For anyone coming out of a cave and back into the Hurricanes hockey world, this weekend is the 10-year anniversary celebration at PNC Arena. You can find a schedule of events HERE at the team web site.
Canes fans have had the Friday game against the Pens and the Saturday game against the Isles marked on their schedules since the beginning of the season because of the anniversary festivities.
But how cool is it that the hockey games still matter too?
After a strange 4-day layoff, the Canes have given back some of the games in hand that they had over most other teams in the Eastern Conference and will emerge right where they started the week – still behind the pack, but still within range of catching them.
Friday’s opponent is the Pittsburgh Penguins who currently sit in the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference at 61 points in 53 games. The Canes are minus 4 points and 1 game remaining versus the Pens so to say that this is an important game is a huge understatement. The Penguins come in playing better hockey of late. They are 3-2 since the all-star break and 7-3 in their last 10 games. Led by a surging Sidney Crosby who has 12 goals and 10 assists in his last 12 games, the Pens are very much a team moving up the Eastern Conference ladder right now.
The Hurricanes come into the game after a decent 1-1-1 3-game road trip after the all-star break and needing to use a home-heavy rest of February (8 of next 10 games are at home) to make a push upward if they are going to play hockey that matters into March.
As for tonight’s game, here is what I will be watching:
1) Jordan Staal vs. Sidney Crosby
With Evgeni Malkin out of the lineup and Crosby’s play of late, the key to stopping the Penguins is at least slowing Crosby’s line. If the Canes can do this and push the game to the other lines, they gain an advantage or at least avoid a disadvantage. I expect that Coach Bill Peters will use his last change to task Jordan Staal’s elite checking line with holding Crosby and company in check. With Jordan Staal playing his best hockey as a Hurricane, Sidney Crosby playing great hockey right now and a game of significance on a special night, this match up could be worth the price of admission and decide the game.
2) Attacking the Penguins blue line
The Penguins blue line can be had. If some combination of Coach Bill Peters, Jordan Staal and probably a healthy dose of Justin Faulk can hold Sidney Crosby in check, the game moves to the other lines. The Canes other lines need to attack and generate sustainable offense against a Penguins blue line that is beatable. Can Eric Staal and Kris Versteeg convert their consistent possession and shot advantages into a plus on the scoreboard? If he gets some favorable match ups, can Jeff Skinner continue he is recent run of chipping in scoring points on a nightly basis? Can the power play make a difference?
3) Cam Ward rising
Through his ups and downs Cam Ward has had some of his best runs in big games. The Canes get 1 of those tonight. Marc-Andre Fleury has generally been pretty good this season and is expected to be solid on Friday night. It is important for Cam Ward to match him and put up 1 of his better outings of the season. Does Ward get a boost from the Cup memories from this weekend and ride it to a great outing on Friday night?
The puck drops at about 7:07pm at PNC Arena after a couple hours of fun memory-inducing festivities beforehand. Here is hoping that the game today goes as well as the celebration of the great accomplishments from 10 years ago.
Go Canes!
