As I write this, the Hurricanes are getting drubbed 6-0 by the Sabres with about 10 minutes still to play. This is completely embarrassing. The defense has been absent. The forwards have been absent. The goaltending has been absent. The PK has been absent. The power play has been absent. There is simply nothing there.
I don't mean to take anything away from Buffalo. They knew the Canes would be tired and built a game plan around that. It has worked beautifully.
Update: 7-0.
I really hope that Peter Laviolette makes the whole team skate their asses off. Immediately following the game. In front of the Sabres fans. Herb Brooks style.
Update: 8-0.
It got started early, and it was probably a harbinger of doom. Ales Kotalik beat Crackers with a shot from above the left circle trough a screen. Time of that goal was 1:32 of the first.
Tim Connolly got the only insurance the Sabres would need game-winning goal when he beat Grahame with another long range shot for a power play goal. This time from the blue line. Grahame was out of position on this one, as he was all night long. He was too deep in his crease, which is fine if you're 5'8". But he's 6'2" and needs to use his size to his advantage. Time of this goal was 4:18 of the first.
Adam Mair scored at 15:32 of the second to make it 3-0, then Max Afinogenov bombed one in from North Tonawanda at 16:28. This just seconds after Tripp Tracy (Canes color commentator) criticized Afinogenov for not having any finish. The onslaught almost continued just a few seconds later when Drew Stafford was awarded a penalty shot at 16:58. He made one move too many, then couldn't get his shot past the downtrodden Grahame.
Derek Roy had a shorthanded breakaway goal at 1:16 of the third, then Tomas Vanek followed with his own breakaway goal at 6:48 of the third. Already, it was 6-0, and at this point, Peter Laviolette had decided that the game was a lost cause. John Grahame was forced to finish the game.
Ales Kotalik added another power play marker at 10:34, tucking in a rebound from close range.
Jaro Spacek scored the eighth and final Sabres goal at 12:03 of the third.
Honestly, at this point, I was hoping that it would get worse. The Sliding Pokecheck and I thought that 10-0 would be a fine end to this game. We also agreed that the boys should be bag skated right there in HSBC Arena immediately following the game.
The only bright side to this game was that Michigan State alum Ryan Miller wasn't allowed to have a shutout. His Spartans beat the ever living crap out of NC State in the ACC-Big Ten Mens Basketball challenge this year, and his Sabres certainly beat hell out of the Hurricanes tonight, but he wouldn't get the shutout.
Ray Whitney finally got one past Miller on the Canes seventh power play of the night. From the left circle, he beat Miller high on the glove side at 18:05 of the third.
Thankfully, the game ended and there wasn't any unnecessary rough stuff.
The "official" three stars went to Ryan Miller (third), Ales Kotalik (second) and Maxim Afinogenov (first). There were so many Sabres players to choose from, and mine are completely different. The RBH three stars:
THIRD STAR Derek Roy, BUF -- 1 goal, 1 assist, +6 SECOND STAR Ales Kotalik, BUF -- 2 goals FIRST STAR Jaro Spacek, BUF -- 1 goal, 2 assists, 4 hits.
After the boys skate until their legs fall off, they'll head to MSG to play the Rangers.
Fortunately for the Hurricanes, the Kitties also lost tonight, meaning the Canes still have a six point lead atop the Southeast Division.
Something needs to be done. This team needs a shakeup. They're flat, lifeless, uninspired, and they play like they're bored.
Maybe tonight was a wakeup call. In the year of the Cup, there was a game where the Canes got smoked 9-0 by the Thrashers in Raleigh. There was also a huge loss in Phoenix. I think that one was 8-2. After each of those, the Canes bouced back and got their game into shape. Hopefully they'll do the same here.
Also, now might be the perfect time to send Andrew Ladd and Frantisek Kaberle to San Jose for Matt Carle and change. Or maybe to Denver for J-M Liles and change. This team definitely needs to make some changes. The status quo sucks.
Carolina played terribly tonight, but credit has to be given to the Sabres. They took advantage of their opportunities and they didn't let up. They might have actually done the Canes a favor by whipping their ass so bad. We'll see.
A few days ago, The Score presented its list of players who will be in "the hot seat" for their respective team. Not necessarily that their job is on the line, but the suggestion is that the success or failure of the team would be predicated upon the success or failure of a single player. Unfortunately, their list puts too much pressure on the goaltender to be the guy. I don't really buy that. Too often, goalies become the fall guy he's not getting any goal support. I like to look elsewhere.
The rest of the crew over at SESO have been kicking this around for a few days, everyone putting their own two cents in. I thought it would be fun to take it team-by-team and give my own unqualified opinion. I'm in no way qualified to comment on Western Conference teams, and in many cases, I have no business commenting on Eastern, but I'll take a shot at all 15 teams in the East. Here, at least is part one of this project. Please excuse the length.
Boston Bruins. The Score says Manny Fernandez is in the hot seat. They traded to get him, and the idea is that he's going to right the goaltending ship. I'm not looking that way at all. Tim Thomas is by no means Ken Dryden, but I just don't think that the Bruins main problem was between the pipes. Their goaltending was suspect, but even more suspect was their offensive production. The Bs scored just 210 goals last season, putting them in 25th place league-wide. This is clearly an area that needs improvement. I'll pick on the youngster Phil Kessel. He's gonna have to step it up in this, his sophomore season. The Teddy Bears have been all about Marc Savard and Patrice Bergeron, but that's going to have to change. He is going to have to show everyone why the Bs took him with the #5 overall pick in 2006 and why they sent him straight to the big club. Take a quick look at his rookie numbers. 29 (11/18) points in 70 games. Look at Eric Staal's rookie season, when he was also sent directly to the big club. 31 (11/20) points in 81 games. If Kessel can have a Staal-esque sophomore season, I think the natives in Boston will be quite happy with how the rest of the squad responds. It's unfair to pin it on the kid, but I really think that if they want to be any good, it's going to take a breakout season by Kessel.
Montréal Canadiens. The Score picks on Alexei Kovalev. He's grossly overpaid, and he needs to prove his worth, but that 95-point season was a freak combination of playing over one's head and playing alongside Jagr and Lemieux. It was a perfect storm, and it'll never happen again. I'll pick on Michael Ryder. He's been good, but there's probably more in the tank. He needs to find it. With Sheldon Souray gone, someone will have to pick up the slack in point production. Koivu can't do it all, and I don't see the need to demand more of Kovalev in that department. Ryder was the Habs' leading goal-scorer last season, but he needs to pick it up even more. If he should have a letdown of a season, they're done.
Washington Capitals. The Score put Ovechkin in the hot seat. Not me. I put Michael Nylander there. He was an uber-expensive free agent acquisition, and it is up to him to bolster that one man show up there. Okay, so with Alexander Semin there, it's a two man show. But anyway, it's all on him to make it a three-man show. He has to stay healthy and motivated. He has to have the kinds of numbers that he had the last two seasons (83 points, 79 points). Elsewise, the Caps will have wasted their money and they will finish out of the playoffs again. I think they'll finish out of the playoffs either way, but Nylander can help them to be competitive.
New Jersey Devils. The Score chose Dainius Zubrus. That pick is too obvious. The Devils need a Scott Gomez replacement. Zubrus ain't it. He put up good numbers in 2005-06 when he played on a very very crappy Capitals team, but whenever he's surrounded by talent, those numbers won't be as high. After he was acquired by Buffalo at the trade deadline last season, he did virtually nothing for them in the regular or post season. at $3.4M, he's way overpaid, and he needs to have a 70+ point season to justify the big contract. He won't, but the Devs will be just fine. Unless.... My hot seat selection for them is Zach Parise. The youngster had a semi-breakout season last year with 62(31/31) points. He'll need to have another career best season this year This season, he won't have the beautiful playmaking of Scott Gomez to help him out, and who knows whether Hepatitis Boy will stay healthy all season. In any case, Parise should step up his game, and my opinion is that as he goes, so too will go the Devils.
Philadelphia Flyers. The Score said Marty Biron was the guy. The Bullies went all apey in the free agent market, and really you could pick any of those new guys with the huge price tags. I'll take the easy way out and pick the former Sabres captain Danny Briere. He's making $10M this year, and if he doesn't score over 150 goals and add 150 assists while leading the Flyers to their third Stanley Cup, it will have been a waste. Who wants to bet that it won't happen? Unfair to pin it all on Briere? I don't think so. This dude's salary has been skyrocketing at a rate non-commensurate with his production. In 2003-04, Briere made $1.6M while putting up 65 (28/37) points. Before the lockout, an arbitrator "awarded" him a $2.55M contract for the season that never happened. In 2005-06, he made $2M and put up 58 (25/33) points in just 48 games (1.21 ppg). Last seson, he was awarded a "huge" $5M contract via arbitration and he scored 95 (32/63) points (1.17 ppg). This season, his pay will literally double. Even when you average out the "cap hit" to $6.5M, this is a hefty raise. I don't think he deserves it, and unless he accomplishes the aforementioned impossible tasks, it won't have been worth it. Can Briere handle the pressure of living up to this huge contract? With all these "sexy" acquisitions, the Flyers should be competitive, but I think it all depends on the little Quebeccer.
Speaking of the Buffalo Sabres, The Score puts Derek Roy and Thomas Vanek sitting in each other's laps in the "hot seat". Those two were among the Sabres' top five scorers, and they'll certainly need to put up the same kinds of numbers if the Sabres want to be good. They'll be good, but if Maxim Afinogenov can crank it up a couple of notches, they'll be great. He's been a frustrating player for Sabres fans. With such flashes of brilliance interspersed with sloppiness and a trademark inability to finish scoring chances, I think there's a phenom trapped in the body of a near-phenom. If he busts out, the Sabres will be (to borrow from Rick Jeanneret) "Scary Good" despite losing their two co-captains to ridiculous free agent poaching. In the 2004 season, Afinogenov scored one of the most incredible goals I've ever seen. Enjoy the YouTube clip and Jeaneret's call.
As a special treat for Sabres fans, that's Carolina's current #2 goaltender "Johnny Crackers" getting abused by Maxi in the clip.
The Score puts Cam Ward in Carolina's "hot seat". This is purely based on the way Cam came down to earth last season after playing way over his head on the way to winning the Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe trophy in 2006. Will Cam have to be good? Sure. However, I pick Matt Cullen. When Carolina struggled last season, everyone had a million excuses for why they weren't the same as the Cup-winning team. Almost everyone agreed that the absence of Cully was a huge factor. A lot of people rated it as the #1 factor. Carolina spent a lot of money to re-acquire Cullen via trade with the Rangers. Now that Carolina has replaced Cullen with Cullen himself, they should be able to return to 2006 form. Cullen will have to put up at 50 or more points and push the Canes back into a deep playoff run to justify going over the self-imposed budget. If he can't produce, the Canes will be on the links in April. He's the "hot seat" guy.
New York Islanders. In keeping with their "pick on the new guy or the goalie" theme, The Score put Billy Guerin in the Isles' "hot seat". The Isles are going to stink this year. They've made some acquisitions, but they're all old guys, except Mike Comrie, and they overpaid like hell for him. Charles Wang is running a clown factory over there, and the Isles' new sweaters are going to make a lot of eyes sore. Defenseman Emma Bergeron had a great season last year, and he'll probably be the Isles leading point-getter this season. Just for giggles, I'll put Jeff Tambellini in the "hot seat". In what was a pretty strong draft class in 2003, Tambellini was taken with the 27th overall pick. He put up point-a-night numbers in two AHL seasons, but has yet to make an impact on the NHL level. The Isles will have a bunch of 10-goal scorers, and a small handful of old dudes scoring 20. I don't see anyone scoring 30, unless this guy has a breakout season. If he does, the Isles might be competitive. I don't think old man Billy Guerin will be able to carry the weight of the team. One of the young guys will have to step to the front. I nominate Tambellini.
This is taking way longer than I anticipated. Look for part two by Friday evening. Lemme know what you think.
I have just engaged Kevin BFLOBLOG in a friendly wager for tonight's game.
Oddly enough, both of us find this "wager" to be against our better judgement, but it's all in good fun.
If the Sabres should happen to win tonight, sweeping the season series with the Canes, I shall have to write a post in tribute to Daniel Briere.
If the Canes should happen to win tonight, avoiding the sweep, Kevin will have to write a post in tribute to Rod Brind'Amour.
I guess I'll have to do some research about "emo boy" in order to prepare myself for what might become.
Normally, tonight (Thursday) would be Scrabble night, but that's being postponed for this. Truthfully, it's being postponed because the other guy is going to a basketball game, but that's just splitting hairs.
Buffalo will be completely healthy, ignoring Tim Connolly, who isn't likely to ever return.
Carolina.... not so much. They will be missing Defensemen Tim Gleason (foot -- four weeks), David Tanabe (lower body, lousy play -- indefinite) and Frantisek Kaberle (shoulder, late January). In addition, they will be missing Andrew Ladd (appendix -- three weeks) and Kevyn Adams (wrist -- two weeks). Kaberle hasn't played all season, and Adams hasn't been 100% all season. That wrist issue is lingering from breaking it in the first period of Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Finals. Tanabe would be a scratch anyway, Gleason would be a second pair defenseman and Kaberle is the best dman we have. Adrew Ladd has seen an increase in ice time and responsibilities, and he would be a third line winger while Kevyn Adams is the fourth line center. Missing Adams and Tanabe isn't a problem, and we've been missing Kaberle all season, but it sure stinks to be without Ladd and Gleason.
On a brighter note, the Sabres haven't seen Cory Stillman this season, and the Canes game has improved dramatically since his return from shoulder surgery.
There is no Sabres player with a points streak of more than three games, but Ales Kotalik is on fire of late. He's notched 7 points (4/3) in the last four games. The Canes will need to look out for him. And as always, the Captain, and the other "usuals" -- Maxim Afenogenov, Chris Drury and Jason Pominville.
On the Canes side, Justin Williams is the Canes hottest player. Viva is in the midst of an eight game points streak during which he's notched 9 points (7/2). Ray Whitney is on a five game tear, putting up 8 points (3/5) in that span. Aside from the usual suspects of Brind'Amour, Staal and Cole, the Sabres will have to look out for these two "under the radar" guys plus Stillman.
Expect to see Miller and Ward in the nets for their respective teams.
Puck drop is at 7:00. I'll be posting between periods and I'll leave the thread open for comments.
Red And Black Hockey is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Carolina Hurricanes Hockey Club, the National Hockey League or any of its other member clubs. The opinions expressed herein are entirely those of RBH. Any comments made are the opinion of the commenter, and not necessarily that of RBH. Whenever possible, RBH uses its own photography. Any incidental use of copyrighted material including photography, logos or other brand markings will not interfere with the owner's profits.
Posts
