As much as the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins figure to put it together at some point during the 2017-18 season, they just have not been able to do so through 41 games and exactly half of the season. Adjusted for games played the Pens are three points behind the Carolina Hurricanes who currently occupy the last Eastern Conference wild card slot.
If ever there was a four-point game, this is it. The Hurricanes are FINALLY sitting in a playoff spot but likely need to win to maintain that spot. And if the Hurricanes can defeat the Penguins, it will push them down one more notch in terms of standings/point total as they push another game closer to the end of the season. Though winning is most important, handing Pittsburgh a loss would be a bonus victory on Thursday night.
As noted above Penguins enter the game out of a playoff spot and at only 4-6 in their last 10 games. The Hurricanes enter with consecutive losses (one in overtime) but still surging at 7-2-1 in their last 10 games.
‘What I’m watching’ for the Carolina Hurricanes versus the Pittsburgh Penguins
1) Improved attention to detail managing the puck and defending
I have been harping about a gradual decline in the Hurricanes’ attention to detail in terms of managing the puck and defending in the neutral and defensive zone. Those issues reared their ugly head in a big way in Tuesday’s overtime loss to the Washington Capitals. Pittsburgh’s group of high-end forwards are likely to capitalize and probably win a hockey game if the Hurricanes are as generous in terms of gifting away scoring chances again on Thursday night.
2) The goalie position
I fear that I jinxed Tuesday’s game by not including the goalie position in my game preview. Ward was not the primary problem in Tuesday’s loss, but he could have been better in a game that saw him allow five goals on a modest shot total. I strongly expect that Peters will stick with Ward on Thursday, but regardless, getting at least decent goaltending will likely play a role in Thursday’s outcome.
3) A carry over for the forecheck
For my money, the single biggest positive in Tuesday’s game and the most significant reason the Hurricanes claimed a point was the forecheck. The Penguins have injuries and a depleted blue line. I will be watching on Thursday to see if the Hurricanes can find the same intensity level for their forecheck and be rewarded similarly with volume and quality of scoring chances.
4) Aleksi Saarela
With Lucas Wallmark felled by injury in only his second game since being recalled, Ron Francis again made the call to Charlotte and recalled winger Aleksi Saarela. Saarela brings speed, skill and finishing ability and is in the middle of a hot streak right now scoring five goals in his last five games. We will not know at least until the morning skate if Saarela will be in the lineup on Thursday, but if he is, I will be watching his NHL debut closely to assess whether he is ready to make a difference at the NHL level.
The puck drops at 7pm on Fox Sports Southeast (NOT the usual Fox Sports Carolinas) with John, Tripp and Mike.
Go Canes!
Excellent “keys to the game”. Attention to detail, average goaltending, the forecheck, and a hot-handed callup.
We had 20 takeaways against the Caps. Easy goals follow some of them, even though there is no such thing as an easy goal. Perhaps the hard work just happens prior to puck possession for some of them.
I attended the Checkers’ first game of the season because it was in Hartford. Zykov, Wallmark, Foegele (twice) and Saarela all scored. The only one I clearly remember three months later was Saarela’s goal. It was a combination of speed and power that basically overwhelmed the defense from center ice to the net. The other thing I distinctly remember from that game was Wallmark talking with one of the coaches every time he wasn’t on the ice. I expect Saarela’s explosiveness and Wallmark’s commitment to detail are big reasons they are in Raleigh.
The other things that are noticeable statistically about Saarela are that he is second in power play goals behind Zykov and he has only committed one penalty in 31 games. In fact, my guess is the discipline (Wallmark only had 2 penalties in 20 games) is the main reason we are seeing Saarela and not Zykov or Foegele. Peters and Francis must be thinking that they don’t want to be short-handed in any of the crucial games the next two weeks. That makes perfect sense as Carolina will need to avoid puck-handling miscues and penalties if they want to have chances to beat Pittsburgh, Boston, Tampa, and Washington.
I mentioned last spring that based on a very superficial analysis, 40 games seems to be a minimum in the AHL to get a good measurement of a prospect’s ability. Saarela just hit that number and has 19 goals and 29 points in those games.
There is also the small possibility that Saarela is only brought up as insurance if Wallmark’s injury lingers. In that case, it might be an early birthday present.
Fist of all: I enjoy Thursdays. When The Canes play on Thursday it means 4 separate entities at C&C: The Daily Cup, The Coffee Shop, pregame and postgame. Have I entered some hockey heaven? The hockey heaven dwells in Raleigh? (the side note: my big sister used to have a bike named Raleigh, a blue and silver one). Thanks, Matt& co (mostly Matt) for this fan experience!
Sometimes life/internet (internet is life: I have lived without the net on the 70’s through late 90’s) treats too much of hockey content to absorb, to sink in. This time I read the pregame assessment from word to word and agreed with every bit of it. @ ashevillecaniac: excellent keys to the game.
It is flattering that Allu Saarela is a call-up. He has promised to sing Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen on the day he plays in NHL 😀 😀
I would certainly be intrigued by an all Finland line. It’s amazing to me how much elite NHL talent (skaters and goalies) comes from such a small country. There must be an amazing youth hockey program there, run by some passionate, caring coaches. I know the Finland education system is one of the best in the world, so maybe that somehow translates to their youth sports programs. Alas, the latest from Pittsburgh sounds like Saarela isn’t on the game roster tonight… so my potential ‘FINISH LINE’ will have to wait a game or two.