On Thursday, the Hurricanes were beaten by the ultimate 2018-19 measuring stick in the Tampa Bay Lightning. But courtesy of an extended winning run and also two straight wins to start the home stand, the Hurricanes are still in great position in the playoff race.
Sitting in the first wild card slot, the Hurricanes are up two points with a game in hand over Montreal and are up three points with a game in hand over Columbus. The Hurricanes need to beat out only one of those two teams to win a playoff berth. Looking up, third place in the Metropolitan Division is also still within range especially since the Hurricanes have another game against the Pens.
Put more succinctly, the Hurricanes are in a tremendous place right now and control their own destiny.
That resumes on Saturday with the Minnesota Wild visiting PNC Arena. (Insert a face showing significant pain) Because of the relative weakness in the Western Conference, the Wild enter the game with eight points fewer but still in playoff position. Clinging to that playoff spot and with a 1-2-2 record in their last five games, the Wild should be a desperate and hungry team.
On the Hurricanes side, the team just needs to put the loss to the Lightning in the rear view mirror and keep doing what it has been for some time now. The bigger game looms on Sunday against the Canadiens but each and every two points is critical right now.
My watch points follow.
‘What I’m watching’ for the Carolina Hurricanes versus the Minnesota Wild
1) Pace and tenacity
The Minnesota Wild have been sputtering a bit of late but won a huge game in Washington on Friday night. On the one hand, Minnesota should enter the game with a more positive vibe. On the other hand, hopefully they are a half step slower with the back-to-back with travel. Timing would be great for the Hurricanes to dial up one of the ‘just overwhelm them’ type of efforts that we have seen here and there. At a minimum, the Hurricanes should have a small physical advantage early and/or late. On Saturday, I will be watching to see if the Hurricanes can push pace and ride a tenacious forecheck to an advantage that results in a win.
2) Special teams
With special teams this time of year, it is not so much raw percentages as it is scoring a power play goal that changes the direction of a game. The Hurricanes lost the special teams battle by two goals to the Lightning on Thursday and sure enough lost by two goals (not counting the empty-netter). In addition, with a 2-1 lead the Hurricanes had three minutes of power play ice time. Might a power play goal and a two-goal lead have led to a different outcome? We will never know, but no doubt a plus or minus for special teams scoring often tips the outcome in tight games between playoff contenders this time of year. On Saturday, I will be watching to see if the Hurricanes can win the special teams battle.
3) Goaltending
It will be interesting to see how Brind’Amour utilizes his goalies this weekend. Petr Mrazek is at the absolute top of his game right now. Curtis McElhinney is coming off of a ‘meh’ outing with some shakiness in it admittedly against a great hockey team. Were it a single game this weekend, no doubt it would be Mrazek’s turn again. But with a back-to-back set and the bigger game on Sunday night, how will Brind’Amour play it? His track record thus far would definitely suggest a split of the two games. If he goes that route, will he have Mrazek for Sunday’s game? Or is there a chance that Brind’Amour steps away from the two-goalie platoon for the first time since McElhinney returned from injury? I will be watching to see how Brind’Amour manages the weekend and also to see how Saturday’s goalie plays.
The puck drops at 7pm at PNC Arena.
Go Canes!
The most important game of the weekend is TONIGHT against the Wild. This is not “some throwaway game up in Rochester” (for you Herb Brooks enthusiasts). I also don’t think management will over think the rotation, it’s been working through thick and thin, so they should stick with it. Go with Mrazek as it’s his turn. He instills energy and we might need some extra crowd zest with the b-ball tourney in action.
Try to be 3-4 pts up before tomorrow’s tilt and focus on tomorrow, tomorrow…when that becomes the most important game of the weekend. 🙂
Canes need to keeping pushing. The good news is Stalock is likely in net for Minnesota. For the Canes I expect Mrazek today and McElhinney tomorrow. The big question is if Aho is healthy–sometimes that type of knee contact swells up a few hours later.
Definitely wondering about all those injuries and hoping we see all the guys on the ice.
Has anyone else felt that Svech is starting to look really dangerous? He looks a step faster and drives the net with confidence and power (looks like Eric Cole).
He does remind me of Eric Cole. I remember Cole one night confronting 6′ 9″ Chara. With both hands he shoved Chara in the chest. Chara barely moved. Cole shoved him again. Chara had a shocked look on his face. Cole shoved a third time. Chara stumbled back and fell on his rump. Cole skated away. The crowd went wild.
Cole was trying to establish himself at that time. We loved him right away.
That’s where Svetch is now. He looks every bit as dangerous as Cole did.
The next season, Cole confronted a Toronto bad boy named Doug Gilmour. Gilmour was giving Cole some bad mouth and Cole just stood there and spread his arms with the gesture and facial expression saying, “Come and get me tough guy!” Gilmour skated away while we cheered. Cole had arrived. We knew it. So did the players in the NHL.
In the 2005-06 season, Cole was on fire. He was on pace for 30 goals. One night, in Pittsburgh, Cole found himself skating after the puck towards the boards. He stumbled and then felt pressure from behind as he was being shoved head first into the boards by Penguins goon, Brooks Orpik. Cole’s neck was broken. No call.
Orpik is now playing with the Caps. We play them twice more this season.
I think Svetch will arrive in the playoffs. If he lives that long.
After Cole turned away from Orpik. Orpik extended his arms as he finished Cole. In today’s NHL, Orpik would be suspended. Eric was never quite the same after that injury.
BTW, Gourde suspended 2 games. I don’t think he gets suspended in 06.
Aho listed as starter, so not badly injured. We probably never no if has any lingering after effects on his knee.
Mrazek is starting. I think if he has a good game and wins then he should start tomorrow.
As a happy ending for the Canes in 06, we won all of the series up to the finals against Edmonton. We did it without Cole. We made it through the first 6 games against Edmonton without Cole. But game 7 was going to be a very difficult game. We were spent. Our guys needed a boost. Edmonton had momentum.
A game day decision put Cole in the starting lineup. We were ready.
But so was Edmonton. When Eric Cole hit the ice, Edmonton sent out Raffi Torres. Torres was known to be a head hunter. He went right after Cole and crosschecked him to the head.
Cole was not to be denied his return. He played on in Eric Cole fashion. He and Torres went at it all night. Our guys were inspired. We won the most difficult game of the series. During the game, two Oilers crashed into Doug Weight and sandwiched him. They managed to dislocate his shoulder.
At the end of the game Doug couldn’t lift the Cup over his shoulder when it was his turn. It didn’t diminish his joy at winning the Cup.
As was said earlier, Cole was never the same after that.
Let’s hope our guys learn what they need to learn and come through it whole.
As an aside, I have some crow to eat. I have been a very harsh critic of our Haydn Fleury. Too harsh by the standards of many on this site. When Roddy brought him up to fill in for Calvin de Haan, I was bewildered. But watching him play was a pleasure. He played very well. If he continues to play like that I must admit that he belongs in the NHL and I am glad he is a Hurricane. Roddy is a genius.