Tonight the Carolina Hurricanes are in Chicago to take on the Blackhawks. Game time will start for us in Raleigh at 8:30 and this one will be broadcast locally on FSN. There could be some interesting scenarios in this game, considering that it will be a home-coming of sorts for a few players.
Remember the fight in practice between Bret Hedican and Kevyn Adams last year? Adams was shipped out of town shortly afterwards. Could there still be some animosity? I have a feeling that KA will be lining up a few of his ex-mates.
Do you think Tuomo Ruutu might harbor any ill will toward any of his former mates? We will probably find out. While players usually don't talk outloud concerning these matters, at times they will allow their actions to speak for them.
If nothing else, Ruutu should have something to prove to his old coach. Denis Savard didn't exactly have words of praise for his old player after he left town, with this comment. "For me, watching him play for a couple years, a lot of times he had complete possession of the puck and just fell down. I don't know if it's because of his knee or what, but I do know he gave everything he had." The comment might not have been throwing Tuomo under the bus, but it's not exactly a compliment, either.
I wonder what Savard's excuse is for not being able to get any production out of Sergei Samsonov? Did he have balance problems as well?
The recently injured and not playing trio of Ray Whitney, Glen Wesley, and Wade Brookbank all made the road trip, but they are all still questionable for tonight. I'm guessing that they will probably be a near game-time decision. If they can not play, the lines will be the same as against Buffalo.
- Staal-Cole-Ruutu
- Cullen-Samsonov-Eaves
- Aucoin-Walker-Bayda
- Letowski-Conboy
- Hedican-Gleason
- Seidenberg-Wallin
- Corvo-Kaberle
Once again Cam Ward will start in net.
The Hawks lost a tough 3-1 game to the Red Wings just last night, so the Canes will have the advantage of playing a semi-tired team. Corey Crawford got the start in goal, and played pretty well. I read somewhere that he might get the start again tonight. If not, veteran Patrick Lalime, or "lemon-lime" as my daughter calls him, will get the call. I believe that the vastly over-paid "Bulin" Wall is still nursing some kind of injury.
Who do you think would win the scrap, Hedican or Adams?