Hurricanes at Avalanche: Game Day Preview
by Jamie Kellner on Feb 10, 2012 9:01 AM EST
in Carolina Hurricanes Game Day Previews
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The Carolina Hurricanes couldn't high-tail it out of California fast enough after a questionable non-call led to a deflating 3-2 overtime defeat by the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night. From the sun to the snow, they arrived in Denver in the wee hours of Thursday morning and now prepare to face the Colorado Avalanche tonight at 9:00 pm (ET) at the Pepsi Center. This is the only meeting between the two teams this season. The Hurricanes won the solo meeting last season, a 2-1 win in overtime on December 3, 2010 at the RBC Center.
Game notes for tonight follow, along with a few noteworthy news nuggets.
For the Avalanche
The Avalanche (27-25-3, 57 points) are currently in 12th place in the Western Conference, although only separated from the 8th place Dallas Stars by one point. They had lost five straight games (including two at home) before a 5-2 win over the Blackhawks on Tuesday night. Gabriel Landeskog continued his solid rookie season performance by scoring the game winner, and David Jones chipped in two goals. Originally brought in this season to be the backup, veteran goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere (13-9-2, 2.09 GAA, .923 SV%) has been getting a majority of the recent starts and is among NHL leaders in goals-against average and save percentage.
Projected lines for the Avs:
- David Jones - Paul Stastny - Milan Hejduk
- Gabriel Landeskog - Ryan O'Reilly - Peter Mueller
- Daniel Winnik - Jay McClement - TJ Galiardi
- Cody McLeod - David Van Der Gulik - Chuck Kobasew
- Jan Hejda - Ryan O'Byrne
- Kyle Quincey - Erik Johnson
- Shane O'Brien - Tyson Barrie
- JS Giguere - Semyon Varlamov
Matt Duchene is on injured reserve (lower body).
For Avalanche news and analysis, tune in to SBNation affiliate site Mile High Hockey.
For the Hurricanes
The Hurricanes (20-25-10, 50 points) are firmly entrenched at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, 8th spot a distant 10 points away. Captain Eric Staal had another solid performance against the Ducks with a hard-working goal, 3 shots, and a 52% effort in the faceoff circle. Staal now has 19 points in 17 games. Cam Ward continues to say no, allowing just 11 goals in the last eight starts including two shutouts, and is ranked second in the NHL in saves (1,346). While Tuomo Ruutu's goal against the Ducks was SportsCenter-worthy, it was all set-up by a beautiful shot to the net by Jiri Tlusty, who now has a three-game point streak.
The Canes practiced Thursday at the Pepsi Center, but there were only a few details reported. Brandon Sutter, who appeared to take a hit to his hand/wrist while blocking a shot Wednesday night, practiced and plans to be in the lineup. Jaro Spacek practiced without the "birdcage" mask.
Projected lines for the Canes:
- Jiri Tlusty - Eric Staal - Tuomo Ruutu
- Jussi Jokinen - Jeff Skinner - Drayson Bowman
- Andreas Nodl - Brandon Sutter - Patrick Dwyer
- Chad LaRose - Tim Brent - Anthony Stewart
Cam Ward (20-18-9, 2.77 GAA, .913 SV%) will be in net, backed up by Justin Peters.
Derek Joslin is expected to be a healthy extra, and Joni Pitkanen (knee/concussion) and Brian Boucher (lower body) are on injured reserve.
If there is any news regarding either team after today's morning skates, i'll publish an edited update.
Fox Sports Carolinas has the HD TV broadcast with John Forslund, Tripp Tracy, and Bob Harwood. Flagship station WCMC 99.9 The Fan will carry the radio broadcast with Chuck Kaiton. We'll have the open game thread at 8:30.
News and Ruumors
The media was abuzz yesterday when Mike Maniscalco broke the following news on twitter:
@mikemaniscalco Thu 09 Feb 14:48 Just spoke with Jim Rutherford, he told me that signing Tuomo Ruutu is a priority for the Canes.
According to several sources, Rutherford had a "good meeting" with Ruutu to discuss his future with the team, and is now planning to negotiate with him over the next week. Here's the latest:
WRALSportsFan.com Rutherford: Signing Ruutu is a priority
Newsobserver.com Canes Now - Rutherford: Decision on Ruutu next week
Newsobserver.com Rutherford working on Ruutu extension
Puck Daddy: Three theories on why Hurricanes might pull Tuomo Ruutu off tracking block
And then, from a less conventional source, this opinion from a blogger for the San Jose Sharks (which I found to be an interesting perspective):
Shark Circle: Are the Carolina Hurricanes Playing Trade Deadline Games?
C'Mon, Ref!
In Chip Alexander's blog, he also reports that Rutherford spoke with league officials about the overtime no-call that led to the eventual game-winner for the Ducks. From Canes Now:
"I don't want to get into the details but I feel fine with how the league is handling the situation," Rutherford said. "I'm very satisfied with the way the league responded. It's unfortunate the game was decided the way it was."
Kerry Fraser weighed in with his opinion of the non-call on his TSN C'Mon, Ref! Blog:
tsn.ca Fraser: The non-call on Corey Perry in overtime
All in the Family
Stick tap to Carolyn for finding this one... Hurricanes 2011 third round draft pick Keegan Lowe (Edmonton Oil Kings) and Drayson Bowman's younger brother Collin Bowman (Calgary Hitmen) dropping the gloves during a game Wednesday night:
Hockey Fights - Lowe vs. Bowman - February 8, 2012
Junior Canes Update
Finally, don't forget that the Carolina Junior Hurricanes are in Quebec this week participating in the Quebec International Pee Wee Hockey Tournament. Updates can be found by following @JrCanesQuebec on twitter. The first exhibition game was played today versus Beauborg, and was a 3-2 loss. Nice to see a familiar name on the scoresheet.
@JrCanesQuebec Thu 09 Feb 15:54 Down 3-1 after 2. Canes goal by Brind'Amour
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This Ruutu situation feels like
the hockey equivalent of the Prince Fielder signing. Everyday there’s a new mystery or something. I kind of hope they just sign him this weekend so it can be over and we can get a better look at what next years team will look like. And so JR can start shopping the others like Allen, Mr. Spacek and maybe even Rosie, Boychuck or Stewart.
by The Gottfather on Feb 10, 2012 10:50 AM EST reply actions
Help me out with the comparison and give me the lowdown on the Fielder situation, because I don’t follow MLB all that closely and I’m really interested in how it compares.
I’m glad JR and Tuomo are talking, and I’m glad JR is breaking with the notion that he can’t negotiate during the season. But quite frankly I’m not all that comfortable with how publicly this is all playing out.
by Jamie Kellner on Feb 10, 2012 11:04 AM EST up reply actions
I don’t know, I think JR is serious about both sides of this coin.
He would love to re-sign Ruutu, but if all this publicity generates a trade that knocks his socks off, he will take it and work with Ruutu this summer.
by Iggy Reilly on Feb 10, 2012 11:34 AM EST up reply actions
I think it has become a little more complicated because JR has publicly announced his intention to re-sign. He has to do some good faith bargaining with Ruutu’s agent now before he does anything outside. I suspect he will have to get to the “take this or we will go to a trade” point before he backs off. If he does not do that any future bargaining with other agents and players become much more difficult. Might even effect the current player’s view of him.
Yes, he can say “come back in the summer” to Ruutu but if Ruutu hits the open market after July 1 the very things that will give JR great return in a trade now will work against him if he has to compete to get a contract next summer.
I think JR is locked into this process now and has to see it through. I don’t think JR, Ruutu or fans know how this is really going to turn out.
Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him.
Sun Tzu circa 4th Century BC
by hurricanefever on Feb 10, 2012 12:38 PM EST up reply actions
Good lord 9 years $214m? No wonder my husband’s poor Pirates can’t compete.
by Jamie Kellner on Feb 10, 2012 11:35 AM EST up reply actions
Prince?
Meh, the Prince situation was different because neither party (him or the Brewers) were really ever serious about going to the other. Prince was always going to another team but it got weird when it looked like nobody really wanted to offer a contract to a player like Prince.
If you’re gonna compare to this MLB offseason, I’d say its closer to Pujols where both parties were clearly interested but there were other teams chomping at the bit as well. The negotiating though was what kind hometown discount the player would take and did the team think it was a wise investment to pursue.
Either way, this is certainly making noise in the NHL. Rutherford isn’t subscribing to the conventional wisdom that if you suck, you should trade off any asset. If you build smartly, there’s no reason make moves for making moves sake.
Good call
I’m a Cardinals fan in baseball and I kind of struck the Pujols deal from my memory a la Ray Whitney.
by The Gottfather on Feb 10, 2012 12:16 PM EST up reply actions
Apropos of nothing, but I remember watching Pujols in the lineup with the Potomac Cannons when I lived in DC. I don’t recall the year, probably 10-12 years ago, but I don’t think it was when he was working his way up, I think he was already with the Cardinals and was sent down for injury rehab. Was a man among boys even back then, fershurr.
by Jamie Kellner on Feb 10, 2012 12:24 PM EST up reply actions
Cards fan here, too … honestly, I was glad St. Louis didn’t Pujols that kind of deal. He’s impossible to replace, but I’d hate to see them buried by that contract.
by Cory Lavalette on Feb 10, 2012 3:36 PM EST up reply actions
Rutherford isn’t subscribing to the conventional wisdom that if you suck, you should trade off any asset. If you build smartly, there’s no reason make moves for making moves sake.
And I think this flexible thinking is good.
I think JR has timed this announcement and “conversation” with Ruutu pretty well, and pretty intentionally. Ruutu wants to stay, not a big surprise, so now the negotiations can begin. By the time JR and Ruu’s agent get done throwing some numbers around it will be close to the deadline. Either he signs Ruutu to a contract he is comfortable with soon, or Ruutu stays in limbo, thus potentially driving up the price for him, and allowing JR to continue to field offers. I expect no hurry on JR’s part, unless he can get a bargain for Ruutu. If JR starts this process much sooner and fails to sign Ruu, the market price goes down for him.
Cry "Havoc!" and let slip the dogs of war, Julius Caesar Act 3, scene 1
It’s time, I can see 500 hockey in the near future………….
Can You Smell What The Canes Are Cooking !!!!!!
bleh
larose in the lineup again
"The Carolina Hurricanes will keep President and General Manager Jim Rutherford for at least four more years after resigning him to a contract extension that runs through the 2015-16 season."
where else...
would he be? he’s not injured. we can’t just stick him on waivers like anthony stewart (who is playing a lot worse than LaRose) – and we can’t move him down. Not sure what else you expect them to do, aside from healthy scratch him…but who would replace him?
Ready for the Canes to win the Cup again! :)
by thebl4ckd0g on Feb 10, 2012 12:39 PM EST up reply actions
Sutter42, Nash, Dalpe, Dadonov, all of whom have upside over Larose. All of whom we should be determining if we want to keep them or not.
better question is who WOULDN'T replace him
i’ve seen pee wee players who stay stronger on the puck than good ol’ 59
"The Carolina Hurricanes will keep President and General Manager Jim Rutherford for at least four more years after resigning him to a contract extension that runs through the 2015-16 season."
by Capt. Stinky on Feb 10, 2012 2:42 PM EST up reply actions
All I Want From Here Out Is Development
Development. Development.
I did the math – quickly – before the Anaheim game and it looked like 97 pts is a reasonable cutoff for this season’s East Conf playofffs. With 28 games to play, the Canes would have to come up with something like a strectch run of 22-3-3!
Not happening.
So, what I would really, really like is if from here on out the Canes rotated Checkers forwards and put them on the ice. Trade or waive Stewart, Brent, and LaRose (the last one smarts a bit – as much as I like the character and locker room positives, at this point we need tuna that tastes good, not in good taste). Then have, say two platoons: Bowman, Nash, Dadonov and Terry, Dalpe, Samson. When one goes up, the other comes back. put them in their natural positions and sprinkled among the lines. Muller then makes sure that in a game without excessive special teams all four lines get at least 12 minutes TOI and let the kids make their mistakes.
question
in savannah for the weekend. any ga canes fans here who can tell me if its on fox sports Georgia tonight? I’m having a hard time figuring it out. Thanks!!!
by chrisbrasfield on Feb 10, 2012 12:36 PM EST via Android app reply actions
FWIW, tonight’s officials:
Referees: Tom Kowal, Mike Hasenfratz
Linesmen: Andy McElman, Jay Sharrers
Did they demote Tim Peel to the KHL?
Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him.
Sun Tzu circa 4th Century BC
by hurricanefever on Feb 10, 2012 1:14 PM EST up reply actions
Perhaps "Peel"ing spuds in the barracks?
Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him.
Sun Tzu circa 4th Century BC
by hurricanefever on Feb 10, 2012 1:47 PM EST up reply actions
Did you see Dreger’s piece on NHL Network about the call last night. They all but said its either going to cost the guy the playoff$ or his job.
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 Feb 10, 2012 3:11 PM EST up reply actions
I am of the opinion he deliberately chose to ignore the call even though he knew it was a trip. In this case, the argument can be made that it cost us the game. If this happened in the last game of last regular season last year with playoffs on the line…….. Well……I have no pity for the man.
Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him.
Sun Tzu circa 4th Century BC
by hurricanefever on Feb 10, 2012 3:25 PM EST up reply actions
Publc Negotiations
If either Jim Rutherford or Ruutu’s agent felt it was in their client’s bet interests to have quiet, non-public negotiations, they would have required it. Both sides see more benefit than harm from this approach, I guess.
One thing I neglected to mention in my game preview… the Hurricanes have never won in Denver since they became the Hurricanes. Last win was 2/9/1996 when they were the Whalers.
The last time they played in Denver, 10/23/2009, things were actually looking pretty good early in the game until old whats-his-name boarded Darcy Tucker and got himself kicked out of the game and suspended.
Tucker/Ruutu
The ‘bad result’ of this was that the next time the Avs came to RBC Rutuu ‘had to fight’ Tucker. Result: Ruutu injured his shoulder and was out a while.
Yep. In addition to us losing him for a good part of the season, it also almost kept him out of the Olympics for Finland.
by Jamie Kellner on Feb 10, 2012 2:57 PM EST up reply actions
I hope Ruutu signs to stay here for a while
Call me selfish but I want to see a lot more of this:
Like to see us beat the Avs
to return to the pre-game thread. Need more net presence in this game then we got last game. We win and score more when we go to the net as a group—not individuals—we weren’t great at that last game—were great at it the previous two games.
Lots of passes last game out in front—no one going there… Like to see that changed.
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