Hurricanes at Flames: Game Day Preview

by Bob Wage on Dec 6, 2011 4:18 PM EST in Carolina Hurricanes Game Day Previews

The Carolina Hurricanes, (8-16-4) bring their six game losing streak to the Saddledome to face the Calgary Flames, (11-13-2) and will try to earn new coach Kirk Muller his first victory since taking over the team three games ago.

The Canes have lost 13 of their last 16 games.

Coach Muller has taken a couple of different approaches with his lineup and might stick with his seven defensemen rotation he employed against the Penguins, or he could bench two defensemen and play his full complement of 12 fowards.

Jay Harrison and Jamie McBain were scratched in the past, but either or both could play tonight. Tim Brent was scratched against the Pens.

The previous lines looked as follows:

Skinner, Staal, Ruutu
LaRose, Jokinen, Ponikarovsky
Dwyer, Sutter, Tlusty
Stewart, (Brent), Nodl

The defensive pairings have been mixed and matched.

Backup goalie Brian Boucher was injured after practice yesterday, so the team recalled Mike Murphy from Charlotte to take his place. Cam Ward will start in net and will probably be facing Miikka Kiprusoff for the Flames. Calgary's regular backup, Henrik Karlsson is also injured.

	GP	MIN	W	L	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2011 - Cam Ward	23	1317	8	12		69	3.14	701	632	.902	1

	GP	MIN	W	L	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2011 - Miikka Kiprusoff	22	1248	11	9		49	2.36	606	557	.919	1

The teams met only once last season and the Canes took the win, 6-5 in a shootout at the RBC.

According to Matchsticks and Gasoline, look for these possible lines from the Flames. (Unconfirmed)

Tanguay-Backlund-Iginla
Glencross-Jokinen-Bourque
Hagman-Stajan-Moss
Kostopoulos-Bouma-Jackman

Bouwmeester-Hannan
Sarich-Giordano
Carson/Mikkelson

This will be the opening of another back-to-back scenario for Carolina. The team is 2-2-1 so far in the first game of back-to-backs, and 2-2-1 in the second. The club will take on Edmonton tomorrow night.

Joni Pitkanen has a four game point streak on the line, (4 assists).

The game will be televised by FS Carolinas with the puck drop around 9 p.m. As always, we will have the open game thread up an ready at 8:30.

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Comments

i know this is way random.

but if the rumors that Semin is on the block are true.
is this someone JR could take a chance on for that top line skill role weve needed.
given his track record for not caring and laziness.
everything tells me DONT DO IT, but who knows…
maybe hed flourish when not playing second fiddle to the “great one”

"a bit of love"

by chrisj on Dec 6, 2011 4:23 PM EST reply actions

I sure hope not

Semin doesn’t fit the Canes profile AT ALL. And I doubt the Caps would trade him in the East, let alone in the Southeast.

by TOS on Dec 6, 2011 4:25 PM EST up reply actions

No no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no

That would be up there with the Kaberle signings for top bonehead moves if he did it

by hurricane9 on Dec 6, 2011 4:34 PM EST up reply actions

+ infinity

While skilled, Semin would be a bad fit for the Canes.

"We've got to risk implosion. We may explode into the biggest fireball this part of the galaxy has seen, but we've got to take that one in a million chance."
-- Captain Kirk in Star Trek 'The Naked Time'

by PackPride17 on Dec 6, 2011 4:38 PM EST up reply actions

look. i agree here.
but for the sake of playing devils advocate,
everyone is clamoring for a TOP line winger. and what TOP line winger isnt a head case. they all are.

"a bit of love"

by chrisj on Dec 6, 2011 4:43 PM EST up reply actions

at least any top talent that may be available

"a bit of love"

by chrisj on Dec 6, 2011 4:44 PM EST up reply actions

I’d rather play Rosie on Staal’s wing for the next 10 years.

by Caniac1026 on Dec 6, 2011 5:01 PM EST up reply actions

Semin is very talented and can do a lot of things on the ice. But if people here complain about Staal not working hard every shift, just watch Semin for 2 games. I also believe Semin will eventually bolt for the KHL, leaving whatever team that acquired him high & dry. That just seems to be the type of player/individual he is.

by PackPride17 on Dec 6, 2011 5:06 PM EST up reply actions

Saying he’s a top winger is hard. When he tries, he is one of the best wingers in the NHL. But he doesn’t do that much. Wasn’t it last year where he was scoring something like 1 goal a game average and then suddenly he stopped?

by hurricane9 on Dec 6, 2011 6:10 PM EST up reply actions

Semin = cancer

by Go_Shelf on Dec 6, 2011 4:45 PM EST up reply actions

I guess the team band can use a new bongo player.

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 Dec 6, 2011 4:46 PM EST up reply actions

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 Dec 6, 2011 4:47 PM EST up reply actions

love it

by Caniac1026 on Dec 6, 2011 5:01 PM EST up reply actions

Derek Smith was also in the lineup for Calgary on Saturday, looks like he is again tonight.

From their website:
http://flames.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=604860&navid=DL|CGY|home

by Go_Shelf on Dec 6, 2011 5:08 PM EST up reply actions

wow Sarich is in the lineup.

by Go_Shelf on Dec 6, 2011 4:45 PM EST reply actions

maybe not, I’m not sure those lines have been updated in awhile.

Editing Manager of Canes Country.com

by Bob Wage on Dec 6, 2011 4:47 PM EST up reply actions

sh*t, posted in the wrong spot.

by Go_Shelf on Dec 6, 2011 5:09 PM EST up reply actions

Any idea how Boucher was injured, or is it one of those things they aren’t talking about b/c of other teams being curious?

Ready for the Canes to win the Cup again! :)

by thebl4ckd0g on Dec 6, 2011 5:00 PM EST reply actions

Anyone else see the tweet today that had JR offering Tomas Kaberle and a 2nd rounder for Brassard?

A month ago apparently.

by Iggy Reilly on Dec 6, 2011 5:01 PM EST reply actions

yeah, I saw that (thanks to HMO2). Would have been an interesting trade

by Caniac1026 on Dec 6, 2011 5:04 PM EST up reply actions

Why in the hell would Columbus take that deal? They need defensemen and Skinner is a better defenseman that Kaberle.

by PackPride17 on Dec 6, 2011 5:08 PM EST up reply actions

don’t we have an extra 2nd round pick this year.

by Go_Shelf on Dec 6, 2011 5:12 PM EST up reply actions

Man, we really screwed the pooch on that signing. Can JR just tell him to leave and then file a missing persons report? If so, would that get us out of his contract?

by PackPride17 on Dec 6, 2011 5:13 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah.

Best we can hope for is that he turns it around enough to increase his value in a trade.

Otherwise, we will complete our Kaberle buyout set. Collect the whole family!

by Iggy Reilly on Dec 6, 2011 5:18 PM EST up reply actions

If some franchise actually does us a favor and accepts Kaberle in a trade; that will be our Stanley Cup victory this season.

by PackPride17 on Dec 6, 2011 5:31 PM EST up reply actions

Kaberle and the Canes Fat Farm

I’ve come to believe that Kaberle will get the Canes Fat Farm treatment and will be traded for something substantial. In essence, I see Jim Rutherford flashing his pimp hand and working Kaberle into playoff shape. GMs in the playoffs get a different mindset. Kaberle’s lack of conditioning is less important to a GM if the Hurricanes spend the time working him into condition. A team with an endless checkbook can ultimately buy him out if Kaberle spends the off-season in eating mode.

As much as the Hurricanes need victories, they need talent next season more. Kaberle won’t provide many wins during this season, but a 2012 draft choice and/or prospect for next season would help with the need to increase talent. If I were Jim Rutherford, I’d start adding players with talent like Brassard and Brunnstrom, even though they have under-achieved. I’d take the position that Muller and MacLean can take forwards with talent and teach them how to play in the NHL.

by abramsdoug on Dec 6, 2011 5:36 PM EST up reply actions

If it weren’t for the two more years on his deal, I would agree with you. Those extra two years are going to be really hard to move. My guess, we give him the Wade Redden treatment next year and buy him out the following summer.

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 Dec 6, 2011 6:06 PM EST up reply actions

If that is true then it would suggest that JR is at least somewhat interested in Brassard. I wouldn’t mind adding him if he came cheap asset-wise in a trade. He doesn’t seem to be finding his groove and is often healthy scratched in Columbus. He is also stuck behind Jeff Carter and Ryan Johansen who are clear top-6 Centers.

by JussiJuice on Dec 6, 2011 5:37 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah but what does it say about Kaberle’s value around the league the Columbus wouldn’t trade a guy that has been healthy scratched so long his agent spoke up?

Nothing good for sure.

by Iggy Reilly on Dec 6, 2011 5:43 PM EST up reply actions

I bet they would take the deal if it was only a 2nd round pick

by hurricane9 on Dec 6, 2011 6:13 PM EST up reply actions

Can Columbus take on salary? I think they spent to the cap. We would need to take back as much as we gave them. Plus, remember that last Cane defenseman they signed? I think they abhor the Commodore 64 in Columbus…

by jbwhite99 on Dec 6, 2011 8:25 PM EST up reply actions