Canes lose two more preseason games

On Saturday, the Canes lost the back end of a home and home series with the Preds. The score was 7-3, but it wasn't even that close. I listened to the Nashville radio feed, and the Canes sounded horrible. In a five and a half-minute span early in the third period, the Justin Peters gave up five goals. Included in this onslaught was a three-goal outburst in a 99 second span. Without seeing the game, it sounded like the defensemen were giving up a lot in the Carolina end of the ice, and Justin Peters got rattled. At one point, the Nashville announcer said "That was entirely too easy".

Anton Babchuk started the scoring with a shorthanded goal early in the first, and that lead held up until the second period, but it would soon take a big turn for the worse.

Josef Vasicek scored again for the Preds. Martin Erat scored twice, while Paul Kariya, Steve Sullivan, JP Dumont and Alexander Rudolov each scored once.

The Carolina scorers were Babchuk, Ryan Bayda and Justin Williams.

The positive thing about this game was that the Canes "won" the shootout. They only needed two rounds to do it. Peters stopped the first two Preds shooters, while the two Carolina shooters both scored. A small victory, I know.

I don't think I should be too upset. Nashville was already a good team, and they added JP Dumont, which makes them a lot better. They used their stud goaltender (Vokoun) while we started Andrew Peters, who probably won't even make the AHL River Rats.

On Sunday, the Canes lost again. This time to the Blue Jackets, by the score of 4-2 -- dropping them to 0-3 in the preseason. Justin Williams and Rod Brind'Amour were the scorers for the Canes, while Rick Nash scored twice and Dan Fritsche and Geoff Platt scored once each for the Jackets.

Ryan Bayda, who is competing for a final spot on the Canes forward lines, played well again, picking up two assists.

The Canes will play Columbus again, at home, on Friday. The preseason will wrap up on Sunday with a matinee in Washington.