We have already tip toed into discussions on training camp battles, preseason and the upcoming season. But before we jump full force into the 2019-20 season, today’s Daily Cup of Joe follows on a few comments on Twitter from Monday and takes a look back at the magical 2018-19 season. With a fun second half surge to reach the playoffs and eight playoff wins, there are numerous great memories, but today’s Daily Cup of Joe tries to shrink the list to a very small set that will most define the season when we look back in 20 years.
#4 — Game 7 overtime win over the Washington Capitals
I will go on to later say that the season became a success and then a bigger success with two previous wins, but in no way does that discount the magnitude of the Hurricanes overtime win in game 7 against the Washington Capitals in the first round. Brock McGinn forever claimed a place in Hurricanes history when he first saved the game by sweeping a puck out of the crease and then later finished the game with an overtime winner. The win continued the franchises storied success in games 7s after winning consecutive road game 7s in 2009 and consecutive home game 7s in 2006. The game also belongs somewhere on the team’s list of classics.
#3 — Seizing the “Bunch of Jerks” insult and converting it int a rallying cry for the the Canes hockey community
Even before the Don Cherry event, the storm surge represented yet another instance of the Carolina Hurricanes hockey community doing it our own way. The storm surge was just plain fun from the beginning and had a fun contagiousness that grew the fan base. When Don Cherry criticized it, and the team embraced, owned and capitalized on it, “Bunch of Jerks” became the rallying cry for the second half of the season and the playoffs. Over time some details always fade from memory, but when we look back in 20 years, “Bunch of Jerks” will still be top of mind for the 2018-19 season.
#2 — Clinching a long-awaited playoff berth on home ice
When the Hurricanes won on that fateful night, a playoff berth was very much within reach. When a perfectly-timed Canadiens loss followed just as the Hurricanes game was ending, a return to the playoffs became official. The timing could not have been better with the players still on the ice and seeing it on the scoreboard. To this day, that whole scene seems surreal with the players embracing on the ice, Petr Mrazek hugging Rod Brind’Amour and Justin Williams tearing up in the post-game interview. No doubt a four-game sweep at the hands of the Capitals would have been a disappointing ending, but I still contend that at this point the 2018-19 season had clearly climbed into positive territory and become a success.
#1 — The return of playoff hockey to Raleigh with a resounding game 3 win over the Capitals
After a ten-year wait, the return of playoff hockey to Raleigh was everything that a fan could have wanted and more. With a 2-0 deficit after falling short twice in Washington, D.C. to start the series, the Hurricanes returned home needing a win to avert a quick playoff exit. And with an atmosphere and volume level that rivaled the best in the franchise’s history, the team seized a resounding win. The team fired out of the gate which ignited the crowd that had waited so long for playoff hockey, and the team and the fans never looked back on way to a dominant win and a joyous celebration. The result was a triumphant return of playoff hockey that immediately gave the fan base a full serving of all that could be so incredibly good with NHL playoff hockey.
What say you Canes fans?
1) Do you agree with my top 4 and their order? If not what would your top 4 things from the 2018-19 season be?
2) This really should be more like a top 10 list though I do think it becomes harder to order things after about the top 4 or 5? What else would you add to a list if it was a top 10?
3) What is one maybe underrated moment or event from the 2018-19 season that holds a special place in your heart?
Go Canes!
After reading Matt’s column, I was inspired to go to you tube and look at the 10 best saves made by Pietr Mrazek last season. He was amazing.
What really turns me on about the guy is his passion. After making a spectacular save (or several saves in a row), he doesn’t even try to be cool about it. I really like that about him. His passion for the game and his team.
One save stands out to me. It isn’t even my favorite among the 10. But it is reminiscent of a save made a while ago by Kevin Weekes against John Madden of the Devils. Madden was alone in front of the net. Weekes was laying on his belly on the ice. Madden took the shot and Weekes just pulled it out of the air with his glove. In the film of Pietr last season, Islander Josh Bailey had a breakaway. He was in on our net with plenty of room and lots of time. He had Pietr moving with his deke. He shot from close in. Pietr pulled it out of the air with his glove. Poetry in motion.
But like I said, it wasn’t my favorite. You fanalysts can sit in your ivory towers and talk stats until you are blue in the face.
These were 10 underrated moments that hold a special place in my heart. And I haven’t even begun to think about the defense and forwards.
Fishy ‘s patented circling the enemy net and carrying the puck all the way out to the slot at the blue line. Hypnotizing the enemy skaters. Then either shooting or passing. I haven’t seen anything like that since Bobby Orr.
Warren Foegele, Brock McGinn, Nino, Svech, Turbo. I could go on and on.
Last season was magic for me.
I am excited to see what awaits for this season.
I do love this game!
As calm, cool, and collected as Mac was, it was Petr’s passion that carried the team in the 2nd half. Sure there were other heroes too, but Petr was emblematic of what this team stood for….passion, fun, effort, mixed with some skill.
I cannot wait for the page to turn on this new season.
And I do love my Canes.
It wasn’t on home ice, but the defining moment of the season for me was the early March 4-3 OT game vs. FLA when Mrazek made the sweep check that led immediately to the Aho goal at the other end. At the time, it felt like we were the proverbial “team of destiny” and that the trajectory of the team and the season changed permanently for the better.
When I think of the season, that’s the game I think about first, even before Game #7 vs. WAS.
Completely agree. I thought about also making a list of individual moments, and if I did the overtime series with Mrazek’s crazy lunging poke check followed by a save on a on breakway follow by the Aho game-winner and then Mrazek’s celebration would definitely be on the list.
I think a column on memorable individual moments would be a fun column – a lot of really good memories this past season.
Not really a positive moment but when Ovi went beast mode on Svech was a big moment . The Canes got back at at the Caps on the scoreboard and went on to win 4 out of 5.
Svech wont get in many fights but I think he will have plenty of big hits and goals. At some point soon he will be challenged to fight and he’ll need to put some big punches on that goon.
Oh, and watched some playoff highlights, Foegle was great. I hope that he builds on that.
I think the #1 defining thing of this season was the Bunch of Jerks – that defined the team and the team’s relationship with the fans. Everything else followed from that.
Next would be the Game 7 OT win in WSH. That was huge.
I was there for the first Storm Surge (and even have the t-shirt from it!) – that one was special because the fans remaining in the stadium really didn’t know what was going on. It made for a special moment – and, actually, remains my favorite surge; it was a connection between the players and the fans rather than subsequent skits being performed for the fans.
stadium –> arena; got my sports venues swapped! 😀
Agree on all suggestions above. Two additional defining moments (at least in my view).
#1. Whalers night late December in Raleigh. Aho/Turbo on the penalty kill for first time, sparked exciting play and earned a thrilling win. The team was still bottom barrel at that point, but I felt this sparked a style of play that had legs into the winning ways of January/February and turned the season around.
#2. After an embarrassing Friday home loss against Winnipeg, the Canes could have laid an egg the next night on the road in Nashville. Instead, the Canes rebounded and took it to Nashville. It wasn’t just the win, it was the way they won playing sound hockey that made me feel like this team could counter punch and was destined.
Full disclosure, I was at that game with my wife in music city, so the post game victory at Legends bar was fantastic. Of course, the drive to my wife’s grandmother in Alabama next day was groggy. 🙂
Off Topic Prohockey Rumors is doing a redraft for 2007. Off Topic Prohockey Rumors is doing a redraft for 2007. The Canes are on the board at 11th. Their actual pick was Brandon Sutter. https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2019/08/2007-nhl-draft-take-two-eleventh-overall-pick.html
Another defining moment – in the first week of the new year we get our ears pinned back by both NYR and OTT (OTT???). The OTT game was Nino’s first game in a Canes uniform and RBA apologized to him afterwards for the way the team played.
That was the last crap game by the Canes (who had played a lot of crap games in December and even November) of the season.