Today’s game 3 of the preseason will not be broadcast locally, so those wishing to track the game will be forced to radio unless some kind of video stream emerges from the depths of the internet.
The game features a lineup pretty similar to Tuesday’s road lineup but with a couple NHLers and potential NHLers sprinkled in.
‘What I’m (not) watching’ for the Carolina Hurricanes versus the Washington Capitals
1) Julien Gauthier rising
After Wednesday’s game, I said on Twitter:
1/2 It's early, but @CanesNHL Julien Gauthier has played his way up into same consideration as Martin Necas. Both are waiver exempt.
— Canes and Coffee (@CanesandCoffee) September 19, 2019
2/2 If it's a true 'earn your ice time', Gauthier at a minimum has earned a try out/ice time on an NHL line. #TakeWarning
— Canes and Coffee (@CanesandCoffee) September 19, 2019
Gauthier will play in his third consecutive preseason. Subtle but meaningful in the expected lineup is that Gauthier will play on an NHL line with Lucas Wallmark and Brock McGinn, whereas Martin Necas will play on more of a tryout line with Morgan Geekie and Janne Kuokkanen. This is not a slight to Geekie and Kuokkanen who have both played well, nor does it mean that Necas is out of the picture based solely on two preseason games. But it is very clear that Gauthier has caught the coaching staff’s attention and deservedly so.
The key for Gauthier is not to pause or be happy about his progress but rather to keep pushing every shift.
2) Sorting out the D
The blue line features Jake Gardiner and then four or possibly even five players who currently live at the fringe of the AHL/NHL cut line. Gustav Forsling plays with Gardiner; Jake Bean pairs with newcomer Fredrik Claesson; Haydn Fleury partners with Roland McKeown.
The game basically features a chance for Rod Brind’Amour and his coaching staff to see all of the defensemen battling for the last roster spot or two and first call up in a single game. How they fare in this game will have a say in making the blue line depth chart.
3) Martin Necas
With Gauthier rising, this game takes on a bit more importance for Martin Necas. He was not horrible in his preseason debut on Wednesday, but he was not great. And he still has a bit of floating and wandering to his game without the puck. As I noted after Wednesday’s game, both Necas and Gauthier are waiver exempt. So while this is not a one or the other choice, each player does to some degree impact the others’ NHL versus AHL whereabouts come early October.
4) Brock McGinn!
I really hope that despite it being a preseason game that Brock McGinn garners the boos that he so tremendously earned by scoring the overtime game-winner in Washington, D.C last April.
The puck drops at 7pm on WRALSportsFan.com
Go Canes!
The game had a Washington feed on nhl tv. Gauthier still looked really good. He rang the post on one and had another really good chance. No drop off, he is looking like a real contender to make the team. Fleury looked good. McGinn got em again. Wallmark, Kuokkanen and Bean looked good. Necas did not stand out. In fact, I viewed him is not good. Claesson stood out as the first star of the game, for Washington. He had two great assists for the caps. He is not making the team with performances like that. Reimer looked good. The one goal was a very weird bounce. Forsberg got hung out by Claesson.
Agree with icecobra, and I’m guessing other folks who watched this on NHL.tv may say the same.
I thought the game was ‘meh’ for several of our younger guys pushing for a spot or trying to impress. The Fleury/McKweon pairing was solid, Bean was smooth less a whiff or two, and Goat Man was noticeable in good ways (just needs to bury his chances). Claesson and I believe Gibbons made some turnovers that led in part to the first two goals…can’t fault Forsberg as said above. I did like Reimer’s game, and the push in the 3rd the team made. Otherwise, nobody else really stood out — but will say Suzuki is fast.