Captain Answers The Call

Booo Yaaahhh!

The 37-year young Brindy scores two goals with an assist from Caps goalie Olie Kolzig on his 2nd! Tonight was a little more like the Hurricanes of the October 2007 team. Even when the puck normally wouldn't go in -- it finds a way.

Al Ovechkin scores 2 of his own and played an all around great game. He nails one in the first blink of a Caps man advantage. Whether you're on the power play or not, if you leave AO wide open in front of the net, you deserve to be scored on. After his 2nd one, he jumped on the glass like he had just won the Stanley Cup, Hart Trophy, World Cup and Super Bowl. He hit the glass then proceeded to bust his ass on the ice.

Williams continued to stay -1 from career point #300. He'll get there here in two shakes of a lamb's tail.

Last chance to see the Canes play at home for a hot minute. They'll hit the road with a fire under their butts.

About The Mini-Slump & The Overcoming Of It

Fresh off of a Philly-style beat-down last night, Hurricanes players and coaches are chirping about their recent lack of scoring.

Not that they've been awful so far, and not that I would for a second doubt the laser shooting eyeballs War Chief, but if there are two people that can, should and will get the Canes back in the right direction -- it is Justin Williams & Captain Brind'amour.

In the forever juggling of lines in the past seasons - the pairing of these two is almost always a constant. One of Rod's sons comes up to hug his dad after winning the Stanley Cup. He was wearing a Justin Williams #24 jersey. Once these guys can get it chunking again the rest of the team will follow their example.

Lets. Go. Canes.

Canes Fall On "Walk Around The RBC With Your Figurine Box" Night

OK look, the Hurricanes didn't get embarrassed tonight. They played alright but it was just one of those nights that the puck hits the net -- just not the one with goalposts around it (the big one that blocks your view and saves your dome-piece).

The 1st goal should have been blown dead before it got behind Ward-O.

The 2nd goal was completely Cam's fault. He thought he had it but he pooped out a rebound and got caught trying to play it while a Flyer had an open net on the other side.

3rd goal was a top-shelf beauty and a collective groan from the home crowd (which was a large one).

1/2 way through the 3rd, the Canes finally had a crisp-passing possession and Stiller capitalized with a goal that made it somewhat interesting, but to no avail.

-------

During the 1st intermission, to coincide with "College Night", the Duke and East Carolina club hockey teams faced off in a shootout. This made my effin night. ECU won 2-1 on 4 shots.
"Hey! Hey! Hey! E.C.! You look so good to me! Hey! Hey! Hey! E.C. You look so good to me!"

Whomever Gets Traded Will Be Kicking Ass Somewhere Else

There have been a few trades that Jimmy Boy has made that didn't pan out too well and some that did. Going off of recent experience however, one has to think that if a player leaves Raleigh in a trade to another team they will start producing.

Exhibit A. Eric Belanger (see Buh-lawn-jay)
Playing 50-odd games with Carolina, he never seemed to quite find his role. He went through Coach Lavi's line-juggling carousel and could seldom find the back of the net, much less any kind of oh-fensive contribution. He gets traded to Nashville who trades him to Atlanta where he scores more goals in 24 games than he could all 56 in Carolina. Eric signs for the Minny Wild in the offseason and currently sits as one of their scoring leaders.

Exhibit B. Josef Vasicek (see dry erase marker)
Everyone has their opinion about the Czech Condor, but I saw him as a victim of the "new NHL" and preference of speed over physicality. Granted he was the team's scoring leader in the pre-lockout '03-'04 season, Big Joe and his non-existent checking skills were going nowhere fast in Raleigh. He signs a late summer deal with the NY Islanders -- BAM! 8 goals in 21 games. And with the Isles none-the-less!!! They can't score more than .5 of a goal per game!

Our best trade bait (not naming any names here but it rhymes with Handrew Glad) is sure to have a career year... as soon as the "untapped potential" is unleashed in somewhere other than Raleighwood.

Hurricanes History: 14 Combined Goals Against Flyers

Ah, how sweet Memory Lane can be.

You're My Boy Jimmy!

The longest tenured NHL General Manager (with one team) is still our very own, Jimmy Boy Rutherford. As quick as ownership groups are to put the blame on their GMs when their teams start sucking, you have to respect the fact that J.R. got the benefit of doubt when the Canes finished in last place the year before the lockout (and then was named "Businessperson of the Year" by Triangle Business Journal and won some Cup, or something). Something is bound to happen soon with a trade shake-up and whether in the long haul, the team wins or loses -- trust in JR to do what's right for Carolina.

That being said, will something please happen in Toronto with their coaching/management cluster-muck? I've seen and read enough about their shoddy season WAY too much this week.

All the hullabaloo simply makes this Caniac happy to have the stability of good management, top to bottom.

They're Teaching The Kids To Fight In Albany

Leave It To The Shrimps

After a blistering October, the Hurricanes are finishing the month of November at .500. Canes fans have seen enough of the Jekyll and Hyde personalities that have tended to show up as of late. Either the team comes out scorching, beating good teams by 7 to 2 margins, or they come out and get pasted allowing goals early on and by multiple opponents' lines.

The bright spots of the season? Jeff "Green Eggs And" Hamilton and Chad "The Chuck Norris Of Hockey" LaRose. Stacked on each others shoulders, they could be as tall as Zdeno Chara's kneecaps. But their savvy and speed on the ice this season has been a welcome surprise to counter our inconsistent superstars.

For example, in games like last Friday's Thrashers game: Hurricanes are getting smashed by Atlanta and get shutout. Chad LaRose is all over the place, drawing every single power play that Carolina had the whole night.

Jeff Hamilton has to be the league's best off-season bargain signing considering that he has lived up to the hype and is on pace for career highs with this (sometimes) high-powered Carolina offense.

In one blogger's opinion, keeping these two little guys on the ice is vital to any continued success that the Canes will see this season.

Canes Will Try To Smoke Those Turkeys

Happy Thanksgiving Caniacs! Peace & Hair Grease - catch up with you all on Sunday (maybe)

Roddy Brind'amour Is A Freak Of Nature

Thanks to the Pokecheck for the inspiration here.

Weekend Full O Canes Prep Work

• Beer? Check

• 
• Italian Sausages? Check
• 
• Giant Foam Hand? Check
• 
• Hurricanes Jersey? Check
• 
• Screaming Skills (Wooooo! Woo! Wooo!)? Check
• 
• Grill? Check

Watching Plenty of YouTube embeds to get me siked up?

(a video shot by yours truly, one of the only highlights from the TB stomping)

Check.

Radio Sends Blogger To Hurricanes Game

Mucho props going out to David Glenn & Chris Clark of 850 the Buzz for sending me out to the ATL game tonight in their seats.

Thrasher Roadkill

See you in Section 305 tonight!

Tanabe On Ice = No Win For Canes

I'll let his numbers speak for themselves:


So Tanabe has been in the line-up for two wins this season, @ Montreal and at home over the Craps. The Canes haven't lost a lot of games this year, but it seems every time David is put into a "rover" role as an extra defenseman or forward, the result is the same. A big fat L. Not just an L, but an embarrassing L. No wonder nobody wanted to sign this punk in the offseason.

Well, That Sucked Didn't It?

Another blowout loss to Tampa Bay, yet another game against the Thrashers coming up. ATL, fair warning - you're in for a beatdown Friday night.

World's Worst Photoshopper On TB Lightning

Fresh off of the turd laying the Canes had for the Lightning last week, the boys get their chance at redemption with a game in Tampa tonight. Little Baby Poo Poo above is slightly worried seeing as the Bolts were a thorn in the Hurricanes' side all last year. Word is that Avi Tanabe will be out in the lineup tonight. Not a good sign. May he prove us all wrong.

I do believe the Canes will finally show up for a TBL game as even one local church is showing their support:

Catch The Pack In Action Friday Night

@

NCSU Wolfpack hockey team will take on the visiting Virginia Cavaliers at the RecZone Friday, November 16th @ 9:00 PM. Tickets will be available at the doors. Does the Pack have a W in them after taking so many close losses this season? Find out! Go! It'll be fun, I promise! Heck, this guy might even be there!:

Cory Stillman Scores Goal On Panthers From Cuba

With the NHL spreading its wings and offering regular season games in London (with rumors of an opening game in Prague or Sweden next year), Cory Stillman casted his support for the ongoing league travel by nailing a slapshot from Guantanamo Bay to Sunrise, FLA last night.

“Our commitment to grow the game globally has never been stronger,” said NHL Deputy Commissioner, Bill Daly. “The NHL is extremely proud to be represented in Cuba by a great hockey organization like the Hurricanes .”

In other news from last night, our thoughts and prayers are with the Erik Cole family today as he tried to score a goal with his helmet but crashed into Tomas Vokoun and laid motionless for several minutes before being carted away on the stretcher. As Versus cut to a commercial break, all of Caniac Nation held their breath as they showed a flattened Cole. If you and I were nervous during that commercial, imagine how his family must have felt?

All in all, a great night for the Canes smashing up on their divisional foe and putting silence to the "Divegate scandal".

ESPN Game Recap with Video Highlights

Ronnie Joins the Hall O Fame Tonight

The. Epitome. Of. Classy.

God bless you, young man.

How ironic is it that Scott Stevens is heading into the Hall on the same night that Ronnie Franchise is? Not that he would ever do it, but here is a suggestion to Ron:

When you go up and do your acceptance speech tonight... give all the bells and whistles and tears and thanks... then just walk up to Stevens and give him the body slam:

"Where's your cheap shot now?!?"

OK, so thats what I would do. Totally not what Ronnie would do.

This is a Thrasher

This is a Trasher

This is whats coming for them.

Questions?

College Hockey Overload

App State: It's been a tough season so far for those Mountaineer boys. The Clemson Tigers welcomed them to South Cackalack with a Shalacking double header. Clemson won both games by a combined margin of 24-3. Up next for ASU, they head "right near da beach, boi!" to face the UNC-W Seahawks, a team they have never lost to.

Duke Blue Devils: On a tear!

The Blue Devil's beat ACCHL foe NC State 4-1 on Friday to move to 4-0 in the league.

The Blue Devils' came away with two victories in their Home and Home with the Liberty Flames . On Friday, the team traveled to LaHaye Ice Center and won 4-3. Playing at home on Saturday, the Devils edged the Flames 6-4.

The Blue Devils' travelled to north to play two ACCHL opponents in Virginia and Virginia Tech. After beating UVA 6-1 on Friday, Duke outlasted Virginia Tech 3-2 Saturday night.

The Duke Blue Devils' opened up their season with a 6-0 win over Appalachian State and a 8-0 win over rival UNC.

UNC Tarheels: Despite losing to rivals NCSU & Duke, they were able to handle App State this year in OT, 5-4.

East Carolina: Since dropping one their 1st game this year to GW in the Charlotte Shootout, the Pirates are off and rolling once again and have not lost since. Despite the ECU Football team being outlasted by the Pack, the hockey team was able to hold up their end of "Rivalry Weekend?" by beating State (DII) 6-4.

Canes Drop A Stinker

So everyone got a couple of days off after Monday night's big win over the Craps. With so much time off (relatively speaking for the middle of the season), what do you think everyone was up to this week?Canes were obviously out playing hockey with hangovers last night and dropped would could have been another skilled display against a tired team in a 5-1 loss to Tampa. It happens, and though I was at the game, I rewinded the DVR just a bit to hear John & Tripp's sharp point:

When you go out and lead the league in goals scored and play the attacking style that the Hurricanes have done so well this season, you're either gonna get them Sch-lacking somebody, or them getting Pwnt. Last night was the latter.

Notes:

• David Tanabe looked like one the Junior Hurricanes out there last night. Garbage! There had better be a GREAT reason why Seidenberg didn't play and Avi did.
• Commodore wins the "most drunkedest" award for his play last night. Everyone was was sloppy, but he took the cake.
• Holmqvist brought his shit-kickers with him. Spot-on goaltending with a few lucky bounces.
• Every time there was a scoring chance for the Canes, be it a two-man breakaway or whatever, it seemed like there was double the amount of Lightning players defending.
• Late in the game, the Lightning clearly had 6 players on the ice during a face-off. The refs weren't calling a damn thing all night, so this breezed right by them as well. Wouldn't have won the game regardless, but it helps to have a ref who's watching the same game we're watching.
• I took some great pictures and videos (including the video of Ward robbing Leca-vul-Yay! on his penalty shot.) I will do my best to upload these this weekend.
• In ATL Saturday night -- look out Trash, you're in for a beatdown.

A/V Delight

There is a tournament of sorts going on over at Canada's Orland Kurtenblog where you can vote for the greatest hockey hits of all time... I felt inclined to throw this up as your jaw-dropper of the day.

Lightning Light On Road Wins

Tampa Bay and their wolloping 0-7 road record arrive at the Giant ATM (more on this in a minute) tonight to take on the Canes. Considering their traveling woes this year, might they be better suited to send their mascot & ice girls?


Yes Please!
Now, the guys over at 850 the Buzz have been referring to the RBC Center as "the Giant ATM" here in the last couple of days. This works, as in calling the Capitals home (The Verizon Center) the giant phone booth. But the only problem I have with calling it an ATM is that most of the time - you're withdrawing money from those. At the RBC Center, all I do spend money there ($7.50 Brew-ha-has here we come!)

Blognews Of Note

Bubba over at CanesCountry has somehow made his blog even more kickass, getting REAL people to interview with him! The segment with Joe Ovies of the 850 the buzz posted yesterday is a must read! Stop what you're doing. Go there. Now.

Bauer Skates has created a blog for all things Staal... Monday night all the brothers' teams were not scored upon!

Hurricanes Insider keeps adding cool new features. Check out "Hurricanes Blogs In One Shot" that gives you news clippings from every mainstream and independent feed that may have anything remotely to do with the Canes.

More Like Bret HediCAN DO!

Proving all the pre-season naysayers wrong, look who is tied for the 2nd best overall +/- in the NHL right now? That's right - Mr. Bret Hedican himself. Tied with whom, you might ask? Nicklas Lidstrom, only considered to be one of the greatest defenseman to play the game. Search this blog and many others before the Canes got off to this torrid season start, and you'll find many a non-believer in the ways of Bretican. Not that I thought he couldn't deliver, I just pictured damaged goods.

Canes' Hedican Enjoying A Renaissaince (N&O)

Grandpa Stillman Shows No Mercy

• Cory Stillman, scoring a natural hat trick in the 1st period against the Craps last night, made it look all too easy against a deflated Washington D. Let's just say that he "crashed" the 1st period for DC.
• Oldie Olie The Goalie to his team, "Hey, uh, guys? Ya'll there? They might as well be shooting 5 pucks at the same time! Hello?" - as he was hung out to dry.
• Chad LaRose got ROBBED in the 2nd period on a no-call, diving scoring attempt.
• Brent Johnson made some naaaaasty saves in the 3rd despite allowing one from "It's Staal Good".
• Frantastik Kaberle did not bring his "A-game" tonight as he let several point passes go witlessly adrift.
• The Matt Bradley vs. Tim Gleason fight was over before it began, as Timmaay absolutely crushed Bradley behind the Carolina net on a check before the spat.
• The David Tanabe penalty was garbage (as was his play for the most part last night). He was called for holding when in fact it appeared he was being held.
• Cam Ward gets a rare shutout win that he deserves. He was tested with a couple of quality Craps scoring chances early on that could have changed the pace of this game dramatically if he let them through.
• Hurricanes go from last weeks record against the Southeast Division of 0-2 to 2-2 during this all imporant stretch against these shitty rival teams.

Recaps:
Sweet Tea, Barbecue & Bodychecks
red & black hockey
Japers Rink Roundup

The Best Jersey Concept Yet

Caps & Canes Tonight!

Check out A View From The Cheap Seats for the best GameDay Preview I've read so far this season.