Canes Hold On And Stay Hot At Home: Hurricanes 3, Sharks 2

by Bob Wage on Feb 17, 2012 10:52 PM EST in Carolina Hurricanes Game Recaps

The Carolina Hurricanes withstood a furious third period rally to pick up another win at home as they defeated the San Jose Sharks, 3-2 on Friday night in front of a sell out crowd at the RBC. The Canes now have a 10-3-1 record in their last 14 home games. They have also earned points in 10 of their last 11 contests overall.

Justin Peters picked up his first win of the season with a solid 35 save performance. It was also the first win for a Carolina backup goalie in over a year, (January 9, 2011).

The Canes jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period, despite only putting seven shots on goal. The Sharks, who had played the night before in Tampa, had just six shots for the period.

Jeff Skinner got the scoring started for the home team when he sent the puck toward the crease from a sharp angle which bounced in the net off of a San Jose defenseman. Jussi Jokinen picked up the only assist on the play.

Then during a powerplay, Carolina used a similar play which was successful in Montreal when Justin Faulk skated behind the San Jose defense. Jiri Tlusty found him with a perfect pass and Faulk made no mistake with the shot. The goal was Faulk's third powerplay goal of the season and fifth overall.

After a scoreless second period, the Sharks threw everything but the kitchen sink at the Canes in the third and outshot the home team by an 18-6 margin. Before the first four minutes of the period were completed, the score was tied and the Sharks were smelling blood. But the defense tightened and Peters would make some nice saves down the stretch to keep his team in it.

Jokinen would tip in the eventual game winner 11:55 into the third off of a Jamie McBain shot. The Sharks again battled hard to tie the score, but were unable to solve the Peters one more time. The game ended with much action around the Carolina net.

The Canes left right after the game to travel for tomorrow night's match against the Islanders on Long Island.

Game Notes:

Jiri Tlusty stayed hot and now has points in six straight games. He made a perfect pass to Faulk for the powerplay goal. Eric Staal also picked up an assist and has points in four straight.
The Canes put 25 shots on goal led by Faulk and Jerome Samson with four each. Faulk also had a team high 23:31 TOI.
Tim Gleason had a team best four blocked shots. The Canes had 18 total.
The experiment putting defenseman Derek Joslin at forward did not seem to hurt the team. He and Anthony Stewart got about the same amount of playing time, (7:58 and 8:02) and both were tied with Patrick Dwyer with a team high three hits each.
The Canes won 45% of their faceoffs: (Staal 33%, Sutter 50%, Skinner 63%, Brent 40%, Jokinen 60%)

Post game interviews:

Jeff Skinner audio: Jeff Skinner 2 17 12

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Gusty win tonight, let’s keep it going on the island.

by CruelIn10tions on Feb 17, 2012 11:16 PM EST via mobile reply actions

gutsy as well

"Look into my eyes and repeat after me: I will vacation in Ontario. I will vacation in Ontario. I will vacation in Ontario..."

by Capt. Stinky on Feb 18, 2012 7:45 AM EST up reply actions

Interesting caption to the picture there….I wonder why Jokinen’s nationality gets randomly mentioned. And Faulk’s rear.

by Bgallen on Feb 18, 2012 1:57 AM EST reply actions

Faulk’s rear – lol!

by sunshine12 on Feb 18, 2012 9:52 AM EST up reply actions

AP/Getty photo captions almost always mention the nationality of non-North American players. I have no idea why.

twitter @jbk_ltd

by Jamie Kellner on Feb 18, 2012 10:09 AM EST up reply actions

Great win...now GET TAVERES!

Don’t lose sight of the guy tonight. For once. Especially around the crease.

by 80 onI40 on Feb 18, 2012 7:34 AM EST reply actions

Sweet Schedule

Tavares won Player of the Month basically by playing Carolina 3 times in January.

by drifterscape on Feb 18, 2012 10:46 AM EST up reply actions

Just to shake it up a bit

change up lines or defensive pairings to focus on Taveres’ line?

"Look into my eyes and repeat after me: I will vacation in Ontario. I will vacation in Ontario. I will vacation in Ontario..."

by Capt. Stinky on Feb 18, 2012 7:45 AM EST reply actions

I heard a nice little rumor last night. Supposedly PK has given JR permission to be more active this offseason. It was said that Compuware had a good year and PK made a lot of money in bonuses (the number I was told was 42 million), so he wants to increase the team’s budget to $58 million next season. If the organization loses money, PK can use it as a write-off. If this is true, then we might be a player for a big-time UFA or big-time trade.

JR; please dump some players and bring the kids up to stay!

by PackPride17 on Feb 18, 2012 8:41 AM EST via mobile reply actions

Ryan Suter would look quite nice in a Canes uniform. Parise is not coming to Carolina, he wants a tested winner.

No other impact UFAs really out there unfortunately, the lack will drive up Suter’s price to probably $6-7 million. With Staal’s contract increasing every year, Ruutu getting a million or so raise if re-signed, and Skinner due for a $4 million a year raise after next year I can’t see much more than a few bargain bin players coming.

by JussiJuice on Feb 18, 2012 9:39 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

Staal’s contract does increase, but only goes up $1.75 million over the next 4 seasons. And if Ruutu gets a $1 million raise over his current salary ($4.4 million), then JR will have lost his mind.

This doesn’t mean we will actually get anybody, just saying we might have a little money to play with next season.

JR; please dump some players and bring the kids up to stay!

by PackPride17 on Feb 18, 2012 10:21 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

We can resign Alex Ponikarovsky!

by hurricane9 on Feb 18, 2012 10:21 AM EST up reply actions

Here's a question...

How long would it have taken Maurice to have experimented with Joslin as a fourth line winger?
A. Until every Checker forward had been permenantly set back in their potential NHL career playing 4 minutes a night on the fourth line.
B. Until Mo was nominated for the Jack Adams award.
C. Until Toronto plays Montreal in the Eastern Conference final.
D. Or until Rick Nash takes a 50% pay cut to play in the Maurice slow down offensive scheme.

by surgalt on Feb 18, 2012 9:12 AM EST reply actions

Umm, I pick ‘A’. Because that means they could play Joslin there like yesterday ?

by drifterscape on Feb 18, 2012 10:49 AM EST up reply actions

Muller, MacLean, Brind'Amour Putting Pieces Together on the Forward Lines

To me, Muller, MacLean, and Brind’Amour have been superb in figuring out how to organize the forward lines. Once they dialed up the Nodl/Sutter/Dwyer third line as a defense first, shutdown line, the pieces starting falling into place.
I am convinced that Skinner is a natural center, and I liked the fact he has been given that responsibility. I do think the second line remains something of a work in progress; but Jokinen seems more comfortable as a wing. Jokinen/Skinner work well together. I prefer a healthy Ruutu on the second line with Jokinen and Skinner as a general rule. Staal has been great with Tlusty.

Last night the fourth line of Joslin/Brent/Stewart struck me as a Muller/MacLean/Brind’Amour kind of fourth line that is big, fast, and physical. Both Joslin and Stewart had well-timed, legal, intense open ice hits. Those kinds of hits make opposing players slow down and shift their focus to finding out where Joslin and Stewart are. Those hits also drain energy from the person being hit. I don’t necessarily argue that Joslin is the answer to the fourth line wing; but he plays the kind of game and has the edgey, physical style of play that works well with Stewart and Brent.

Samson and Bowman are playing well; and Samson is close to finding his NHL scoring touch. He’s about a quarter second off from putting pucks in the back of the net.

by abramsdoug on Feb 18, 2012 10:28 AM EST reply actions

a good game BUT

at times the sharks did out skate and hustle & muscle the canes..but i have to admit the “oreo cookie” aka 4 th line ( gawd that sounds soo soo crappy & racist even if Joslin & Stewart instigated the term) did seem to do better physically against the lines and players they did face…and like AD just shared Samon & Bowman are fitting in and doing well as I agree Samson is just a hair away from loading up the net with pucks…am glad fans had a good time but had a good laugh when on twitter someone said they were ‘schocked’ at all the Shark fans there last night…LOL Thanks Bob…good effort

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

by CaniacSteve on Feb 18, 2012 10:33 AM EST reply actions

Bad loss for us...

Great win for you guys. I liked Joslin on your guy’s fourth line. He was putting the body on people more than I remember seeing him do for us on December. Could be a good move for him. Good game though.

This is Team Teal. Sharks and Phins.
Cut me open and I bleed Teal...

Just a reminder, fans, comin’ up is our "Die-hard Night" here at the stadium. Free admission to anyone who was actually alive the last time the Dolphins won a Super Bowl. -Mosul_DolFan, Phinsider.com

Marc Emery ... the Big Bad Bogeyman ... who offered natural seeds that could potentially become a non-toxic, non-addictive, highly beneficial 12,000-year-old plant. Where are the victims? Where are the bodies? "Justice Minister" Rob Nicholson and his ilk should be the criminals imprisoned.

by Sharkz_N_Phinz on Feb 18, 2012 3:57 PM EST via Android app reply actions