Living in the here and now, after starting their six-game road trip with a 0-2-2 mark, the Hurricanes rebounded strong to finish the trip at 2-2-2 and then added a home win on top of it on Saturday night. But even with the small burst the Hurricanes are on the outside looking in on the playoff chase thus far and need to keep winning.
They will carry that short-term “win now” mentality into a game that carries 100 years of history. The team will be part of a game against the Maple Leafs that marks 100 years of both Maple Leafs and NHL history.
‘What I’m watching’ for the Carolina Hurricanes versus the Toronto Maple Leafs
Against that backdrop, here is what I will be watching for Tuesday’s 2pm match up against the Toronto Maple Leafs…
1) A continuation in net
In a back-to-back set on November 18, Scott Darling and Cam Ward took turns playing lights out and winning games that the team maybe did not deserve against the New York Islanders and the Buffalo Sabres. As promising as the goalie situation looked then, it immediately reversed course and became a regular Achilles’ heel for the latest Hurricanes’ swoon. In the three weeks that followed the Hurricanes’ netminding was ‘meh’ at best and on many nights much worse. But again in a back-to-back set this past weekend, Darling and Ward took turns putting up stellar performances helping win games that the team in front of them maybe did not deserve.
I am on record as believing that it will take more consistent and average at minimum goaltending for the Hurricanes to put it together and push up into the playoffs. In Tuesday’s game, I will be watching to see if the Hurricanes netminding duo can run its streak of strong outings to three.
2) Weathering an early storm if necessary
Ceremony type games can be challenging. The routine and schedule are often thrown off with whatever on-ice festivities happen after warm ups and before the start of the game. And usually the home team doing the celebration of ceremony rides an adrenaline rush in flying out of the gate. For Tuesday, there is also the issue of the odd 2pm start.
I will be watching to see if the Hurricanes can weather any early burst of energy from the Maple Leafs and play their way into the game without digging a hole.
3) The defense
Like the goaltending, the team defense has had its share of issues lately. One could even argue that they were not great in Friday and Saturday’s wins but rather were bailed out by stellar netminding. The Maple Leafs young guns represent a defensive challenge as a team that an attack with skill and pace.
On Tuesday, I will be watching to see if the Hurricanes defense can bring a sound and solid effort that pushes back to playing a style that keeps them in games game in and game out.
The puck drops at 2pm…yes 2pm…on Fox Sports Carolinas with John, Tripp and Mike.
Go Canes!
I’ll be watching from the downtown Ale House, there’s a Caniac Meetup going on.
I circled this oddity of a game as soon as the schedule came out, and it wasn’t until recently I realized what the event was for. Last year it was the same thing with the Thanksgiving Day game, not really brought up much in articles (my wife and I did spend Thanksgiving last year in Montreal and attended the game, which was unusually interesting). Regardless, I took the day off for this one…only this time watching it on the tube!
Should be a good game…usually the Ontario boys are amped up for this one and that should instill some energy with the odd start time.
I am actually taking the afternoon off to watch. What I expect is Darling being solid again and someone unexpectedly making a key play. I also expect to see someone on the D on the scoresheet other than Hanifin.
Been counting the days for this game because it will be prime time featuring also a studio with my fav commentators: ex-NHL d-man Ossi Väänänen and a known hockey media person Ismo Lehkonen listening to whom has elevated my belief in Aho’s ceiling, lol. So a little watching party against my fav opponent Toronto Maple Leaves. Hoping to see goal fireworks today! Go Canes!
I am looking forward to a fast-paced game – Darling should see some shots early and we can test the notion that he is better when he is involved early. Two skilled sets of fast-skating forwards should make for a back-and-forth game. Given that good disruptive play in the neutral zone and possession hockey in the offensive zone could be the keys. If a game says “Skinner time” this is it. Look for me in my Hurricanes Xmas sweater at the downtown CAH this afternoon.
Definitely inconsistent
I wasn´t able to watch this game, but based on a quick check of the score I think that the goaltending might not have been, shall we say, spectacular.