Game Analysis: Panthers At Hurricanes

by Cory Lavalette on Feb 26, 2012 12:00 PM EST

February 25, 2012; Raleigh, NC, USA; Florida Panthers left wing Wojtek Wojtek (8) is congratulated by teammates after his 3rd period tying goal against the Carolina Hurricanes at the RBC center. The Panthers defeated the Hurricanes 3-2 in a shoot out. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-US PRESSWIRE

It was a pivotal game for the Carolina Hurricanes and their dwindling playoff hopes, but despite holding a 2-0 lead in the third period, the Canes let two points slip away, falling to the Florida Panthers in the shootout, 3-2. Justin Faulk and Jussi Jokinen scored for Carolina, and Justin Peters made 42 stops and kept the team in the game with 19 first-period saves.

The Hurricanes earned one point, moving into 14th place in the Eastern Conference with 59 points and a 23-26-13 record.

Three Observations

1. The overtime scrum that led to matching minors for Florida's Erik Gudbranson and Carolina's Eric Staal took the game to 3-on-3, but also took the Hurricanes' best player off the ice. For whatever reason, referees Marcus Vinnerborg and Brad Watson chose those two out of countless suspects, taking a bottom pairing D off the ice for the Panthers and Staal — the leader among all forwards in ice time with 23:43 — and putting them in the box. Furthermore, Florida's Kris Versteeg dropped the gloves after tussling with Jiri Tlusty, but did not receive the customary unsportsmanlike conduct minor for doing so.

2. For anyone who is still sleeping on Faulk as a viable option for the Calder Trophy, it's time to wake up. The Carolina rookie blueliner scored his seventh goal of the season, three more than any other first-year defenseman, five of which have come on the power play. Those five man-advantage goals already tie him for seventh in franchise history for power play goals in a season by a defenseman — and he's done it in just 46 games. He had some turnovers that surely need to be eliminated, but any time you can give a 19-year-old defenseman 28 minutes of ice time and see more positives than negatives, you know you have something special.

3. The Hurricanes' shootout woes continued Saturday, losing their sixth shootout of the season to remain winless under those circumstances. In a small bit of good news, Jeff Skinner scored in the shootout, making him the first Cane not named Jussi Jokinen — who has two tallies in the shootout — to get one past an opposing goalie. Still, Carolina remains the only NHL team without a shootout victory.

Number To Know

0 — Shots for Skinner, just the second time this season he has been held without a shot. The other was in a Nov. 14 loss to Philadelphia. In both games, Skinner still notched an assist.

Plus

Justin Peters — Peters faced an onslaught of shots throughout the game, specifically in the first when Florida outshot Carolina 19-9 but the Hurricanes still came out of the period with a 1-0 lead courtesy Peter's play and Faulk's power play goal. Peters finished with 42 saves and improved his save percentage to .931 — but he fell to 2-3-2 on the season.

Minus

Jiri Tlusty — For the first time in a long time, Tlusty looked like a passenger on the Staal train instead of the engineer. While Staal continued his solid play, Tlusty struggled to create opportunities on the night, and was also on the ice for both of the Panthers' goals. He was given a chance to redeem himself in the shootout and had Florida goalie Jose Theodore beat, but the puck rolled off his stick. His nine-game point streak came to an end.

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Comments

Wow, what a heart breaker. Wonder if Bouche still has a job? Wonder where the team would be if Staal played like this for a whole season? He’s got that hunger back. Prettyt poorly called game. I think the Craps game the other day was one of the better games I have ever watched, this one not so much, but the team is finaly worth watching again. Mighty quite on the trade front……

Come on JR do something, either scrap or buy. Wonder what Nash would be like?

Getting old sucks!

by Paladin6 on Feb 26, 2012 12:33 PM EST reply actions

Staal "played like this" and they still lost to a middling team.

It would help, but it wouldn’t make them world-beaters by any means.

Hi, my name is Michael Procton, and I will mindf*** you with logical yet (often) pessimistic retorts until the cows come home. Good Day.
--by Aisander D on Feb 4, 2012 7:59 PM EST
I gotta stop takin' my baths durin' Peter's shenanigans.

by MichaelProcton on Feb 26, 2012 3:12 PM EST up reply actions

For what was a divisional key head to head game, the Canes came out very flat. The game could have been over in the first 10 minutes were it not for Peters. I don’t think we got our first shot on net until midway in that period.

I continue to be very unimpressed with the play of the Skinner, Jokinen, Bowman line. Sure they scored, but it is an adventure in our end and the neutral zone every time they are on the ice. If there was a shift where Skinner wasn’t on his butt at least a couple of time, I didn’t see it. Often that is without contact or a glancing check. Come on Jeffrey…. play like a man and not a youth pee wee. Case in point, watch the tying goal by Wolski and they incredibly bad angle and body positioning by Skins in the neutral zone as he attempted to check the Florida player that passed it to Wolski. You may all think I’m being tough on the kid, but in my opinion right at the moment he is half the player that won the Calder. And this constant yelling and dirty looks to the refs every time he gets touched is not going to get him any calls in this league. In fact it will have the opposite affect. He is going down so easy these days that the refs are giving the checker the benefit if the doubt.

Another solid effort by Peters. Interesting decision for JR. Peters is a RFA. You also have Murphy and Muse and the need to find to spots for two strong prospects ( Mahalak and Andersen). If Boucher were healthy he might have been trade bait. I think there will be some goalie moves in the off-season.

Faulk continues to impress. He is a long shot to win the Calder but deserves some consideration. And Staal has been a beast. Remember when he had 45 goals and 100 points in 05/06. Get the man some wingers!!! He is a more complete player today than then and he could easily hit that mark every season with the right supporting cast.

by sittler27 on Feb 26, 2012 12:44 PM EST reply actions

Interesting point about wingers for Staal. Part of the reason I’d like to trade Staal is they will never support him like he needs. In fantasy land here, if you shipped Staal off to Vancouver or Detroit I bet he’d be a 100 point guy again. They tried bringing Binky back but it didn’t work. I think unless they get 2 outside true superstar assasins not only will Staal not live up to his potential but the talent deficit will keep this team and it’s talentede pieces from ever having true success.

That shorty break away last night sort of is case and point. Staal made made a killer effort… TWICE, but got stoned. His super power is having an option to pass or shoot. He’s got an eye for the game that way. With nobody there he sorta sucks at breakaways for a pure point maker. You get some bodies around him and he really does make things happen. I’d like to see 6 mil. or more in salary and I think the rewards would be instant and obvious.

Getting old sucks!

by Paladin6 on Feb 26, 2012 1:11 PM EST up reply actions

Where else in the league would you see a player of Staal’s caliber with Tlusty and Samson. Tlusty may yet become a top 6 forward but he isn’t there yet. And Samson is an AHL caliber player. Imagine Malkin between those two. Or a Sedin. Or anyone of the elite centers. Their production would likely look at lot Staal’s. It’s too easy for the other team to put their best D and best forwards on him. Watch how little space he often has because the other teams know he is the main threat. Its time to stop wasting this talent.

by sittler27 on Feb 26, 2012 1:44 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

For all the attention Staal gets, I would’ve hoped for more consistent scoring from Sutter’s line or Skinner’s line. Neither of those are producing, so you have to ask yourself is it just Staal’s wingers or right down the line do we have good centers w/o real wingers? Dwyer? Not scoring threat. Nodl? Enough shots, not enough goals. Jokinen? The invisible man. Bowman? not there yet.

Just not enough talent, NO WAY we shou’dve resigned Gleason, and we should’ve explored a major whiz-bang trade for picks for Ruutu. He won’t make a difference moving forward either.

"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 26, 2012 3:43 PM EST up reply actions

Those players can absolutely make a difference if they're surrounded with better talent towards the bottom of the roster.

by MichaelProcton on Feb 26, 2012 5:07 PM EST up reply actions

No way we’re going to see a whiz-bang trade for anybody, with JR fronting for PK. Best we’ll see is a few draft picks that won’t be a factor for another five years.

by GordonKeehn2 on Feb 26, 2012 11:11 PM EST up reply actions

Sittler, that was Samson. Skinner did not have responsibility for the Florida player who passed it to Wolski. Samson was goal side behind Skinner, and had coverage. It’s on the video highlights. I think you are being somewhat harsh; but I do think Skinner needs to stop looking for calls from NHL officials, especially Brad Watson. Skinner at 19 is being given responsibility as a two way center. He is doing so without Ruutu or a comparably physical right wing.

by abramsdoug on Feb 26, 2012 1:51 PM EST up reply actions

His D-zone awareness and coverage is horrendous. He’s been covering the point so the responsibilities are limited, he’s too worried about watching the puck trying to get a jump on offense.

If they knew anything about the game, they'd be in it

by Killswitch on Feb 26, 2012 5:23 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

No. Samson’s coverage wasn’t great but look a second earlier at that horrendous attempted check by Skinner. That was what allowed that play to happen. In truth I think its times for Muller to sit him down and have a talk that the game is not just about making pretty moves and scoring goals. The kid has too much talent to be playing this way. I’ll take it further…. if he had been my linemate or teammate I’d would have had that talk. It really isn’t a good game he is playing at the moment.

by sittler27 on Feb 26, 2012 9:59 PM EST up reply actions

I can’t help but wonder if this led to the fight with Dwyer

by hurricane9 on Feb 26, 2012 10:04 PM EST up reply actions

I will go back to the game video once it’s posted on Game Center to see the plays leading up to the passes. Live I really didn’t have an issue with Skinner on the play. I thought Gleason and Allen and Samson were not at their best on that play when watching it live. I was surprised it developed into a scoring chance, must less a goal.

by abramsdoug on Feb 26, 2012 10:26 PM EST up reply actions

Although played at higher speed, hockey is no different than football, basketball, or soccer in the sense that there is critical positioning, zones, lanes and fundamentals on when you need to force/keep a player to the outside or how to angle, etc. As Killswitch noted Skins awareness, coverage and angling were bad. I’ve looked at it several times and it doesn’t get any prettier the more I look at it.

The team is already compensating for some of his weaknesses by not making him responsible for some of the down low coverage typical for a center ( Jussi does that). The least you should expect is that he can do an adequate job in the neutral zone. If this were an isolated incident then I wouldn’t be so harsh but it is only one of many such examples.

On this play, Samson only got caught because he wouldn’t normally expect the man to get through Skins that easily, He should not have become his responsibility. Allen and Gleason were fine. They had guys driving to the net they had to worry about. And it was too bad the puck hit a skate and changed direction. But none of any of it would have happened if Skinner had done his job better. He’ll see that when he reviews the tape. Just hope he starts to learn from these things because there has been too much of it.

by sittler27 on Feb 26, 2012 11:36 PM EST up reply actions

I felt like we were seeing better defensive play from Skinner early in the season. He was still often out of position, but seemed to put forth more effort to make up for it. I seem to remember more attempts at blocking shots and the like.

"If you can't beat 'em in the alley, you can't beat 'em on the ice." Conn Smythe

by Winter is Coming on Feb 27, 2012 11:16 AM EST up reply actions

I’m still more concerned by his attitude and whininess-stuff that was absent last year. Crosby went through this stage as well, was criticized, then moved beyond it. Hopefully Skinner willas well. It looks like all he wants to do is draw penalties, and seems surprised he isn;t getting the calls like last year. But he’s missing the difference—last year he got the calls because he just played, he was trying to make his moves, get his shot. Now, if not diving, he seems to be trying to draw a penalty or giving up to easy on plays waiting for the calls.

He needs to get back to just trying harder when he feels abused, trying to get back by scoring (passing to someone else or shooting himself either way), and stop trying to be a one man show looking for a PP opportunity….

…and then stopping and whining instead of gettting up, smiling and taking it to them next time.

by Squeaky83 on Feb 27, 2012 2:15 PM EST up reply actions

Not trying to make excuses, but I wouldn’t doubt some of that isn’t concussion-related, especially the irritability, in addition to his NHL growing pains.

twitter @jbk_ltd

by Jamie Kellner on Feb 27, 2012 2:46 PM EST up reply actions

Without any knowledge of concussions, I can certainly believe it’s possible. He’s playing differently than he did before the concussion, but it could also be he’s playing a different system since then as well, and with different line mates…. He’s still a kid, there’s a lot going on here. Hard to say, but I am concerned.

by Squeaky83 on Feb 27, 2012 4:06 PM EST up reply actions

Me too. I do hope that now that Staal appears to be “fixed”, the focus can turn to Skinner, because for whatever reason, he’s broken. Jussi too for that matter.

twitter @jbk_ltd

by Jamie Kellner on Feb 27, 2012 4:58 PM EST up reply actions

Totally agree on Skinner, makes me wonder if the Captain is making an impression on him.

If they knew anything about the game, they'd be in it

by Killswitch on Feb 26, 2012 5:13 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

So Staal has been working hard, getting points, and IMO been the best player on the ice (for either team) the past 2 games; and he is why Skinner is pouting on the ice? Interesting line of thinking you have. I would probably venture a guess that you are not a Staal fan either; right?

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

by PackPride17 on Feb 26, 2012 9:39 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

I mentioned this in my other post. Tlusty has been held out of practice all week so maybe whatever is ailing him finally caught up.

by hotchipsnsalsa on Feb 26, 2012 1:56 PM EST reply actions

Has anyone else noticed that Poni has 5 goals and 6 assists in 15 games since being traded? Too bad he couldn’t do that for us.

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

by PackPride17 on Feb 26, 2012 2:20 PM EST via mobile reply actions

The player himself didn't change...

Just the team around him.

by MichaelProcton on Feb 26, 2012 3:13 PM EST up reply actions

Does anyone else wonder if,,,

The Poni trade was especially one sided. Poni was becoming more productive under Muller when the trade for a 23 year old, unknown AHL defensemen was made. Did JR and Lou include unspoken future considerations in the deal? The trade itself was uncharacteristically one sided for JR.

by surgalt on Feb 27, 2012 8:59 AM EST up reply actions

Interesting that you thought he looked more productive. I thought that with Muller’s higher tempo style that he looked slow and at times lost. He fits much better with NJ’s style of play which tends to be more positional, locking, etc.

by sittler27 on Feb 27, 2012 10:33 AM EST up reply actions

I’d say the same thing

by hurricane9 on Feb 27, 2012 3:40 PM EST up reply actions

No.

He’s a guy who had now struggled for three different teams in the last three years who is on the downside of his career at age 31. We got a player whose hockeysfuture (thanks, Cory) grade ranks him inside our top 20 overall prospects, as well as a mid-round draft pick that will be another chance to pick up a player who should at least stay in the system for several years at low price and may be more. Plus, we freed up a space for prospect evaluation and saved some money. You can’t give away a guy who hasn’t played well for a long time and get anything great back.

by MichaelProcton on Feb 27, 2012 12:41 PM EST up reply actions

The team has made a great turn-around under Muller, there is no doubt about. Last night showed how far they still have to go. They showed up flat, got it together , then missed the boat at the end of the game. Peters did all you can ask from a back-up, not to mention he is not even #2 on the goalie depth chart. Bowman and Samson are fine young players who have a future with the big club, but they are over-slotted a bit right now. Bowman should be a 3rd line player, and would be a quality 4th liner on a true contender and Samson should be a 3rd liner who could slide up a line in a pinch. Tlusty has been playing great with Staal but was not a factor at all last night as Cory points out. His game has grown by leaps, but is he a true, long term solution on the top line? I think he could be effective there, IF he and Staal have a legit top line offensive talent to skate with.
We get the Cats 3 more times, but who knows what the playoff chances would be even if the Canes take 6 points from those encounters? Along those lines, how does last nights missed oppertunity to gain some ground alter JR’s game plan going towards 3PM tomorrow?

by Hockeydog on Feb 26, 2012 3:42 PM EST reply actions

okay gang..after sleeping through the cancelation of yesterday's nascar race

and passing watching last night nhl game …I agree with sittler as someone needs to sit down with our beloved skinner boy…no one quesatrions his heart.skills or energy..but needs to foucus more on the small things…say anyone notice no one until mow mentioned missing Rosie ( who is still on my top 5 fan fav list ?? a winnable game that the canes didn’t…so tell us die hard fans something new ? even with the death of Mo hockey…the Canes still can’t get to and stay at .500 hockey..this season..and that should be the real story…should it not ?

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

by CaniacSteve on Feb 27, 2012 8:49 AM EST reply actions

"...the Canes still can’t get to and stay at .500 hockey."

Of COURSE it’s the story. Just goes to show that coaching certainly wasn’t the only problem.

by MichaelProcton on Feb 27, 2012 12:43 PM EST up reply actions

Just reported on TSN Allen has a no trade clause.

by surgalt on Feb 27, 2012 9:00 AM EST reply actions

According to Capgeek Spacek has a no trade clause.

by surgalt on Feb 27, 2012 9:03 AM EST reply actions

No-movement, specifically, but he's said to be willing to waive it for the right team.

by MichaelProcton on Feb 27, 2012 12:44 PM EST up reply actions

Look to the future

So the Cats won again Sunday, getting the max 4 points from their back-to back set. They are dong what needs to be done. Canes are now 11 back in the division and 9 behind the Crapitals who hold down the #8 spot in the East. With 20 games to go that mountain is just too high. JR had mentioned the possibility of making some “hockey trades” beyond the UFA’s left on the roster. He can’t control what he is offered, but at this point it would be wise to listen to offers for just about anyone in the organization.

by Hockeydog on Feb 27, 2012 10:14 AM EST reply actions