When the Hurricanes pulled off an impressive win on Saturday night, the team moved into a tie for the third and final playoff spot in the Metropolitan. In the topsy-turvy Eastern Conference that sees literally every team still within striking distance of a playoff spot, the Canes have since been passed and will be on the outside looking in by a point or two when they return to the ice on Tuesday night at PNC Arena.
Looking backward on the first 28 games of the Carolina Hurricanes 2018-19 season
When one looks back on the first 28 games that represent just over one-third of the season, the first third has been a roller coaster to put it mildly. The team stormed through preseason and then continued into the regular season running out to a 4-0-1 mark. Since then the team has seen lows that have at least matched the highs on the way to a 13-11-4 record. That record puts the team in a cluster of seven teams currently on the outside looking in on the playoffs but no more than four points off the pace. After 28 games, the standings in the middle and bottom of the Eastern Conference have only minimally more spacing than when all of these teams started the season tied at 0-0-0.
Half full says that with a rookie coach and a young team, especially at forward, that the Hurricanes did well getting their feet under them and have the potential to get better as the season wears on. Half full also says that the Hurricanes have not one but two goalies playing well right now and so far eliminating what has been a huge weakness.
But half empty says that this team will struggle to score enough such that if the goalies cool even slightly it will be really tough to win.
Looking forward to the middle third of the season
With an eye for finding a run of wins to push above the fray and also recognizing that holes dug in December can be tough to recover from, the Hurricanes upcoming schedule looks like this:
A home stretch leading up to Christmas
Starting with Tuesday’s match up against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Hurricanes play six of their next seven games leading up to Christmas at home. The stretch features some tough competition, but it also represents a chance to capitalize on home ice.
Then back to the road
Then starting after Christmas, the Hurricanes play six out of eight games on the road with six of those games being against Metropolitan Division foes.
If the Hurricanes struggle through the home stretch, the run of road games that follow could put the 2018-19 season in a precarious position leading up to the midway point of the season. If instead the Hurricanes can make hay at home, the team could enter the important stretch of divisional games higher in the standings and with momentum.
What say you Canes fans?
1) Relative to preseason hopes/expectations, how would you rate the team’s results through 28 games?
2) How do you predict the team will fare during the upcoming stretch of five out of six at home?
3) Which stretch of upcoming schedule looks most promising? Which stretch looks most ominous?
Go Canes!
My goals were: 1. a team record of a real .500, not just NHL .500. Our record is by this measurement 13 wins and 15 loses, Disappointing but not yet discouraging. 2. The team plus/minus at or slightly above zero. The Canes are at -6, again below base line hopes. 3. Two goalies could post respectable stats. Feeling pretty good about this one. (Although the wish to never see Darling in the blue paint is still unlikely to happen,) And 4. A couple of our rookies would be in the Calder conversation. A thoroughly unmet wish.
In summary I wanted more, and the shortfall is concerning. Those concerns are amplified by the reality that a wild card slot will be a longer reach than 3rd in the Metro and we have 3 teams to pass to attain 3rd right now. Our current record in the last 10 of 5-4-1 is not a playoff pace. All in all, underlining the closeness of the race, a win tonight would change the picture substantially.
1. The results are disappointing – particularly given that we left 5-7 points on the table in game we could have and should have won except for the lack of special teams play of any caliber. At the same time, it could be worse…
2. I don’t like to do predictions but I was hoping we would be in a better position heading in this stretch – which will be a test – in which we have the opportunity to build a buffer for…
3. ..the most ominous stretch, which is the month of January and all those away games. The season could well pivot around that month, provided we do well at home in December. March should be interesting in a promising sort of way – a heavy schedule with a lot of home games – we have the opportunity to cement a playoff spot during that month.
Winning tonight would be a great start to the homestand. Playing a good team in Toronto as the first game at home after a long road trip is a big task. It’s common for a home team to come out flat in that situation. Bucking that trend would be big.
As long as the Canes can hang within 4 points of the 3rd spot in the Metro I think they are in decent shape. Time should be on the Canes side with young players like Svechnikov and Wallmark who should continue to improve as the year goes on. Hopefully Mrazek can establish himself and McElhinney can get healthy to make a solid goalie paring in 2019.
The number of teams in your way may be more important than the points to be gained. Catching 3 teams is a bigger than catching one regardless of the points involved.