On Wednesday night, the Hurricanes defeated the Thrashers 5-3 and have gained their 85th standings point. As I am typing, Washington trails Chicago 5-0 midway through the second period. This is also good news.
If the game in Chicago holds up, Carolina will end the night with a five point lead over Washington with seven games (all within the division) to play. The road has just gotten a little easier to hoe.
Carolina's next two games could either put it out of reach, or make it really interesting. They will be in Florida on Thursday and at home against the Caps on next Tuesday. The Cats are smoldering hot and will be rested for Thursday's game. They will have the chance to move into second place in the division.
Although the score of Wednesday's game was 5-3, it wasn't that close. This game was all Canes.
Trevor "The Dude" Letowski started it all off at 4:04 of the first with a shot from the right circle. Patty Eaves made a really pretty cross-slot pass. Ruuty got the secondary helper.
Sergei Samsonov got an unassisted goal at 6:58 after putting on a stick-handling show. His shot came from above the right circle, and the rout was on.
At 13:35, the future captain Eric Staal potted his 35th goal of the season. He came fresh off the bench, created a neutral zone turnover, then took a pass from Jeff Hamilton in the high slot to make it 3-0.
Cam Ward's shutout bid didn't last long, as Bryan Little broke it up just 1:56 into the middle frame. Slava Kozlov and Mark Recchi got the helpers.
Joe Jensen, whose claim to fame heretofore was puking on the bench in his NHL debut, potted the game winner at 3:35 of the second. He was low in the right circle, and received a nice pass from Hamilton from below the goal line. He snapped it in on the far side for his first NHL goal. Tim ("don't call me Tom") Conboy got the second assist.
Steve McCarthy made it 4-2 at 4:56, and it was starting to get a little interesting. He scooped up some loose change out front and deposited it into Ward's net for his first goal. Chris Thorburn and the 1989 Hartford Whalers first round draft pick Bobby Holik got the helpers.
Erik Cole scored his 21st goal of the season at 14:51 of the third. From below the goal line, Sergei Samsonov made a phenomenal no-look, behind the back pass to Cole, who was hanging out in the left circle. He got a couple of whacks at it, and finally beat The Moose, making it 5-2. Bret Hedican, whose wife was apparently very good on "Dancing With the Stars" the other night, got the secondary assist.
Kozlov got a late garbage goal at 19:21, assisted by Little and Recchi.
This game had only four penalties. I guess the referees had tickets to Hanna Montana or something like that. They were in a real hurry to get out of there.
Carolina completely dominated the first, then slacked off in the second, then played well in the third. Good enough to beat the Thrashers, but they'll have to have 60 minute efforts against the likes of Washington and Florida, whom they play twice each in the remaining seven games.
The "official" three stars are a bit loopy. Okay. They're a LOT loopy. Word on the street is that these things aren't really selected by the "local media". Sometimes, it's some intern who randomly chooses names. This seems like one of those. The official stars were Steve McCarthy (third), Eric Staal (second) and Cam Ward (first). None of these were even in my top five stars. I don't get that.
The RBH three stars:
THIRD STAR Vyacheslav Kozlov, ATL -- 1 goal, 1 assist.
SECOND STAR Jeffrey Hamilton, CAR -- 2 assists.
FIRST STAR Sergei Samsonov, CAR -- 1 goal, 1 assist, 3 blocked shots.
Carolina will have no time to rest. They're headed to Sunrise for a 7:30 game on Thursday.
A little birdy has told me that Justin Viva Williams is very close to being ready to rejoin the team after missing the last 39 games with MCL/ACL issues. This makes me very happy.
Showing posts with label Recchi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Recchi. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Canes avenge Wednesday's loss, expand lead in SE
On Wednesday evening, Carolina entered the front end of a home-and-home with the Thrashers. These two crucial division matchups had eight standings points on the line. At the start of it all, Carolina had 43 points in first place. Atlanta had 39, in second. If Atlanta had won both games in regulation, the two teams would have been tied in the standings. If Carolina had won both in regulation, they would have had an eight point lead. By the time the dust settled, Carolina had a net gain of one standings point. Not the optimal outcome, but a good one nonetheless.
Carolina had to fight and claw for one standings point on Wednesday in a 5-4 overtime loss. Friday was another hard-fought game, but Carolina emerged with a 4-3 regulation win. With 46 points, they're five ahead of both Florida and Atlanta. Florida has two games in hand; Atlanta has one game in hand.
After calling goaltender Michael Leighton from Albany, they gave the 26-year old the start right away. He got off to an unfortunate start when the Thrashers scored on their first shot, just 32 seconds into the game. Tobias Enstrom fired a shot from the top of the left circle which was tipped down low by former Hurricane Mark Recchi. Leighton didn't have a chance. Nobody would have. As Luke Decock brilliantly put it:
Mark Recchi is officially en fuego. The Penguins summarily dismissed him after he produced just eight points (2/6) in 19 games with them. Since joining the Thrashers, all he's done is score 12 (6/6) points in 12 games. Included are two consecutive two point nights against the Hurricanes.
After scoring what was perhaps the goal of the season on Wednesday, Ilya Kovalchuk was held goalless on Friday. He did, however, play a pivotal role in the Thrashers' second goal. He fired a shot from the left circle that caught Mike Commodore on the boot, bringing him to his knees. The puck went right back to Kovi, who shot again from the right circle. It filtered through heavy traffic, and Todd White was there to stuff in the rebound from close range. White from Kovalchuk and Recchi at 12:15. The Thrash were off to a 2-0 lead, and it looked like it was going to be a rout. Fortunately, Leighton and the Canes settled down.
For the second period, the Canes and Thrashers swapped color commentators. Darren Eliot, who worked with John Forslund on the Versus broadcast on Wednesday, rejoined him for what they called "Behind Enemy Lines". I kind of enjoyed it. I'd love to have heard what sort of nonsense Tripp Tracy forced Thrashers fans to hear, but Eliot was very good.
As the Thrashers had done in the first period, the Canes scored early in the second. Ray Whitney jumped on the rebound of a wrap chance by Eric Staal and fired it in from the high slot. Darren Eliot perfectly described it as a "fade-away jump shot". Officially, it was Whitney from Staal and Mike Commodore at 0:27 of the second.
The Hurricanes made a mistake on an early power play, and it gave the Thrashers a 3-1 lead. Some sloppy passing led to a two-on-one shorthanded breakaway and a goal. Jeff Hamilton was the only guy back to challenge Eric Perrin and Pascal Dupuis. Hambone did the best he could, but after he slid to take away the shot, Perrin fed it to Dupuis on the left side of the slot for an easy goal. It was the ninth shorty of the season for the Thrash, and eight of them have been assisted by Perrin. He said that his time in Tampa alongside Vinny Lecavalier helped him look for the shorthanded odd-man rush.
Later, during the same power play sequence, Carolina got the goal back, and there was something slightly poetic about how it went down. Pascal Dupuis broke his stick deep in the Thrashers zone. He couldn't go fetch another, so he was forced to play stickless, giving the Canes a 5-on-3.5 advantage. They used great puck rotation to open up a shot by Hamilton from the top of the right circle. It clanged off the right post and in the goal to bring the Canes to within a goal. Eric Staal was given credit for a re-direct down low, so it was his 22nd goal of the season. The power play goal came at 14:53, assisted by Hamilton and newcomer Casey Borer.
Borer, who impressed the coaches and fans in training camp, was playing in his second NHL game. He picked up an assist on the Staal goal, but his night wasn't about to end. While the Hurricanes were enjoying another power play, Borer fired a shot from the left point that went off a post and in. The official time of the goal was 16:35, which means that it was an even strength goal. It looked to me like 16:34. Normally, one second wouldn't mean anything unless it was the end of a period. However, this one second was the difference between an even strength marker which helps Borer's +/- rating and a power play goal which helps Carolina's PP efficiency. Either way, it was the young defenseman's first NHL goal. Keith Aucoin and Cory Stillman assisted.
The third period was filled with lots of great saves by both goaltenders, and it was starting to look like it would go to an extra frame for the second time in as many games. That was, of course, until the Thrashers committed late penalties.
Ken Klee caught Eric Staal with an inadvertent high stick at 12:45 of the third, but it ended up being a double minor because Staal was cut. I've never been a fan of that rule, but since it benefited the Canes, I'll take it. Just a couple of minutes later, at 15:12, Bobby Holik was penalized for clearing the puck over the glass from his own end. This is another penalty that I don't love, but in this case, it looked intentional, and I'm fine with penalizing intentional delay of game.
Carolina had about a minute and a half of five-on-three and a golden opportunity to take the lead. Instead of capitalizing on the huge amount of white ice they were going to have, they shrunk the ice, working from the circles in. Kari Lehtonen came way out to challenge a Ray Whitney shot from the right circle. The rebound was headed for the corner, but Cory Stillman was camped out by the left post. He pounced on the rebound and shoved it into the empty cage behind the Finnish goaltender. Officially, it was Stillman from Whitney and Staal. The game ended this way, and the Stillman goal proved to be the game winner.
As en fuego as Mark Recchi is, so is Eric Staal. The fourth year player has 13 (7/6) points in his last 10 games and is re-emerging as the Canes best player and an elite NHL player.
I would say that the River Rats call-up acquitted themselves quite well. Aucoin had an assist, Borer had a goal and an assist. Both players finished with a +1 rating. Michael Leighton got the win in his Carolina debut. Borer was given lots of ice time, and in crucial moments of the game. He played on both special teams units and looked very comfortable out there. His 19:05 of ice time was third among defensemen.
The "official" three stars went to Cory Stillman (third), Todd White (second) and Ray Whitney (first). I can't agree with that assessment at all. The RBH three stars:
THIRD STAR Casey Borer, CAR -- 1 goal, 1 assist
SECOND STAR Mark Recchi, ATL -- 1 goal, 1 assist, 2 takeaways
FIRST STAR Eric Staal, CAR -- 1 goal, 2 assists
Officially, Carolina converted two of eight power play chances, which is good. Realistically, the Borer goal should have been marked as a power play goal, which would mean Carolina's success would have been 3/8. Any team in the league will take that any night of the week. More importantly, Carolina managed to play a game without giving up a power play goal. For the first time in what seems like forever, they killed all of their penalties. Unfortunately, they let in another shorty. The one on Friday was the seventh they've surrendered this season. That's the second most in the league. The Senators have yet to surrender one.
Carolina will stay on the road tonight, with an 8:30 (eastern) game against the Blues. Cam Ward will likely get the start.
Carolina had to fight and claw for one standings point on Wednesday in a 5-4 overtime loss. Friday was another hard-fought game, but Carolina emerged with a 4-3 regulation win. With 46 points, they're five ahead of both Florida and Atlanta. Florida has two games in hand; Atlanta has one game in hand.
After calling goaltender Michael Leighton from Albany, they gave the 26-year old the start right away. He got off to an unfortunate start when the Thrashers scored on their first shot, just 32 seconds into the game. Tobias Enstrom fired a shot from the top of the left circle which was tipped down low by former Hurricane Mark Recchi. Leighton didn't have a chance. Nobody would have. As Luke Decock brilliantly put it:
"Michael Leighton gave up a goal on the first shot he faced, but blaming him is kind of like arresting someone run over by a taxicab for interfering with interstate commerce."Officially, Todd White had the first assist and Enstrom the secondary. I didn't see it ping-pong that much, but the only thing that really matters is that the Thrash scored.
Mark Recchi is officially en fuego. The Penguins summarily dismissed him after he produced just eight points (2/6) in 19 games with them. Since joining the Thrashers, all he's done is score 12 (6/6) points in 12 games. Included are two consecutive two point nights against the Hurricanes.
After scoring what was perhaps the goal of the season on Wednesday, Ilya Kovalchuk was held goalless on Friday. He did, however, play a pivotal role in the Thrashers' second goal. He fired a shot from the left circle that caught Mike Commodore on the boot, bringing him to his knees. The puck went right back to Kovi, who shot again from the right circle. It filtered through heavy traffic, and Todd White was there to stuff in the rebound from close range. White from Kovalchuk and Recchi at 12:15. The Thrash were off to a 2-0 lead, and it looked like it was going to be a rout. Fortunately, Leighton and the Canes settled down.
For the second period, the Canes and Thrashers swapped color commentators. Darren Eliot, who worked with John Forslund on the Versus broadcast on Wednesday, rejoined him for what they called "Behind Enemy Lines". I kind of enjoyed it. I'd love to have heard what sort of nonsense Tripp Tracy forced Thrashers fans to hear, but Eliot was very good.
As the Thrashers had done in the first period, the Canes scored early in the second. Ray Whitney jumped on the rebound of a wrap chance by Eric Staal and fired it in from the high slot. Darren Eliot perfectly described it as a "fade-away jump shot". Officially, it was Whitney from Staal and Mike Commodore at 0:27 of the second.
The Hurricanes made a mistake on an early power play, and it gave the Thrashers a 3-1 lead. Some sloppy passing led to a two-on-one shorthanded breakaway and a goal. Jeff Hamilton was the only guy back to challenge Eric Perrin and Pascal Dupuis. Hambone did the best he could, but after he slid to take away the shot, Perrin fed it to Dupuis on the left side of the slot for an easy goal. It was the ninth shorty of the season for the Thrash, and eight of them have been assisted by Perrin. He said that his time in Tampa alongside Vinny Lecavalier helped him look for the shorthanded odd-man rush.
Later, during the same power play sequence, Carolina got the goal back, and there was something slightly poetic about how it went down. Pascal Dupuis broke his stick deep in the Thrashers zone. He couldn't go fetch another, so he was forced to play stickless, giving the Canes a 5-on-3.5 advantage. They used great puck rotation to open up a shot by Hamilton from the top of the right circle. It clanged off the right post and in the goal to bring the Canes to within a goal. Eric Staal was given credit for a re-direct down low, so it was his 22nd goal of the season. The power play goal came at 14:53, assisted by Hamilton and newcomer Casey Borer.
Borer, who impressed the coaches and fans in training camp, was playing in his second NHL game. He picked up an assist on the Staal goal, but his night wasn't about to end. While the Hurricanes were enjoying another power play, Borer fired a shot from the left point that went off a post and in. The official time of the goal was 16:35, which means that it was an even strength goal. It looked to me like 16:34. Normally, one second wouldn't mean anything unless it was the end of a period. However, this one second was the difference between an even strength marker which helps Borer's +/- rating and a power play goal which helps Carolina's PP efficiency. Either way, it was the young defenseman's first NHL goal. Keith Aucoin and Cory Stillman assisted.
The third period was filled with lots of great saves by both goaltenders, and it was starting to look like it would go to an extra frame for the second time in as many games. That was, of course, until the Thrashers committed late penalties.
Ken Klee caught Eric Staal with an inadvertent high stick at 12:45 of the third, but it ended up being a double minor because Staal was cut. I've never been a fan of that rule, but since it benefited the Canes, I'll take it. Just a couple of minutes later, at 15:12, Bobby Holik was penalized for clearing the puck over the glass from his own end. This is another penalty that I don't love, but in this case, it looked intentional, and I'm fine with penalizing intentional delay of game.
Carolina had about a minute and a half of five-on-three and a golden opportunity to take the lead. Instead of capitalizing on the huge amount of white ice they were going to have, they shrunk the ice, working from the circles in. Kari Lehtonen came way out to challenge a Ray Whitney shot from the right circle. The rebound was headed for the corner, but Cory Stillman was camped out by the left post. He pounced on the rebound and shoved it into the empty cage behind the Finnish goaltender. Officially, it was Stillman from Whitney and Staal. The game ended this way, and the Stillman goal proved to be the game winner.
As en fuego as Mark Recchi is, so is Eric Staal. The fourth year player has 13 (7/6) points in his last 10 games and is re-emerging as the Canes best player and an elite NHL player.
I would say that the River Rats call-up acquitted themselves quite well. Aucoin had an assist, Borer had a goal and an assist. Both players finished with a +1 rating. Michael Leighton got the win in his Carolina debut. Borer was given lots of ice time, and in crucial moments of the game. He played on both special teams units and looked very comfortable out there. His 19:05 of ice time was third among defensemen.
The "official" three stars went to Cory Stillman (third), Todd White (second) and Ray Whitney (first). I can't agree with that assessment at all. The RBH three stars:
THIRD STAR Casey Borer, CAR -- 1 goal, 1 assist
SECOND STAR Mark Recchi, ATL -- 1 goal, 1 assist, 2 takeaways
FIRST STAR Eric Staal, CAR -- 1 goal, 2 assists
Officially, Carolina converted two of eight power play chances, which is good. Realistically, the Borer goal should have been marked as a power play goal, which would mean Carolina's success would have been 3/8. Any team in the league will take that any night of the week. More importantly, Carolina managed to play a game without giving up a power play goal. For the first time in what seems like forever, they killed all of their penalties. Unfortunately, they let in another shorty. The one on Friday was the seventh they've surrendered this season. That's the second most in the league. The Senators have yet to surrender one.
Carolina will stay on the road tonight, with an 8:30 (eastern) game against the Blues. Cam Ward will likely get the start.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Recchin' ball waived, fans get bobbleheads.
On Monday night, Penguins fans in attendance for their 3-1 win over Phoenix received a Mark Recchi bobblehead doll in commemoration of Recchi's 500th NHL goal (which was scored last season). The 39-year old two-time Cup winner was a healthy scratch, as he had been for seven of the last eight games. Recchi has had a less than spectacular season, amassing just eight (2/6) points in 19 games. On Tuesday morning, the Pens placed Recchi on waivers. Nobody made a move.
Some sentimental fans around here wanted to see the return of the Rechhin' ball, but Jim Rutherford wasn't at all interested in picking up the balance of a $1.75M salary for a guy who wouldn't have a place on the Canes roster.
There was some bitter irony to the fact that Recchi's career has most likely come to an end one night after his team gave away bobbleheads in his likeness. Or maybe it's fitting. You tell me.
Oddly, this wasn't the first time the Penguins have been involved in a bobblehead SNAFU.
March 6, 2003 was Alexei Kovalev bobblehead doll night. Carolina was the unruly visitor that night and Jeff O'Neill was the game's first star in a 4-0 shutout win over the slumping Penguins. It may have been Alexei Kovalev bobblehead night, but the problem was that he had been traded to the Rangers on February 10. Rather than cancel the promotion and "disappoint fans who bought tickets in anticipation of getting the souvenirs", they went ahead with it and distributed the obsolete gifts.Of course the Penguins have had dozens of promotional souvenir nights that went off without a hitch, but these two are kinda funny.
Friday, October 05, 2007
Canes smash Pens, E Staal shines
I watched tonight's game from the confines of the bar where I work. I went with a friend of mine who is a HUGE Penguins fan, and we raised the ire of a lot of people who wanted to watch the conclusion of the Yankees-Indians game. We only have two teevees, but I saw no reason for both of them to show the baseball game, and I get to do what I want, so that's the way it was. Go to the other end of the bar to watch baseball.
Honestly, I don't like writing about a game that I watched in a bar. There's too many distractions and usually the sound isn't on, so I don't watch the game as closely as I would like. By the end of the second period, I wasn't really giving it as much attention as I wanted to, so I'll have to watch the DVR to get everything right.
The crux of it is that Eric Staal scored the first two goals of the game to give him three for the season. The goal on Wednesday that was given to Staal, then changed to Cole was eventually changed back to Staal. He's now on pace for 123 goals this season. Obviously he won't hit that mark, but he's off to a fantastic start.
At 7:08, he knocked one in from the low slot assisted by Tim Gleason and Jeff Hamilton.
At 13:21, Staal made a very nifty move culminating in a backhand shot from the right circle. The shot fluttered through Fleurry, giving the Canes a 2-0 lead. At first I thought it had ricocheted off Fleurry's right skate, but replays showed that it actually caromed off Brooks (aka "Public Enemy #1) Orpik's skate. Cole and Hamilton assisted.
Andrew Ladd looked really good in getting to a loose puck and beating Fleurry with it. Sloppy notes on this one, but Justin Williams and Dennis Seidenberg assisted.
At 17:35, Jeff Hamilton did exactly what we brought him in to do. He quarterbacked the power play and scored a goal from the point. Rod Brind'Amour and Ray Whitney assisted. On a side note, Ray Whitney was up to his old antics, hamming it up during the pre-game interview with Rod Brind'Amour. Hijacking the spotlight by skating by and mugging for the camera. We didn't see a lot of that last season.
Cam Ward lost his shutout bid at 16:37 of the third when our old friend Mark Recchi notched a power play goal (assisted by Evgeni Malkin and Sergei Gonchar. Although we'd have preferred the shutout, we still got a convincing win, and you can never complain when the Recchin' Ball does something good.
I'll have to watch the DVR of the game to catch some of the stuff I missed.
The "official" three stars went to Andrew Ladd (third), Eric Staal (second) and Cam Ward (first).
Those are fine, but I don't think there's any way you can discount Jeff Hamilton's great night. I had an easy time selecting my three stars, but a difficult time enumerating them. The RBH three stars go to:
Third Star: Eric Staal, CAR --- 2 goals, GWG
Second Star: Jeff Hamilton, CAR --- 1 goal, 2 assists
First Star: Cam Ward, CAR --- 33 saves, win
In the course of the game, Jordan Staal squared up against Eric in the face-off circle two times. Eric won both faceoffs, and has earned two gatorades.
Honestly, I don't like writing about a game that I watched in a bar. There's too many distractions and usually the sound isn't on, so I don't watch the game as closely as I would like. By the end of the second period, I wasn't really giving it as much attention as I wanted to, so I'll have to watch the DVR to get everything right.
The crux of it is that Eric Staal scored the first two goals of the game to give him three for the season. The goal on Wednesday that was given to Staal, then changed to Cole was eventually changed back to Staal. He's now on pace for 123 goals this season. Obviously he won't hit that mark, but he's off to a fantastic start.
At 7:08, he knocked one in from the low slot assisted by Tim Gleason and Jeff Hamilton.
At 13:21, Staal made a very nifty move culminating in a backhand shot from the right circle. The shot fluttered through Fleurry, giving the Canes a 2-0 lead. At first I thought it had ricocheted off Fleurry's right skate, but replays showed that it actually caromed off Brooks (aka "Public Enemy #1) Orpik's skate. Cole and Hamilton assisted.
Andrew Ladd looked really good in getting to a loose puck and beating Fleurry with it. Sloppy notes on this one, but Justin Williams and Dennis Seidenberg assisted.
At 17:35, Jeff Hamilton did exactly what we brought him in to do. He quarterbacked the power play and scored a goal from the point. Rod Brind'Amour and Ray Whitney assisted. On a side note, Ray Whitney was up to his old antics, hamming it up during the pre-game interview with Rod Brind'Amour. Hijacking the spotlight by skating by and mugging for the camera. We didn't see a lot of that last season.
Cam Ward lost his shutout bid at 16:37 of the third when our old friend Mark Recchi notched a power play goal (assisted by Evgeni Malkin and Sergei Gonchar. Although we'd have preferred the shutout, we still got a convincing win, and you can never complain when the Recchin' Ball does something good.
I'll have to watch the DVR of the game to catch some of the stuff I missed.
The "official" three stars went to Andrew Ladd (third), Eric Staal (second) and Cam Ward (first).
Those are fine, but I don't think there's any way you can discount Jeff Hamilton's great night. I had an easy time selecting my three stars, but a difficult time enumerating them. The RBH three stars go to:
Third Star: Eric Staal, CAR --- 2 goals, GWG
Second Star: Jeff Hamilton, CAR --- 1 goal, 2 assists
First Star: Cam Ward, CAR --- 33 saves, win
In the course of the game, Jordan Staal squared up against Eric in the face-off circle two times. Eric won both faceoffs, and has earned two gatorades.
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