Game Analysis: Flyers At Hurricanes
by Cory Lavalette on Nov 15, 2011 10:44 AM EST
Email
PrintThe Hurricanes got two shorthanded goals from Patrick Dwyer, but Claude Giroux and the Flyers were again too much for Carolina as Philadelphia won, 5-3. The Canes are now just 2-5 in the pivotal month of November and have dropped into a tie with Winnipeg for last in the Southeast with 15 points (6-9-3).
Three Observations
1. At the end of the day, Cam Ward can only do so much. People who look at the boxscore or watch the highlights and see Ward pulled for Brian Boucher on Monday might think the Canes' goalie had failed the team, but Ward — who allowed four goals on 17 shots — was hung out to dry by his teammates again. It's a difficult statement to make, but Carolina has the looks of a franchise that is throwing away the prime years of an elite goaltender. When you have a player openly admitting that his team lacks the talent of its opponents (Dwyer: "If we're winning going to win hockey games, it's going to be fighting. We're not going to go out and out-skill very many teams. We've got skill, but top to bottom we're not as deep as a lot teams and we're going to win games on our work ethic.") it's time to reassess the squad you're putting on the ice, especially when you have a goaltender that can lead the way if given the help.
2. Coach Paul Maurice's continued indifference to playing the fourth line is concerning, especially when you consider that the three players on it were all high draft picks with scoring upside. Burying Zac Dalpe, Zach Boychuk and Jiri Tlusty and playing them a combined 10:54 impedes the growth of these young players and hinders the team's opportunity to find a way to provide a balanced attack. Both Tlusty and Boychuk had some success of Eric Staal's wing earlier in the year, and Dalpe was earmarked for a top-six role this season only to see his ice time peak in the opener (10:38) and reach a career low Monday (2:41).
3. Tomas Kaberle played a season-high 24:52 Monday, including 20:29 at even strength, and held his own filling the role of Joni Pitkanen — who missed his second straight game with an injury — as Carolina's go-to defenseman. He did take a hooking penalty in third (believe it or not, his first penalty minutes of the season) and the Canes’ power play went without a goal in four opportunities, but Kaberle is looking more comfortable. But until he starts putting up points, he will not be living up to his contract.
Number To Know
187 — Faceoff wins for Staal through 18 games, an average of 10.7 wins per game. Staal has won 49.7 percent of his faceoffs this season and finally looks like someone who can be relied on to be decent in the circle. He won 11 of 15 Monday, leading the way in Carolina's 42-29 advantage at the dot.
Plus
Patrick Dwyer — Dwyer had just two points entering Monday's game, but he doubled that output with two shorthanded goals against the Flyers. The first came with less than a second remaining in the first period when Staal threaded a pass past Chris Pronger on a 2-on-1 rush and Dwyer deposited it past Sergei Bobrovsky to kae it 2-1 Flyers. Dwyer got his second after drawing a penalty shot early in the third while on the penalty kill, again beating Bobrovsky and bring Carolina within a goal.
Minus
Chad LaRose — LaRose and his linemates, Brandon Sutter and Staal, made up Carolina's best line Monday. But LaRose had several chances to score on Bobrovsky only to come up empty. He was also on the hook for a minus-3 on the night, though he was only at fault on Matt Read's goal when his errant pass sent the Flyers the other way on a rush that led to the nail-in-the-coffin goal.
69 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Great Article Cory
and sadly you & Dwyer told the truth…Not sure who is more Bi-polar..the staff behind the bench or 11 -19-22 for putting up with it..sure the large paychecks can’t be worth losing the edge they need by staying up with the home club…and her Tlusty was starting to open up on a consistant basis too…what a waste…Thanks Cory…this fan appreciates the efforts sir…
9/11/01 - Never Forget !!
Long Live #63 The Condor
Go Canes & Checkers !!!
At least the game was entertaining as the Hurricanes attempted to make a comeback. I am sick of seeing the other team’s jersies in the stands accompaned by smiling, laughing faces. Yes, LaRose’s pass was ill-advised and did put the nail in the coffin. I wish he had shown a little more veteran presence on that play and made a better decision.
by hockeythoughts on Nov 15, 2011 10:55 AM EST reply actions
LaRose
I like LaRose and was fine with the Canes resigning him in the offseason – as long as he is put in a role that fits his skill set (which is NOT playing in the top 6). Last night while watching the game I couldn’t help but think Staal would have had a couple more assists if a more skilled forward had been the recipient of his passes and not LaRose. I’m pretty sure if it had been Dalpe or Boychuk (gasp!) receiving the pass, they could have buried those chances.
And that's another Hurricane's goal! WOOOOOOOO!
My issue with LaRose...
I think Dwyer fill the same role as Chad but does so with better scoring ability and is no where near as much of a defensive liability. Chad is a fan favorite so gets a lot of attention, but I think Dwyer is more than capable of filling his shoes for less money, and is properly slotted on the 3rd or 4th line where he and LaRose belong. This is an opinion I have had for a while, and was not created last night in Dwyer’s 2 goal game.
by Clemson Caniac on Nov 15, 2011 11:23 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
MY overall impression was that the Flyers played their game. Very smooth, never flustered. Methodically executing what they planned to do. If they got off track, they got right back on.
The Canes meanwhile look spastic. All over the place. Not very clean on the entry. Losing a lot of battles behind our net when it appears we have the puck and are bringing it out, a Flyer would end up with it and make a pass up top. And the Flyers would just let us spaz, watching us flail, and then seeing an opportunity, jump in and take the advantage. Very cool and calculated.
I think it was all very deliberate on the part of the Flyers and it worked.
I wonder if Maurice completely forgetting to use his 4th line has anything to do with the regular third-period letdowns? Either way, these guys would be better off getting minutes down in Charlotte than being stapled to the bench in Raleigh.
CC has a point about the Canes looking “spastic” I’m personally sick and tired of the lazy dump-and-chase being used on the powerplay, it seems that two out of three times that strategy is used the opposing team gets the puck and dumps it back out, wasting 20-30 seconds that could be used setting up the offense. Very frustrating to watch.
It’s a difficult statement to make, but Carolina has the looks of a franchise that is throwing away the prime years of an elite goaltender
That’s a great point, Cory. Ward and Staal are on their prime and the franchise should be aware that the time to win with those guys is now. Bringing in more talent will be money well spent.
by outlander_caniac on Nov 15, 2011 11:04 AM EST reply actions
Forget Staal. Maybe he peaked to soon, maybe he never had it in the first place, but we’re paying $8 million per year for a captain who can’t lead, and whose idea of handling a breakaway is to stop 20 feet in front of the goalie and bounce a shot off his chest. Drop Stall back to the fourth line and let’s see what the younger (and hungrier) players have got. At least we won’t be any worse off.
by GordonKeehn on Nov 15, 2011 11:47 AM EST up reply actions
He was one of the best players on the ice for the Canes last night. Oh I forgot, this is Staal Hating Canes Country.
It's time for change! "If you want to change the culture, you will have to start by changing the organization." - Mary Douglas
by PackPride17 on Nov 15, 2011 12:06 PM EST up reply actions
I agree. Staal gets a lot of hate here. The pass he made to Dwyer last night was a thing of beauty. And Staal plays on the penalty kill too. So he does a lot for the Canes. But he doesn’t seem right this year. Maybe it’s the lack of Cole on his wing. I know we all love Skinner, but Skinner doesn’t play on the penalty kill, so maybe he has fresher legs than Staal at times. But then Skinner has held up his end on offense, so no problem with him not contributing on the penalty kill. But in terms of scoring this year Staal is not worth the $8 million.
by hockeythoughts on Nov 15, 2011 1:25 PM EST up reply actions
Staal is the easy target here. He has the “C” and a proven track record that is far better than what he’s putting up this year. One thing is for sure, he isn’t the only one playing poorly this year. I don’t know if it’s the lack of Cole on his line as much as it’s the lack of the same player from one game to the next. Staal, like everyone except the Skin-Finn line is victim to Mo’s constant line tinkering. And even those guys are gonna fall victim to it sooner or later, unless JR finally decides Mo Must Go.
The only easy day was yesterday.
I don’t hate Staal. I’m sure he’s a wonderful person, kind to old animals and helping old ladies cross the street. I call them like I see them. He has no apparent leadership, he has a -17 plus-minus value, and he can’t score on a breakaway or in a shoot-out. He uses his size well, and contributes on the penalty kill, but you win games by putting the puck in the net, and he doesn’t hold up his end there.
He has no apparent leadership
Wow, what else can you tell us about what goes on in the locker room, or on the bench, or on the ice during practice, and even the conversations you have with other team members outside the rink? I think we all would be interested to hear about the insight you have about Staal, and even other players as well, since you know so much about his apparent lack of leaderhip.
by hotchipsnsalsa on Nov 15, 2011 1:58 PM EST up reply actions
but you win games by putting the puck in the net, and he doesn’t hold up his end there.
Can you name 5 players that have scored more goals than Staal since the year Staal was drafted in 2003? There are some out there, but not very many.
It's time for change! "If you want to change the culture, you will have to start by changing the organization." - Mary Douglas
I think it’s easy for people to forget that he scored more than Skinner last year in what was a down season for him.
by Cory Lavalette on Nov 15, 2011 3:04 PM EST up reply actions
Skinner was also an 18 year old Rookie… overall Skinner will emerge as the far more talented scorer.
by JussiJuice on Nov 16, 2011 1:33 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Staal should be a defenseman.
I think Staal should be an offensive defenseman. I think this is where he really belongs. He is big and fast and plays defense well. I think the pressure would be off him if he was a defenseman first with a scoring threat. Also he should give up the C.
by captnstarstripe77 on Nov 15, 2011 6:20 PM EST up reply actions
Personally I thought Kaberle was a disaster whenever he was on the ice. If that is Kaberle filling Pikanen’s role then you seriously are underestimating Pitkanen. Pairing him with McBain was just ludicrous. It was painful to watch the two of them out there.
He played a ton of minutes and didn’t hurt the team.
by Cory Lavalette on Nov 15, 2011 11:31 AM EST up reply actions
I thought McBain was the worst out of the group last night. Don’t know if it was due to him not being familiar with Kabs but McBain was dreadful in my opinion.
"I'm not going to waste my time with Tuukka Rask" - Cam Ward
Hockey question for the knowledgeable
Am I noticing a team defense wide strategy of making blindside passes when we have puck possesion but are challenged in trapeziod? I was always coached in other sports to make the play in the direction you are facing. If this is a tendency, is it part of the system or an individual decision?
Did you see what Philly did with the puck back behind the net last night when we were pressing? It was a joy to watch. They actually brought another player down to assist the d-men and their passes were QUICK. Well coached team.
Harrumph
No I didn’t see it.
In fact, I don’t think we even pressed the Flyers behind the net at all. Are you sure?
Not just Philly, but Pittsburg and the Rangers as well.
These team are willing to keep an extra player behind the net allowing them to cycle the puck and keep possesion in our offensive zone.
by CanesFanFromLI on Nov 15, 2011 4:09 PM EST up reply actions
We should get Frank Kaberle back & pair the brothers on shifts.
by captnstarstripe77 on Nov 15, 2011 6:44 PM EST up reply actions
another season with Maurice at the helm...
"I'm not going to waste my time with Tuukka Rask" - Cam Ward
Post Game
I did not watch any of the post game on FSC. I have heard that Coach MO became very upset during the presser and stormed out . Anyone know if this is accurate ?
I think Brian plans to touch on this today. Hear the audio here: http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/790396/maurice1114.mp3
by Cory Lavalette on Nov 15, 2011 11:31 AM EST up reply actions
Not too bad of a presser, audio cut out before any storming occurred. Good for him for not throwing guys under the bus or picking apart the negatives, but I’m sure a coach has to actually communicate the changes he wants to see in their game by video review of mistakes. For once I’d like to see him get a bit fired up, after all it’s has butt on the line. When Buffalo was sucking last year, Lindsey Ruff took them to task.
Mo was right about the need to move the puck better. But dumping and chasing isn’t going to accomplish that, nor is having veteran d-men attempt to make long passes. Basically, I think this team is a bunch of whussies (a few exceptions) who don’t like to go up the middle of the ice. They play it safe along the boards, teams know that and defend against it.
And let’s face it – the Canes will NEVER be confused as a skilled team.
Harrumph
Okay
I agree with Dwyer. Top to bottom we are not loaded. let’s maximize what we do have…
Lines to take what we do have and work with:
1. Skinner, Ruutu, Jokinen. Most minutes, play their passing game, use Ruu’s hitting, Jussi and Skinner’s passing, Ruu and Skins shooting to continue to score.
2. Poni, Staal, Boychuck. Second line Use like the first—Boychuck as passer/playmaker, Poni as big body and puck posession guy, Staal as shooter/passer.
3. Tlusty, Sutter, Dalpe. Good passing, good speed—use quick up ice rushes, short quick passes and shots whle going to the net. Nothing fancy. One pass, go to the net. Shoots, or get it to the point and go to the net. Sutter Tlusty second PK unit.
4. Dwyer, LaRose, Brent. 4th line—Grind, battle, get the dirty scappy goals Mo loves. Get under the skin of the opposition. Brent LaRose first PK unit.
Stewart can play on 2nd, 3rd or 4th line depending on size of the other team. I also think he could be secong PP type of guy to be parked infront of the goalie….
PP1 Staal, Skinner, Jussi, Pitkanen, McBain
PP2 Ruutu, Boychuk/Stewart, Poni, Kaberle, Harrison
I do not know what to say:
This is not going to be a coherent analysis:
Dump and chase really only works if the players actually chase the puck. That strategy did not work last night. It was horrible. There was space to be had, but the team resorted to dumping the puck. Against a faster more skilled team isn’t the best strategy, IMO.
Defensemen cost us the game. McBain should be forced to do suicides or push ups til he pukes. Worst game ever for him. Gleason wasn’t too far behind. If you are going to give a skilled player a cushion, then put your freaking stick down on the ice and try to swipe the puck. Kabs sucked a lemon too as a d-man, actually started playing like a forward there at the end. He can handle the puck better than I ever gave him credit for. AND PLEASE D-MEN, PRACTICE MORE ON ACTUALLY PASSING WHILE SKATING. Those standing still long passes are killing us. Does anyone remember the old “ask the canes” where the players were given a megaphone and allowed to say anything? Whitney’s segment went like this: ‘Defense, I’m open on the left wing. Pass it to me, ON MY STICK!" It really is a simple game, and this team can’t even do the fundamentals well.
We are overall a soft team. I’ve seem more hitting in nightclubs! Throw a check. Hit a guy skating through the neutral zone! But against a skilled fast team you are coached to give them a cushion I guess. Which they take advantage of and score.
The 4th line: ’nuff said.
Dwyer – has proven his is better than LaRose so should be our 1st liner next game. Christ have mercy.
Harrumph
Here’s another idea. Practice shooting & actually hitting the net. When we actually do get shots through from the points (very rare), we seem to miss the net more than any other team in the league. If the shot never has a chance of going in, we aren’t going to get those occasional fluky goals that could change the tide of the game.
It's time for change! "If you want to change the culture, you will have to start by changing the organization." - Mary Douglas
by PackPride17 on Nov 15, 2011 12:10 PM EST up reply actions
That’s because other teams’ forwards rush the points and block their lanes.
by hurricane9 on Nov 15, 2011 12:29 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I get the feeling that taking what could be called ‘aggression penalties’ , boarding, slashing, roughing, etc, are a major no-no on a Maurice team.
Of course few players elect to put the opposition on the power play, but for a supposed low-skill team in a rut there is a noticeable lack of aggression or anger.
by drifterscape on Nov 15, 2011 12:19 PM EST up reply actions
Still have to ask...
have any of the 9 investors (not counting Rutherford) asked for their money back?
Seriously, maybe this team would be better off acting like the Devils of last year and dressing 18 for a game – keep someone who can play center as a 4th line, and then just send Dalpe and Boychuk back to Charlotte. They would be better off.
JR, if you are reading this, make some kind of move! This team needs some kind of spark, and Mo is just a wet blanket (sorry) – something needs to light this team on fire. I really would like to be positive, and I think everyone agrees that if we had an average goalie, we would really be in trouble (thank goodness for Cam), but we need more than 1 player. If I could cut Staal from my Yahoo fantasy league, I would…
Pens game
During the third period almost meltdown, I actually stated “if I were Cam Ward I’d demand a trade to a team that can perform in front of me.” My statement both terrified (what it would mean for this team) and depressed (Cam’s my favorite player) me, but they are squandering his talent.
what kept players like dalpe on the bench?
mo: uhh the guys in front of them on the ice. LOL
by Cincinnati Reds on Nov 15, 2011 12:28 PM EST reply actions
Wait, that was a real answer? He actually said that?
I believe in strength. I believe in unity. And if that strength, that unity of purpose, demands a uniformity of thought, word and deed then so be it.
by Douchebag St John on Nov 15, 2011 1:09 PM EST up reply actions
That is indeed what Maurice said, then proceeded to leave and slam the door. Pretty weak display by Maurice.
Where do you get your info that after saying that, Mo slams the door and leaves? It’s not in the audio. Is it being reported?
Harrumph
From a Twitter Post by Brian LeBlanc @bdleblanc
The joys of Twitter:
@bdleblanc Brian LeBlanc
Asked about what kept Boychuk and Dalpe off the ice in the third, Mo: “the guys who were on the ice.” He then slammed a door on the way out.
Yes
He said when asked what kept the 4th line off the ice: “What kept them off the ice? The guy who were on the ice.”
Then the audio stops.
Harrumph
I don’t care if he is JR and PK’s illegitimate step son, that answer simply should not be acceptable. What an insult to the 4th line, to the reporter who asked a fair and legit question, and to the fans who deserve an answer to that question.
I believe in strength. I believe in unity. And if that strength, that unity of purpose, demands a uniformity of thought, word and deed then so be it.
by Douchebag St John on Nov 15, 2011 1:23 PM EST up reply actions
It was Mike Smith who works for the Hurricanes and is as upbeat person as there is. He is in his first year having replaced Paul Branecky. Nobody would ever interpret Mike as asking even a slightly mean-spirited question.
Even worse. Considering the team is run like a freaking Junta, there is NO WAY that question was not vetted by someone before being asked.
I believe in strength. I believe in unity. And if that strength, that unity of purpose, demands a uniformity of thought, word and deed then so be it.
by Douchebag St John on Nov 15, 2011 1:36 PM EST up reply actions
It’s a difficult statement to make, but Carolina has the looks of a franchise that is throwing away the prime years of an elite goaltender
So very very very true. How long till Cam demands a trade to a team that will actually spend some money to put a defense in front of him. Imagine his numbers in Philly behind Pronger, in Jersey behind the trap, or Tampa behind that entertainment sucking abortion that is the 1-3-1. His leaky glove side wouldn’t matter because there would be very few shots that actually make it to him.
I believe in strength. I believe in unity. And if that strength, that unity of purpose, demands a uniformity of thought, word and deed then so be it.
by Douchebag St John on Nov 15, 2011 12:29 PM EST reply actions
The not-so-good stats so far…on top of being tied for 13th in the conference while the last place team has 4 games in hand.
Though 18 games:
Canes have 7 games in which they’ve allowed 5 goals (5 times in the last 8 games alone)
Canes have 9 games in which they’ve scored 2 goals or less (5 times in the last 8 games alone)
Rank 11th in the conference in goals forced.
Rank 14th in the conference in goals allowed.
Rank 29th in the league at a -17 goal differential.
The one that matters most – have only won 3 out of their 12 games.
Yes, it’s a slow day at the office and I wanted to feel even more depressed about my beloved Canes…
"I'm not going to waste my time with Tuukka Rask" - Cam Ward
Perfect comments
Excellent evaluation Cory. Now if the Canes brass would only read this and SEE THIS maybe they would start to evaluate things a little more closer too. Boychuk and Dalpe getting buried and wasting BETTER SKILL on the 4th line with minimal to pathetic ice time while LaRose gets more. What a head scratcher. Like a lof fans comments here I don’t get Mo’s way of thinking or what he’s seeing in some of these players, particularly on the offensive side of things. I do like seeing Sutter with Staal though. But Boychuk or Dalpe would be a better fit there then LaRose. Dead on the nail too with Ward being hung out to dry. I only saw 1 of the 4 goals he gave up as being soft, the 3rd goal by Giroux. Cam saves that 9/10 times but just a nice shot by Giroux, that’s hockey. But no help in front of him all game. Relying way too much on him again this season. Lot of valid comments from fans this time too while reading.
by whalecanes@s... on Nov 15, 2011 1:39 PM EST reply actions
I was surprised Boucher was’t given the chance to start that game. After Cam worked so hard and played so brilliantly against the Pens, he deserved a night off and Boucher deserved a bit of atonement for his last outing against Philly. I never felt as though the game was ever as close as the score indicated, our 5 on 5 play isn’t that strong. Unless the skins and finns line is able to go off several times a games (which they won’t) we will not be able to win. After the disappointments the last few years it’s a shame at how far this team has fallen.
yeah, I used to play
I actually thought LaRose played pretty well
although I can’t believe he couldn’t put one of those in in the second period. I guess for a lot of those goals it was hard to tell who to pin them on because it was just a total breakdown in team defense, not an individual (the main exception here being #2). So I didn’t realize he was on the ice for so many.
And I will likely remain anti-Kaberle unless he suddenly becomes really, really impressive.
Heel for school, Vol for life!
Bolts, Preds, Canes (childhood team, home state team, hometown team). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity!
by Incipient_Senescence on Nov 15, 2011 4:00 PM EST reply actions
Why
Well for LaRose or well for a forward. He whiffed on open nets, he missed passes, he was a turnover machine (three times he shot a puck off net so bad it went aorund the boards and up and out of the offensive zone). His turnover directly led to the last goal by the Flyers.
I thought well in general
but like I said, one thing about being there in person is that you don’t get the benefit of replay to see who’s really responsible for some of the bad stuff happening. I just remembered some gritty plays to keep possession in attack and such.
Heel for school, Vol for life!
Bolts, Preds, Canes (childhood team, home state team, hometown team). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity!
by Incipient_Senescence on Nov 15, 2011 6:05 PM EST up reply actions
My biggest complaint
was allowing the Flyers so much space in the middle of the ice. Everybody knows exactly what they want to do. At least try to stop it.
Heel for school, Vol for life!
Bolts, Preds, Canes (childhood team, home state team, hometown team). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity!
by Incipient_Senescence on Nov 15, 2011 4:01 PM EST reply actions
I don't care if you hit somebody
I’m a Lightning fan, if we’re hitting people, we’re usually losing. Just clog some [freaking] space. Don’t give them room to operate in the middle. Close down passing lanes.
Heel for school, Vol for life!
Bolts, Preds, Canes (childhood team, home state team, hometown team). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity!
by Incipient_Senescence on Nov 15, 2011 6:06 PM EST up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Canes Country
Related FanShots on Canes Country
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
FanShots
Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.
Recent FanShots
In Association With
Latest Puck Daddy - NHL from Yahoo! Sports
- Why the Devils and the Kings are evidence the Capitals shouldn’t trade Alex Ovechkin
- Eulogy: Remembering the 2011-12 New York Rangers
- Stanley Cup Final: 5 keys for New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings
- Friday’s Three Stars: Devils head to Final; Brodeur, Kovalchuk the difference in Game 6
- Devils eliminate Rangers in Game 6, ending fear of the past, setting course for the future
