First and foremost, the Hurricanes picked up another win on Saturday. The victory runs the teams streak to three and also pushes their record to 3-2-2 through seven out of nine games during the road-heavy December stretch. My goal at the beginning was a 5-4 mark which now takes only a split of two road games next week to accomplish.
Second and nearly as importantly, Scott Darling was stellar in the win. He rightfully won the first star, outplayed a Vezina-worth opposing goalie in Sergei Bobrovsky and was the best play in the ice when the Hurricanes needed. His role in the win was significant. If this proves to be a turning point in Darling’s 2017-18 season, the win will be even more significant.
The 2017-18 roller coaster
The roller coaster ride continues at a dizzying pace. In the wee hours of the night, the team was wrapping up a loss to Anaheim that pushed its record on the road trip to a meager 0-2-2 and the team’s overall record down to .500. I do not think it was a gross overstatement to say that the team’s season was slipping away.
But after grinding out too gutsy even if not pretty wins past regulation the road and then returning home to be a good and rested Columbus Blue Jackets team on Saturday, the team is suddenly trending up again. The Canes are now three games above .500, within three points of a playoff spot (adjusting for games played) and on a winning streak.
Saturday’s win over the Columbus Blue Jackets
Roller coaster ride aside, the game was a good one in many ways on Saturday. Not surprisingly, after playing and traveling the night before and just arriving home after two weeks on the road, the Hurricanes did not have their A game. For the second night in a row, the usually Corsi strong Hurricanes were defeated in terms of shot total, possession metrics and many other ways with the ice often tilted into their end of the rink.
Unlike many other games that saw the Hurricanes play a good or better first period but not really catch much for breaks and get rewarded for it, the Canes did catch a break early in the game. With commander of net front presence Justin Williams and his first lieutenant both hanging around the top of the crease (where goals happen), Jordan Staal threw a puck fairly harmlessly to the front of the net from an odd angle. Sergei Bobrovsky was beaten five hole by his own defenseman trying to defend the crossing pass. And just like that the Hurricanes were up 1-0.
Early on, Scott Darling looked sharp. His rebound control was the good version of Scott Darling, and he also had a couple of top notch saves going quickly from one post to the other and making saves with an outstretched pad. But Columbus struck back shortly after the Staal goal when a close range tip found its way through Darling’s pads and into the net behind him. The recurrence of what has been a problem at times had to make Canes fans fearful that impending doom was on the way. But the goal in the first period was all that Darling would allow on a night when he was incredibly sharp on a night when he was the better goalie and best player on the ice.
Tied at 1-1 entering the second period, the goal had to be to just survive and slide through the second period that has nearly unanimously been an Achilles’ heel of late. But instead, the Hurricanes used the period to climb out to a 2-1 lead when a pretty passing play found Noah Hanifin joining the rush and first skillfully receiving and shooting off the rush and then showing great hands to retrieve and quickly finish on a rebound while still flying by the net. The goal was yet another in Hanifin’s growing resume as a good offensive defenseman.
The third period had its ups and downs and also its share of tension with the Hurricanes clinging to a 2-1 lead. I said at the beginning of the third period that it would take at least three goals to win but am thrilled that I was wrong. Though the Hurricanes did not have a bad period in the third, the story was again Scott Darling who was there to be whatever was needed at the last line of defense to preserve the win.
Notes from the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets
1) Scott Darling
One game does not make a streak or a trend. That said, a streak must start at one and grow from there. If you wanted to script out the kind of game that COULD serve as a turning point for Darling who was sputtering entering the game, this would be it. Saturday’s game was not at all the kind where the team in front of him helped carry him to a win. Rather he was the story in the win. In the process, I think he might have preserved his position as the #1 netminder with Ward pushing in a good way from the #2 slot.
2) Justin Williams and first lieutenant Brock McGinn
The Hurricanes started Saturday’s game with McGinn joining Williams and Staal on one of the top lines. Watching Williams and McGinn play together (which they have a decent amount recently) paints a striking picture of what it looks like when you have a group of players who make a regular (not part time) habit of going to the front of the net. The volume of times where a point shot looks like a decent option because of traffic in front is high, and the volume of goals or at least dangerous shots also rises. Based on McGinn’s similar propensity to play hockey at the top of the crease, I have dubbed him the first lieutenant to Williams who is the commander of net front presence.
3) Noah Hanifin
Ironically, sliding down into the third pairing seemed to be a huge positive not a setback and a negative for Noah Hanifin. His ice time did not change too significantly when he slid down into the third pairing and his offensive game which was already trending upward seemed to use some combination of more favorable match ups and possibly less pressure on the defensive part of his game as a catalyst.
What is most significant about Hanifin’s game right now is the fact that he has transitioned from being a young player who was mostly just learning on the job to being a player who is using his strengths to drive wins. The difference between the two is a huge step in his development. Suddenly a course is being charted that sees even the #5 defenseman version of Noah Hanifin be a player that makes the team better.
4) Klas Dahlbeck and the balancing of ice time on the blue line
With the team looking a bit gassed yesterday and then playing the second half of a back-to-back today, Peters opted to put Klas Dahlbeck and his fresh legs into the lineup and also spread ice time more evenly. Dahlbeck played 17:45 mostly without incident at least of the big variety which makes for consecutive games where he has stepped into the lineup cold and looked decent. In addition, the minutes were spread about as evenly as we have seen this season. All five of the other defensemen were within a tight range of 19:46 and 20:49 of ice time. And though the Hurricanes were under duress a bit at times in a game often tilted into their defensive end, the egregious coverage break downs that have plagued the team at times recently were mostly missing.
4) Brock McGinn
He continues to impress me. Relative to my expectations at the start of the season, he easily ranks as the player who has most exceeded my expectations and also the player about whom I was most wrong about. I had him pegged as a serviceable #12 or #13 forward who offered some energy and physicality to the lineup. The jury is still out on whether McGinn’s scoring production ceiling is high enough to be a regular top 9 forward, but regardless of how that plays out, I now view him as at a minimum being a player who if he regularly sits on a fourth line is capable of stepping into a higher role to provide a spark and/or fill in when injuries necessitate it. Even more interesting is asking if even that is too low of a target. McGinn’s scoring pace of 38 points based on 82 games is actually pretty impressive considering that he is only averaging 12:45 of ice time and has seen only intermittent spot duty on the power play.
5) Jordan Staal
Staal’s goal was a bit more fortuitous bounce than pure goal scorer’s goal, but he played a strong game aside from that. On a night when the Hurricanes played more defense and in their own end than the norm, Staal was one of the players who regularly helped defend and also advance the puck to relieve pressure.
6) The power play
One of few negatives on the night was the Hurricanes power play. The power play went 2 for 2 in terms of taking a penalty that turned a power play into a minute of 4-on-4 and a minute of penalty kill. This was not nearly as catastrophic as the two shorthanded goals against in San Jose, but nonetheless it was another negative night for the power play.
Next up is an odd Tuesday matinee at 2pm in Toronto for the Toronto Maple Leafs’ and NHL’s 100th anniversary, so start doing what you can to block your calendar and/work from home on Tuesday afternoon if you have not already.
Go Canes!
Yippee! The Canes threw all in and won in regulation the first time since Nov 19th.
It wouldn’t have been a win without an ermine-like Darling. There’s a factor’s guarantee that Hanifin will be a star. Faulk instead is in coma offensively and leaves lots to wish for defensively.
Before the game I had no good feelings about the line juggling; McGinn getting a promotion etc. But I take the win. Also I am glad the Canes are done with Columbus for the season. I wanna see goals, that’s why 🙂
I am braindead. First watched Oilers game, then Rangers and then Canes. Was worth it!
(Comments posted before game notes)
Canes goalies won the last two games. When was the last time that happened? Both guys covered up a plethora of defensive breakdowns, but that’s what good goal tending is supposed to provide. I think we’ve seen enough of Darling to know the talent and potential is there. Now it is simply him playing up to his potential and expectations for him to be a true difference maker for a team that will likely struggle to score consistently. Darling’s play around and behind the net has been much better the last few games, something he struggled with the early part of the season but also something that should have been expected with new teammates and systems.
Whatever else happens this season (and hopefully a lot does, in a good way(, the last 3 games have been a lot of fun to watch (with the exception of the first two periods aginst Buf). This is hockey at its best.
I was sure Clu woud gut it out and tie the game, but through some combination of skill, luck and magic Darling and the defense managed to hold on.
The largest negative, apart from the powerplay, is the continued faultering of Justin Faulk. I hope he can find his stride, because we need the positive version of that guy on the defense, or we need to trade him (I am on record as wanting to trade him for Evander Kane, Pittsburgh is said to be pitching Ian Cole with some possible addition of a pick or two to land him).
Kane would add the nasty type of net front presence that this team needs more of.
Of course if Faulk can figure out what is wrong and find a way to become the offensive dynamo that he was last year, no trade is needed, but we see no signs of that happening yet.
McGinn has been good, more than good actually, and a pleasant surprise. I could see him with some combination of Walmark and other checkers as the makings of a potent forth line.
Kruger was a decent pickup but he has not been up to my expectations, especially in the scoring department, same with Nordstrom, both guys have been decent defensively (though their plus minus is not stellar and the pk hasn’t been good either), but I think there is room for offensive improvement on the 4th line.
A very good win. Given the circumstances and opponent, it could be the turning point. Tripp can beat a deceased equine, but he was correct in stating that this game was the toughest of the month. And Darling played up to his 6’6″ frame.
Glad that you mentioned Dahlbeck. He has been good the last two games he played.
During the three wins, the D has been living up to pre-season expectations. In addition to Hanifin, Pesce has found offensive mojo. It hasn’t showed up on the scoresheet outside of one assist, but his shot is more accurate, he has made several pinpoint passes, and last night he even showed off some slick skating to get off a net-front shot. It certainly looks like all the young D are finding the next level at both ends. If it continues, the Canes will remain in the playoff picture.
Unlike katrii, I would love a season full of Columbus. The Canes would end with 120+ points!!!
Earning (and they earned it in each game) six of eight points against one of the league’s best teams must be one of the highest points in the roller-coaster ride.
Now two more big roads games. This would be the perfect time for Darling to stay in the zone for a stretch of games. Even 1-0-1 would be terrific.
We won but continue to make too many defensive mistakes. Which will come back to haunt us. Feels very simular to last season. Faulk Where are you? Throwing a blind pass to the middle of the ice on the PP almost cost us another bad goal. I am curious what other people think please rank our defenseman by how much you trust them to get the job done. (not stats)
1) Slavin
2) Pesce
3) Hanifin
4) Van Riemsdyk
5) Fluery
6) Faulk
7) Dahlbeck
It just shows how far Faulk has fallen.
He has played himself out of a trade. By waiting to see if he was going to figure it out Francis let his value plummet.
I feel like I often end up defending Faulk on these forums. Granted he has had a poor first 30 or so games especially from an offensive standpoint, and defensively he has been mediocre. Nonetheless I always defend Faulk with this simple argument – his play right now is an OUTLIER in his overall career body of work. If the Canes were to trade him right now, they’d be receiving the absolute lowest return he could elicit. I would much rather take my chances that Faulk bounces back to the level he has been at the last few years than trade him away (unless he can be the Seth jones in the Johanson deal, but I don’t think he has that much trade value right now).
In terms of how much I trust the defensemen, I do trust him more than Fleury , Dahlbeck and Hanifin. TVR has been a rock so he has surpassed Faulk defensively in my eyes. Hanifin I trust more on offense, but regardless Faulk still occupies a spot in our top 4 and he sees tougher matchups throughout a game than Hanifin and TVR see, meaning at very least Bill Peters trusts him on the defensive end.
One thing that is to be liked about how Faulk is playing this year – he’s been very physical.
fifty. I am closer to your view. Faulk is not playing like an all-star, but he has made a number of plays each game that seem to get overshadowed by his poor plays. And there is no reason to believe that he can’t regain his level from the past two seasons.
As far as trust–I can’t do that without considering stats (or at least analysis). As I have mentioned before, I like Ryan Stimson’s playing style analysis. With Hanifin adding scoring, I would think he is becoming more valuable. So who do I trust to make enough plays to help the team win:
1. Hanifin
2. Pesce
3. Slavin
4. Faulk
5. TVR
6. Fleury
7. Dahlbeck
Now if you are talking the last minute with the opposition’s goalie pulled, then it would be:
1. Pesce
2. Slavin
3. Fleury
4. TVR
I do like the balance of on-ice time from last night’s game. Ideally, the coaching staff would trust all 6 to make plays that help the team win.
In the past it was a no brainer Faulk would have been in top 2.
I’m sympathetic to both sides of the Faulk debate. If you remember, we had the same concerns this time last year when he got off to a slow start and the Matt Duchene conversations started. He wound up pulling it together and became a driver of the team success down the stretch. It really was a tale of two seasons.
The flip side is that he’s off to an even slower start this season, especially on defense. Maybe the “C” is weighing on him, maybe his pairings haven’t played to his strengths. It’s kind of a mystery why he has so few points this season. Other than on the PP, it seems like Noah Hanifin has taken over his spot as the driver of offense from the blue line.
Personally, since he doesn’t seem injured and is in the prime of his career, I’m willing to be patient to see whether he can sort it out. I’m also willing to trade him in the right deal. Most of all I trust GMRF to make the right call balancing the short-term and long-term interests of the team.
Having said that, a Ryan O’Reilly for Faulk + prospects/futures deal would certainly be interesting.
dmiller. O’Reilly would be a trade worth making.
I was listening to a Hockey-graphs podcast and the guest was talking about how NHL players seem to move (both through trades and free agency) much less frequently than in the NBA. That made me think about how prospects don’t seem to be as valuable in the NHL as in MLB. Not sure why that is.
That then got me thinking about prospects (yeah, I spend way to much time thinking about the Canes and hockey). Carolina has transformed from an organization with little NHL-level talent to an organization with top prospects at almost every level. I clearly remember the end of last year when everyone including me wanted the team to call up Saarela. Right now he is probably fifth or sixth on the list of players currently on the Checkers who deserve a look.
The WJC U20 should feature four Canes prospects playing significant if not starring roles: Necas, Bean, Kuokkanen, Luostarinen.
The current CHL player of the week is Canes’ prospect Stelio Mattheos. The organization has goalies performing near the top of three leagues (Ned in AHL, Booth in ECHL, and Helvig who is really on a roll in December in CHL).
Even Noah Carroll is putting up solid numbers and had 4 points and was plus five just last night.
While the organization does not have a generational talent, there are likely 5-6 players who will have 5+ years in the NHL. Also, several players appear to have the ability to be second or third liners (Wallmark, Zykov, Foegele, Necas, Mattehos). I guess the question is do these players have more value in our organization or as part of a deal as dmiller suggests?
Just for the record, I’m not saying I want to make a trade. I’m simply saying that I’m open to one that includes Faulk for the right return. I could make the same statement about other players, too; we just seem to be focused on him right now.
I never said I wanted him traded either. I just don’t understand how his play has fallen so far off. Constantly getting caught flat footed. Making horrendous passing decisions. Trying to stick check at our D blue line instead of taking the body. He is a mess.
I am with dmiller on Faulk. I have seen drastic improvements in his defensive and physical play lately……although he still does make some OMG what are you doing plays. I too think he will come around. As for the depth of the organization. It is the deepest I have seen in years. I have been to several Checkers game this year and they have some real talent. Wallmark and Zykov are pro caliber. I also think Foeggle, Roy and Saarala will be up sooner or later or used as bargaining chip to get grade A center. Goat has a ways to go but he is a beast around the net.
BTW did anyone notice how Bob stood at the edge of his crease with his arms open interfering when we were forechecking the Jacket defenseman with the puck behind the net. It is probably legal but I didn’t like it. It is probably Torrs trying to gain an edge any way he can. Wonder if he talked with the press after the game.
I guess my two cents on Faulk would be that his past play is much better then the present and when you make him captain, on a young team, where he should be a leader, I haven’t seen it. Now you can argue that by becoming a captain he has demonstrated leadership….deservedly so in the past. but in the present on a young team his play and leadership has been lacking on the ice. Could it be something as silly as Pesce and Slavin jumping ahead of him? Whatever it is you now have a problem of a player that should not be wearing a C (based on the past 30 games) whose value is the lowest its ever been. If you take the C now best case scenario his pride takes a hit and confidence is shot at an all time low in his career, or worse case he packs it in. It would be completely different if he hadn’t been made Captain, then you could argue for more leeway but in my opinion once you are elevated to that position of leadership you have to lead in every game….. you don’t have the luxury of figuring it out the first half of the season. Haven’t seen half the amount of effort out of Faulk game in and game out as I have in say for instance Noordstrom, Williams, or Mcginn. Maybe its my infantry background but you have to lead from the front and he’s not.
At this point in Faulk’s career, does anybody really think he will get more steady, better, or more reliable? What you see is (pretty much) what you get! That said, I’d definitely consider moving him for the right return. The determining factor is can we backfill (from Charlotte) either Carrick, or McKeown w/o a big dropoff?
Alternatively, make another trade for a D5,6…
I think it would be a good move to augment our forward group, as scoring has been meager-ten games lost with two or less goals for…!
I am really hoping this is just a bump in the road but it is concerning.
O’Reilly is a beast and would really amp up the top six. I’ve been saying for a while he would make a great pickup, but I digress. Only problem is the salary he carries long-term and Buffalo likely wanting a young stud in return (which we should not provide). Hence the potential impasse.