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I'm really sorry for not posting this past week, but unfortunately this whole "college" thing isn't going away. A lot of stuff has happened, so I think it's time for a...
Big Ultimate Mega Recap!!!!The Canes played 4 games over the past week, coming out with a 2-2 record, which isn't too shabby for this season.
They lost to the Oilers, which is pretty pathetic although it does help their quest for the lowest pick. (Which, by the way, the Canes are losing, allowing the Maple Leafs and Edmonton to slip between them and the bottom.)
They lost to the Flames.
They managed to win against Buffalo.
And they won against the Islanders - Justin Peters started his first game in that one - good for him to notch his first NHL win!
And through all this Erik Cole still hasn't managed to play a game! Are they keeping him in a storage shed a la Mike Leach?†
Tim Gleason was named to Team USA (which should have happened in the first place, not as an injury replacement... but whatever). The Canes Twitter feed provided this photo, which is absolutely amazing. Now I have a favorite player to cheer for on the team!
The Canes also traded the Secret Weapon, shipping Niclas Wallin and a fifth round pick to San Jose for a second round pick. A shame, because Wallin was always an asset in the times it mattered most (check the nickname), but I'm not overly surprised because Wallin had been in trade rumors for the past bazillion years. Hope San Jose goes well for him.
Cam Ward is out with some kind of back injury. Which is, y'know, just what you want your franchise goaltender to have. We'll get to see more of Justin Peters, which is nice, and this is making the Legace signing look a bit better.
I think that's all the news that has gone on over the past week... This is the last week of games before the Winter Olympic break - and I cannot wait until that begins!
†... too soon?
Canes lost in a shootout to the C[r]apitals on Saturday. They didn't play too bad, but it was another case of a point they should have had with a win.
Erik Cole had a very nice goal in the first period to start off the scoring, but the Canes let Washington score three in a row. Luckily they were able to scramble back to a tie, thanks to an excellent Niclas Wallin goal. Unfortunately, that's all they could do, and the C[r]apitals outshot the Canes in the shootout.
Now they don't play until Wednesday, and we have to play the waiting game to see who will win and lose in the East. The Canes still have more games played than most of the others in the East, and are currently in eighth.
*sigh* Why couldn't they win more games earlier in the season?
Erik Cole stats: 1 goal, 1 assist
With the Canes: 2 goals, 6 assists
On the season: 18 goals, 17 assists
Canes lost in OT 2-1 to the Flyers last night.
They didn't play too bad, I thought. Again, they came out with more enthusiasm than in some past games.
Sadly, that didn't stop them from giving up a stupid shorthanded goal in the first period. Defensive turnovers are not fun to watch, especially on your own power play.
Wade Brookbank fighting is always fun to watch, though. I managed to take the following snapshot:
Which is, coincidentally, the only picture I took at last night's game. I got tired of taking pictures of empty ice due to my camera's slow shutter speed.
Anyways... the third period was a very good period to watch - very exciting. Probably could've been less of a sloppy period, but I don't care, it's always fun to watch chances on both ends of the ice.
Sergei Samsonov had an excellent power play goal, knocking one in a pretty much vacant net. This allowed the game to go into overtime!
Which was absolutely completely lame. Not necessarily for the Canes play - but for the way it ended. It was one of those things where I'm looking at the jumbotron at a very creepy clip of a dancing Santa Claus and then - BAM! The puck's in the net. Pretty much right off of the faceoff Jeff Carter just blasts one by Michael Leighton. It was a fair goal - but it's not fun having such an abrupt end to the night, especially when the Canes had been doing well in the third and overtime periods.
Oh great... I just actually *read* the article I linked to (versus just skimming it). Looks like Wallin might be out for today's game with an ankle injury. Not good. We already were only playing with six defensemen, two of them having been called up from Albany for injuries to Gleason, Seidenberg, and Kaberle.
Won't this team ever be healthy?
Game is this afternoon against the C[r]apitals.
Canes drop another to Atlanta, losing 3-2 last night.
The difference between this loss and the previous ones was the actual energy the Canes showed throughout the game. Especially in the third period, where the Canes had a sustained drive at the Atlanta net, looking for that elusive tying goal.
Also, Eric Staal showed up, only getting an assist, but playing a heckuva lot better than he had the previous games (Of course, that wasn't hard to accomplish...). And Rod Brind'Amour made an appearance as well, albeit only in the third period. But he came through when the team needed a goal to get back in it, and I suppose that's all that matters.
And we had two powerplay goals!
Speaking of powerplays... please, Wallin, next time you decide you need to argue with the refs and get a unsportsmanlike penalty - don't give the other team a 5-on-3 for two full minutes in the process...
The next game is tomorrow against Tampa. Maybe we can *gasp* win this one?
Oh yeah, speaking of Tampa, it's back to ESPN for Barry Melrose - he was fired after only 16 games with the team...
I have some overdue game recaps for you, my loyal readers.
First: Canes won 1-0 over Blues on last Thursday. The goal in that one was scored in Tuomo Ruutu, which I didn't see because I went to bed in the middle of the second period. I did realize in this game that, if you happen to be in a bad mood, John & Tripp on FSN South will absolutely cheer you up with their (sometimes useful, sometimes not) blabbering and random factoids.
Second: Canes lost 3-1 to the Oilers Saturday. I was receiving text messages about the score under a dinner table, so I can't really say how the Canes played in this one. I think Matt Cullen got injured, but I can't find an article easily to back that up, so whatever.
Third: The Canes picked up their first third jersey win 6-3 against Toronto. I watched this game, but can't really remember much except that the Canes started out looking like crap, but then they did a massive scoring flurry in the last four minutes of the second period to take the lead. Very good.
Then last night, the Canes won again against Toronto, this time in overtime 5-4. They should have won it in regulation, having gotten out to a 3-0 lead so quickly in the first, looking like they had completely demoralized the Leafs.
But nooooooooo, the Canes decided to mail it in, so the game had to be won by The Secret Weapon, Nic Wallin. Which was incredibly lucky.
So the next game is Thursday at Washington.
In random news: Brind'Amour, Staal, and Whitney made it onto the All-Star ballot.
And Marty Brodeur will be out 3-4 months after elbow surgery to repair a torn biceps tendon. And the description of what happened completely makes me cringe:
Brodeur extended his arm trying to make a save and ended up tearing the tendon that connects the bicep to the elbow off the bone.
Owie! And that completely sinks the Devils chances this season, a bummer for them - because Brodeur is one heckuva goalie.
Chad LaRose stats (Sunday): 1 goal, 1 assist
(Tuesday): 1 goal, 1 assist
On the season: 4 goals, 2 assists
Canes lost their first preseason game last night against the C[r]apitals 4-1.
They played like crap pretty much the entire time. The game was boring, nothing really exciting or cool happened during it.
No one really stood out, either, except for Joni Pitkanen. He didn't really seem to make much of a presence on the ice - but then I would look to see who took a nice shot and it would be him. Maybe he's like a ninja - you don't see him until he strikes!
Anyways, Niclas Wallin looked like crap. He was a -2 on the night, too.
And the injury bug bit again - Gleason's out with some sort of leg injury. YaY.
Apparently the Canes are tied in their rematch against the C[r]apitals tonight. Hopefully they'll get their act together before the season starts. And hopefully they'll stop getting injured!
So yesterday I looked at the clock:
- saw 3 pm
- went "crap" because I had forgotten the game was in the middle of the afternoon
- turned on the TV
- saw the Islanders score their first goal
- turned off the TV.
Canes won 3-2 in overtime, in a come-from-behind victory!
Yep, the Canes were down 2-0 heading into the third, but Wallin and Commodore scored goals in the third to force OT and Cory Stillman got the OT winner!
Tonight's game is against the Islanders as well. And it's Ray Whitney figurine night!
Canes lost their first game in overtime 3-2.The game was a huge disappointment. The first period was absolutely great, Erik Cole starting off the season's scoring with a tipped Eric Staal shot on the power play. After that period, though, the play just went downhill. In the second there was a noticable lack of intensity, and the third wasn't much better until the Canadiens scored their second goal of the night. After that the Canes seemed to wake up, Bret Hedican scoring to tie it up and send it into overtime.But then, in overtime, Niclas Wallin took a stupid cross-checking penalty, and Saku Koivu scored the winning goal for Montreal.To recap:The Good:- Cam Ward is looking pretty awesome right now.- Ditto for Erik Cole.The Bad:- Whitney missed at least two point-blank shots in the first period. By point-blank I mean I could've knocked the puck in.- Penalty kill. All 3 of Montreal's goals were scored on the man advantage - what happened there? It was looking fine in the preseason...This was the Canes game to lose. And guess what? They lost it. Not a good sign by any means...Next game is tomorrow against Pittsburgh. I plan to post something, but if not - guess who's playing for the Pens? That's right, the despised one: Brooks Orpik. For those not familiar with why he's despised check this post. Anyways... I can guarantee you that I'm hoping Cole gets a hat trick just for spite. Or, if not, at least a win. A win would be good.Erik Cole stats: 1 goalOn the season: 1 goal
No trades yesterday, but today's N&O article certainly suggests that one will happen in the near future, probably involving Niclas Wallin for another defenseman.
I don't want to see Wallin go. He's a solid defenseman - something the Canes lack - and he scores when it counts. (Hence the "Secret Weapon" moniker.)
That said, the Canes do need some help on the blueline. (Someone to help with the powerplay?... And someone who actually has both a offensive and a defensive upside? (Wow... a defenseman who can actually play defense...) Please?...)
But it would be really weird to see Wallin in a different uniform. He's so ingrained in my memory of the team, having played for the Canes since '00-'01.
Anyways... I'll post back with any updates...
