After pushing through 4 road games with a an impressive 3-0-1 record to build the point streak to 10 games, Monday is a great day to be a Carolina Hurricanes fan. The 2016-17 hangs in the balance, and that in itself is a big success on March 27, but regardless of how it ends, I think the positive momentum right now is unmistakable. Today’s Coffee Shop basks in that glow a bit and also tries to look 2 weeks into the future to figure out how it all ends. In case you missed it over the weekend, I wrote an article entitled “The P-word; what does it take?” that follows a similar theme to most of Monday’s polls and discussion questions.
Carolina Hurricanes polls
Please remember to click ‘vote’ for each individual poll vote.
What is the state of the Carolina Hurricanes 2016-17 season? (Repeat from last week)
- Shhhhhhh...Don't say a word. (55%, 30 Votes)
- It's not over. (33%, 18 Votes)
- It's over. (13%, 7 Votes)
Total Voters: 55
Loading ...
Obviously there are a number of Canes playing really well right now and everyone is contributing, but who has been the Hurricanes' best player during the 10-game point streak?
- Jeff Skinner (41%, 23 Votes)
- Elias Lindholm (39%, 22 Votes)
- Sebastian Aho (11%, 6 Votes)
- Eddie Lack (5%, 3 Votes)
- Jaccob Slavin (4%, 2 Votes)
- Justin Faulk (0%, 0 Votes)
- Jordan Staal (0%, 0 Votes)
- Other (add in comments) (0%, 0 Votes)
Total Voters: 56
Loading ...
The next 4 games are at home. How many points do the Hurricanes need to get to make things interesting heading into the last week?
- 7 points (3-0-1) is nearly perfect, should gain ground and leaves some margin for error with a couple tough road games following. (62%, 32 Votes)
- 8 points (4-0-0) is tough, but the run of 4 games represents the best chance the Canes have to make up ground, and they need to capitalize fully. (27%, 14 Votes)
- 6 points (3-0-0) should be enough to gain a point or 2 and put the ball on the tee for a final week run. (10%, 5 Votes)
- 5 points (2-1-1) is not great, but it would still keep hope alive. (2%, 1 Votes)
Total Voters: 52
Loading ...
Carolina Hurricanes discussion questions
1) Obviously there are a number of factors, but if you had to narrow it down to 1-2 things, to what would you attribute the Hurricanes surge over the past 10 games?
2) What do you make of Coach Bill Peters sporadic lineup changes of late? Is it complex genius that has contributed significantly to the winning streak? Does it not really matter either way with key players finding a higher gear at the same time? Is it potentially risky?
3) In a similar vein as #2, what would you do for forward lines and defense pairings at least to start the run of 4 games? What do you think Peters will do?
Go Canes!
1. Primarily, since the scoring has been the best in the league, I attribute it to Lindholm raising his game in intensity so that every shift he is making plays. The second thing has two parts. Eddie Lack’s play has been a key and I attribute it to Peters’ rant and Lack’s work with a sports psychologist (at least that is what i have read several places). Because since the rant Lack is playing with poise.
2. I understand that the Canes’ organization uses analytics. The data junkies have long said “chemistry” is almost non-existent. In hockey, if anything, I think it might keep players a little more “in the moment” because they can’t rely on patterns.
3. For forwards, I think Peters will keep Skinner with Ryan and Rask. Staal with Teraveinen and Di Giuseppe. Lindholm with Aho and add Zykov. Leaving Rask with McGinn and Nordstrom. I think that will work fine–or Di G and Zykov might be flipped. On defense I would split Slavin and Pesce except on PK and last 5 minutes. I just think they are playing so well that having one on the ice 2/3 of the game is slightly preferable to having both on the ice together.
I remember telling my son after the first two games of the season that the Canes looked like one of the best teams in hockey in the first and second periods of both games. I really believe part of what is happening is results matching the play. Too often this year the Canes controlled play, had the superior Corsi, had more quality scoring chances and ended up with one or no points.
The current team is good (not great and still work to be done, but good). I am glad they are playing meaningful games the last week of March.
There are a number of good things to talk about right now, but I am most stuck on ctcaniac’s last sentence – “I am glad they are playing meaningful games the last week of March.”
How cool is that?
1a/ The goaltending has been much better – that’s far and away the biggest contributor. Unlike earlier in the year when we’ve given up the “next big goal” that turns the game, now we’re preventing that goal and scoring it ourselves. It’s takes all the pressure off the offense to score, which makes scoring easier.
1b/ Our younger players are maturing and learning how to finish games. How many times earlier this year did we have a 3rd-period lead, sometimes a multiple goal lead, only to watch it slip away. That’s not happening anymore. I attribute it to our blue-line protecting better and our Forwards being more responsible late in games.
2/ As long as he keeps Linholm with Aho, Skinner with Ryan and Stempniak, and Staal with TT, the rest are interchangeable parts. These combinations are driving the train right now and I don’t see BP changing any of that up.
A lot of fun right now … I think this is the play we saw flashes of earlier this year that we hoped we’d see more consistently. Even if it’s on the cusp of being too late for 2016, it’s very encouraging for the future and extremely exciting in the present.
ctcaniac and dmilleravid have covered everything well. Very good analysis on both their parts.
1. I am not sure I can break it down any more than they are just scoring more goals, and timely goals. We are getting ahead, or getting one back quickly that keeps the guys heads in the game. Very little time for the team to get down on being behind. And timely saves are helping as well. How many times have we complained over the years about that bad goal at the wrong time just deflating the team. Over this stretch, there have been very few of those.
2. I think the crazy line-ups are actually very deliberate tactical moves on Peters part due to the road schedules and last change the home team gets. This is especially noticeable with the defensive pairings where he broke up the third pair and used Slavin and Pesce with our weakest two defenders. This has kept the other teams from cherry picking that pairing with a great cycling line that hems them in their own end. My guess is that we see the traditional pairings (maybe not forward lines) tonight and during the home stand. When we go back on the road, he’ll mix it up again.
3. As I said above, he’ll go back to our top four D paired with each other at home and let Murphy-Dahlbeck get the extra minutes. For the forwards, I’d keep Skinner/Ryan/Stempniak together and Aho-Lindholm together, and then the other lines as much as possible the same as we’ve had the last few games. Those two forward combinations have been clicking and shouldn’t be upset.