The Carolina Hurricanes entered the Monday match up against the Boston Bruins desperately needing a win to pull back to 2-2 in the series and assure a long series of at least six games.
And through two periods, the Hurricanes had exactly that in hand. By no means were the Hurricanes dominant, but courtesy of at least even play and some opportunistic scoring, the Hurricanes entered the third period with a 2-0 lead.
The unraveling
Then it happened.
The Hurricanes completely unraveled and imploded. The result was a third period full of mistakes that looked like men against boys. In the span of 15 minutes, the Hurricanes went from being up 2-0 to being down 4-2.
The series of events was a rapid-fire series of Bruins dominance and Hurricanes missteps. It all started when with a 2-0 lead James Reimer ventured too far out of net to try to play a puck before an onrushing Bruin who had gotten behind Haydn Fleury. When Reimer failed to win the race, the result was a costly mistake and a quick goal for the Bruins to let them back into the game at 2-1. Though the itself was different, the situation was very similar to Saturday’s game when Bruins goalie Jaroslav Halak made a gaffe to give the Hurricanes a goal to get back into the game down only 2-1. But whereas the Bruins responded by being stronger on the puck and more assertive advancing it out of danger, the Hurricanes seemed to crumble instantly under the weight of the single error. The result was dumpster fire of hockey. The Bruins collected the first six shots of the period in the 7:26 before their first goal. After the goal, the Bruins had the next 15 shot attempts and 6 shots on goal in the next 4:46 of hockey with the Canes completely under siege. The rally included two more Bruins goals, a number of Canes defensive breakdowns and Jordan Staal getting clobbered by Charlie McAvoy and heading to the locker room. Both of the Bruins last two goals came on costly errors/defensive breakdowns.
The list of Canes contributors in the mess were many:
–James Reimer opened door with the play where he came out of net and did not get the puck. Though what followed was a team-wide breakdown, he also seemed to have no answer when the Bruins started flying.
–With a 2-0 lead approaching the midway point of the third period, Haydn Fleury somehow let a Bruin behind to go in alone. He also lost a position battle at the top of the crease to the Bruins player who screened Reimer on the second goal.
–Jaccob Slavin was in the picture but behind the eventual goal scorer for both of the last two goals.
–Justin Williams had the costly turnover at the offensive blue line that led to the spring pass to send Marchand in alone for the third goal.
–And sharing blame across the entire group, no one on the Hurricanes seemed to have anything for a response or answer when the game turned.
Bigger than the details is that last point. The Hurricanes seemed to completely implode once things took a small turn for the worse which was the the complete opposite of the Bruins in a similar situation in the previous game.
Seeking positives and reasons for optimism
The first two periods
By no means were the Hurricanes dominant during the first two periods, but in some ways that was an even bigger positive. The Hurricanes were able to leverage decent, not great, play and some timely scoring to climb out to a 2-0 lead and seemingly a path to a victory. The decent version of the Hurricanes were good enough. Winning three straight against the Bruins will be incredibly tough, but as far as just winning game 5, a repeat would be a good starting point.
Jordan Martinook
Elevated to a bigger role on the top line, Jordan Martinook had a huge game. He scored off the rush to put the Canes up 2-0, and he had another pretty tip that found the back of the net but was (rightfully) waved off. That is exactly the kind of spark the team needed.
Ryan Dzingel
Before the implosion, a number of players stood out positively. Ryan Dzingel was flying and maybe more significant spent a ton of time battling for position at the top of the crease including on Williams’goal.
History
Dating all the way back to the early days, the Carolina Hurricanes’ history has a legacy of converting disappointments into exhilarating pinnacles of success. For those who are disinvesting from the 2020 season after Monday’s debilitating loss, your move makes the most sense and significant odds suggest that will be the right decision. But an optimistic even if improbably outlook is that the ball is now very clearly on the tee for another tremendous Canes’ playoff triumph.
Lessons learned
Lack of killer instinct
Though the damage was ultimately done in the third period, I keep thinking about the latter half of the second period. At the time, the Canes had the upper hand and were buzzing. Martinook’s goal flat beat Halak. That was followed by a couple other chances where Halak looked very shaky. He had one he saved but still unconfidently looked behind him. He had another shot that seemed to hit him, but I am not sure he saw/tracked it. That series was followed by not one but two odd man rushes. The Hurricanes did not put a shot on net to test Halak on either. One play saw Niederreiter try to feed Necas on the back door. If received, the play would certainly have resulted in a goal and was probably the right play by Niederreiter. But when Necas was unable to receive and finish, Halak was off the hook without making a save. On the other play, the pass did not connect, and again Halak was spared. If the Hurricanes put four or five even grade B chances on net in the latter half of the second period, I have to wonder if they do not score another goal or two and even chase Halak. How different would this series look in that scenario especially with Tuuka Rask already gone from the bubble and virtually no NHL experience (17 games) waiting behind Halak?
Rod Brind’Amour
My most positive takeaway from a rough night was from Brind’Amour’s press conference. As I said on Twitter:
Rod Brind'Amour saying he too needs to learn and do better preparing his team says a ton about who he is as a coach and person.
If ever there was @Canes game, where he could just take a pass and chuck the players under the bus, this was it.
— Canes and Coffee (@CanesandCoffee) August 18, 2020
At a time when it would have been easier and justifiable to separate from the players, Rod Brind’Amour instead made a point to climb into the same boat as them.
If he can do it, I can too.
Next up is a day to process or maybe just shake off Monday’s disappointing loss. Then the series is scheduled for its second back-to-back which could be an advantage if the Hurricanes can manage to win the first one.
Go Canes!
That was hard to watch. The Canes had their test against likely the best team in the Eastern Conference. They failed.
Frankly,they were hanging on by a thread before the third period. They were looking a lot like game 2 in the first period throwing pucks away, losing races and battles until Justin Williams made something happen. Yes, the goal was soft, but at least he made a play. Multiple plays actually. The Canes seemed to build momentum through the second period actually moving through the neutral zone with speed. Until the penalty at the end of the second. The PK was brutal. Reimer stopped everything and they made it into the lockerroom up 2-0. Well, you all saw the third period. A period that should make a team question it’s soul.
The Reimer mistake really wasn’t all that big of a deal. The Canes should have dealt with it and moved on up 2-1. They didn’t. The coup de grace was McAvoy punking Jordan Staal. Hell of a play. Clean. Plays that win playoff series. No response from the Canes. That was embarrassing.
At least in ’01 when the Devils were pounding the Canes in every way possible, injuring Francis and Willis, they fought back. Game 3 was a bloodbath. Fighting left and right. Tommy Westlund and Sandis Ozolinsh both booted for fighting. The Canes won two straight games before falling. They set the stage for the next season where they went to the Stanley Cup Finals. This team is far too soft for that.
The Canes core is strong, but the supporting cast needs a rebuild. Guys like Dzingel, Gardiner, Neiderriter, Foegele aren’t good enough. The Canes need some bigger, stronger players or at least some players that aren’t afraid to mix it up. Playoff hockey isn’t regular season hockey. Finally, Aho needs to grow up and compete if he wants to be compared to players like Marchand and Bergeron. Aho peeled off far too many times rather than compete for pucks with guys like Chara and McAvoy. Surprising to me was that Teravainen was the player with stones on that line. He competed until the buzzer.
I’m happy I decided to go to bed after the second period, I would not have liked to see the third (outshot 15 to 0 at even strength).
The Canes just aren’t quite there with the Bruins, which, in a sense, is ok.
I think the Bruins are probably the NHL’s best constructed team right now, with the right mix of youth and experience, skills and nasty (though I hate seeing the nasty side as a Canes fan), veterans who are at the top of their game instead of fading fast, and a team that put full faith in their own drafting and development (the odd Seguin incident aside).
The Canes have a heck of a team, light years better than 3 years ago it seems, thanks to fortunate drafting and some players coming through, big time.
I also think that Pesce’s injury is a massive blow to their back end (atomic spanking, if you will)
Sure, Bosston is without the Pasta man (who is at least as potent as New York’s bread man, and twice as saucy), but they have the depth to handle it. The D only has half the players and missing your best D man hurts doubly.
The saddest thing about the Canes, other than not having resigned Forslund (you can tell he is awkward calling those games, really uncomfortable), is how the Canes have overpaid a host of under performing veterans and not put enough faith in their own draftees.
Look at the D. Trading a way two first rounders for Skjei and Vatenan boggles the mind, the Canes had equally good or better options in the AHL, or they could’ve traded extra for one promising D man with more potential.
I’ve personally advocated trading Staal and kept Nick Roy to take his place (granted Staal has played well defensively in this series, but he’s overslotted for his age and speed and inability to score, which causes massive issues up front).
Geekie hasn’t super impressed in the plyoffs (compared to his explosive start), but he’s a solid kid being paid if not peanuts than at least just a trail mix, I hope e will mature and turn out better than Fogele (who has been a bit of a dud this year, though I haven’t given up on him just yet).
I would’ve liked to just put Ryan Sussuchi (or however you spell it) on the ice and go with it, good experience, encouragement for the future.
The Trocheck trade made some sense to me at the time, and I still hope he could find his scoring touch, the plan was certainly to give him another 15 games to get used to the Canes’ system and style of play, it could’ve made a lot of difference, same could be said for the failed D men but I just don’t see it, especially Vatanen who may not have been able to play a single game in a Canes uniform, yet cost a first round pick, what the heck.
Roy was traded for Hala who was subsequently given away (or I think so, at least he disappeared) so essentially he was traded for nothing.
Anyway, I could go on, and I ain’t no GM, but I hope the Canes can learn from this not to constantly throw away their draft picks and first rounds for questionable veteran talent.
This year is all wrong. These playoffs don’t feel freal or exciting, I would’ve much preferred to end the season with the March standings, draft, maybe play a couple of best against best exhibition games and just aim for a reset next fall, so would some of the players.
I still hope to see some Canes drama, hopefully a massive comeback (I don’t believe it possible but at least a game to make it interesting) and then onto an offseason, virus fights, more trust in our own and then gun for glory next year.
This core is capable of it, it just needs better complementary pieces and, yes, we need Forslund back!
Go Canes!
The Canes did not give up a first for Vatanen. The Devils will get a third rounder.
Oh duh, you’re right, of course. Still a massive overpayment, a bag of pucks would’ve sufficed, especially with a Brindamour autograph.
The only positive of the 3rd period was RBA taking the weight onto his own shoulders. That is class.
At the same point it was on the players to hold the line. I keep thinking of one moment when they showed Martinook on the bench while the dumpster – true deer in the headlights look, something I thought I would never see on him.