this approach.

Personal attacks are the weapon of the ignorant.

Panthers '011: This is what we've been waiting for...we get to overpay the core of a 2-14 team!

by MichaelProcton on Oct 3, 2011 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m sorry I missed the game tonight but here in Vegas was #FrozenFury = Avs vs. Kings. I go each and every year as it’s the only time we get true NHL action out here in this dump. The game was pretty one-sided and not the outcome I was hoping for… sounds like the Canes game was just as disappointing. I’m going to be positive and know that this has just been the pre-season, bring on the regular season. I’m hoping the motivation is there once it really begins and they never forget it – eye of the ~~storm~~ tiger, man.. eye of the tiger.

"It was the best of times, it was the blurst of times..."

by Gramm Matthew Esq. on Oct 2, 2011 2:47 AM EDT reply actions

Hmm...

so what has you in LV in the first place?

Personal attacks are the weapon of the ignorant.

Panthers '011: This is what we've been waiting for...we get to overpay the core of a 2-14 team!

by MichaelProcton on Oct 3, 2011 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Dalpe ?

Looking through the game stats (I did not see the game itself) it caught my attention that Dalpe only got 8:21 of TOI, similar to that of Bowman (8:06) and Nash (7:06). This is surprising since according to the pregame notes Dalpe was supposed to play with Staal.

So what happened ? Did he play on the 4th line all the game, or did he get benched? Who played with Staal then?

by MHodak on Oct 2, 2011 4:27 AM EDT reply actions

I saw tweeted that he was on the fourth line last night.

by sunshine12 on Oct 2, 2011 7:56 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Chip tweeted these lines
Skinner staal ruutu
Poni sutter dwyer
Tlusty brent stewart
Bowman nash dalpe
Joslin mcbain
Gleason faulk
Allen murphy

by sunshine12 on Oct 2, 2011 8:07 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

I think that was from @canes_gameday, but those are the lines they tweeted.

Twitter @HMof2

by Carolyn Christians on Oct 2, 2011 8:16 AM EDT up reply actions

If you scroll through the game thread, the lines are there early in the comments. It was definitely mixandmatch. Top line was Staal centering Ruutu and Skinner.

Twitter @HMof2

by Carolyn Christians on Oct 2, 2011 8:05 AM EDT up reply actions

This is what Chip just added on twitter this morning. Doesn’t make me feel good.

Still scratching head over Canes’ lines last night. It’s like Maurice got on plane to Nashville and reshuffled the deck on the flight.
Maurice, in media scrum after morning practice, reeled off the lines. Then, a complete change for game. D pairs did not change.

Twitter @HMof2

by Carolyn Christians on Oct 2, 2011 8:55 AM EDT up reply actions

Classic Maurice

by JussiJuice on Oct 2, 2011 10:55 AM EDT up reply actions

And that's the scary part

Dalpe has played well all preseason, but last game, it looked as though he lost his man which allowed a goal….Next game, 4th line, low time—Mo std. Good way to let the player recover, come back stronger and more determined…Nope.

Mo’s answer to “my system isn’t creating offense”: Juggle lines. Wow. They’ve all pretty got new members on each line—Staal with two new players he hasn’t played with before. New players and old learning new systems, new coaches in Lewis and Brindy. Do we give them time to gel and sort it out? Nope. Juggle the lines.

All Mo standard. He seems genuinely vexed whent he team doesn’t win. He seems to think his system should work everygame against every team, and if it doesn’t, it must mean he hasn’t put the right round pegs in the right square holes, so his only answer is shufffle the lines.

Here we go again. JR makes changes, Mo stays the same.

by Squeaky83 on Oct 2, 2011 11:05 AM EDT up reply actions

If all we found out this preseason

is that Boucher is a stellar backup goalie, i’m good with that. we’ll get better; it may take a while, some player/coach movement, but we’ll get better. there are too many talented players on this team not to.

Of Maurice, Karmanos said: "I’m happy Paul is back but he’s going to be judged the same way as any other coach. We need to win more consistently."

by Sergeant Stinky on Oct 2, 2011 7:50 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Unfortunately slow starts have been a huge reason the Canes are fighting for the 8th Playoff spot every year. Need to find some way to get it going earlier, it is an issue.

by JussiJuice on Oct 2, 2011 10:57 AM EDT up reply actions

Doesn’t bode well for the season. Maurice appears as confused as we all are as to what is going on.

by rmmeli on Oct 2, 2011 9:21 AM EDT reply actions

Maurice and Lines the 2011-2012 Version

Maurice is in a tough situation. He is not naive. Very few NHL head coaches are retained if the they go three years without being in the playoffs. I didn’t mind the sudden line reshuffling; and to thought I’d see more of that due to the urgency that Maurice must be feeling. Still, what is troubling to me is that the Hurricanes are not producing yet again on the power play. The lines at even strength were an experimentation. The power play scored one goal in the entire pre-season: a great pass from Pitkanen to Jokinen.

Nashville tries too get its opponents to cheat to create offense. The Hurricanes had patience, it seemed based on the way Chuck K. and then Chip Alexander described it. We will all know more over the next ten to fourteen games. The Hurricanes have a very demanding October. It’s going to be a wild, wild few months. I can already feel the “Mo Must Go” proponents polishing their drumsticks.

by abramsdoug on Oct 2, 2011 9:33 AM EDT reply actions

Was it patience?

Or part of Mo’s “this team needs to be more defensive” philosphy?

by Squeaky83 on Oct 2, 2011 11:07 AM EDT up reply actions

Maybe Mo just decided not to worry about winning the game and look at certain players one last time. I’d have thought Dalpe would get more TOI and Nash would get a stronger look.

by Hockeydog on Oct 2, 2011 11:06 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

I could see that

…If we had looked pretty strong previously. If it looked like we were ready to start the season.

But we’re not. The second line, Skinner Ruu, Jussi, sometime Stewart is shooting blanks—they’ve not looked like a scoring line…that’s a concern. What do we do there.

Staal Poni, Dalpe showed some decent chance creation and Poni has shown good instincts and put some goals in, but they got broken up before we got a chance to see if Staal and Dalpe together could put up points—the potential seemed to be growing, then Mo tore it up, so now what with the first line??

Sutter and Tlusty have looked good together, Tlusty has created scoring opportunities as has Sutter, LaRose hasn’t looked like he belonged on that line and would like to see Stewart get a chance—he has worked, Mo said he was coming along, he helps the 4ht line score, and he stays there?? Hello, Mo, why? Rosie Love?

The 4th line is the only one we have that’s been consistent, and looked cohesive. Maybe it’s why he left Stewart there. Oh wait, he changed that up last game too.

So we know nothing, showed nothing on offense so it’s tough to say we had a throwaway game to just go look at players.

by Squeaky83 on Oct 2, 2011 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions