Cory Stillman is a lover, not a fighter

At least that's what I always thought. We know he's not a driver. Considering that we didn't see him drop the gloves once in his Hurricane tenure - I was certainly caught off guard when seeing this the other day:

The most recent fight before this week?: during the 2004 playoffs as a Bolt, according to his fight card at hockeyfights.com. Of course, had he ever dropped the gloves as a Cane - he would have injured something to take him out of the line-up for at least 3 months.

In all seriousness, I couldn't be happier for Cory and his extremely nice family and wish them all the best. Lets just hope he's careful driving around in Florida with those blue-hairs all over the roads.

Chad LaRose: The One that almost got away

Here's the highlights from the Jan. 12th game in Raleigh against the Colorado Avalanche.

If you watch the video, you'll notice that the Canes' goals come from an Erik Cole breakaway, a Keith Aucoin rocket-of-a-shot, Cory Stillman slapper and Chad LaRose sweeping up the trash. The irony here is that the first three will not be suiting up in a Carolina sweater come September and that the fourth was nearly lost.

I read mixed opinions that surfaced during the limbo time of not knowing whether the organ-eye-zation was willing to bring LaRose back. Some said that he would be easily replaced. Others threatened to ex-communicate with the team if he was let go (most of those folks added that they couldn't stand to see two fan favorites leave Raleigh in the same month).

Personally, I think Chad is just coming of age. Keep in mind that his third season with the Plymouth Whalers produced a team-leading 117 points in 49 games (including a team record 61 goals). Also keep in mind that he's a homegrown boy, being the only person to play in each level of the CompuWare hockey teams (Compuware AAA Ambassadors, Plymouth Whalers, Florida Everblades, Lowell Lock Monsters, and the Carolina Hurricanes). The Chuck Norris of Hockey himself has been Petey Boy's child prodigy since he was crapping thunder into his little diaper.

As much as I may have a man-crush on him, this could all be a wash as my boy Jimmy could trade him away tomorrow for all I know. But he will be needed if Earl Sleek's stat projections for the 08-09 season are at all accurate.

I'd like to take this time to offer a sneak preview to the Carolina On Ice CafePress store. Stay tuned for some additions over there, but here is the first design:

Karma comes back to bite Bryan Murray

Ottawa Senators GM/Coach Bryan Murray sent off Joe Corvo with a few choice insults during his trade to Carolina earlier this year. It was well documented throughout the MSM and blogosphere that he was being a bit of a bush-leaguer with his trash talking of former players. Now granted, Joe Corvo's performance in Ottawa was deserving of some criticism - but the way Mr. Murray skewed things in the press afterwards was just plain wrong.

“People like to talk hockey here and they live hockey. They don’t talk (hockey) in Raleigh very much. He’ll probably thrive in that environment and I like guys who thrive under pressure.”
(This isn't the first time the Senators have played that somewhat-odd card. Ottawa coach John Paddock has repeatedly mentioned that Martin Gerber flourished in Carolina because "they only have one beat writer.")

With his team coming off last year's appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals, the Sens steamrolled to start the year going 15-2 with a team record opening win streak. As they began to slowly decline with inconsistent goal tending and on-again/off-again performances from their heavy hitters, Murray had to fire his coach John Paddock and "assume the position" back behind the bench. It did little to no good, as his supposedly brilliant (at the time) acquisitions of Mike Commodore and Cory Stillman only continued their downward spiral in Ottawa.

Though they at least made the playoffs, most people saw what was coming to them. They were stomped by a talented Pittsburgh squad this week in a 4-0 sweep. It could have been a lot worse from game to game if Martin Gerber hadn't of been standing on his head most nights. I did feel sorry for old friend Gerbs this week as he got little to no support from his teammates. I'm also extending the shoulder to cry on to our Sens friends Senators Lost Cojones & Sherry up at Scarlett Ice. I'll miss seeing their game recaps of doom this season.

At any rate I don't foresee Murray getting canned this summer by Ottawa ownership, but if the Sens come out flat next season, expect him to be on a very short leash.

Here'a a little something extra to cheer Murray up.

A look back at Commie & Stillman

These two guys are fortunate to be traded to a cup contender in Ottawa. While I hate to see them go, say we miss out on making the playoffs this year -- we'd lose those guys to free agency. Might as well get something for them while you can, right?

Cory Stillman was a near unheard-of (around here anyways) when he joined the bench in Raleigh the 05-06 season. He quickly made a name for himself with his slick passing skills and clutch goals. This blogger's favorite memories of him:

1. Earlier this season when he scored a goal against Tomas Vokoun and the Panthers from beyond the blue line.
2. Scoring the series-clinching goal against Huet and Montreal in the 1st round of the playoffs during the Cup year.
3. Netting a natural hattie earlier this season against a hapless (at the time) Washington Capitals team.

As for Commie? My only complaints about him were the amount of time he spent in the penalty box. I thought he usually played sound defensively and he was 100% necessary during our cup run year. Favorite memory of Mike:
Watching him chug Bud Lights and sign autographs during the SC Parade:
Good luck gentleman. Perhaps you'll be back.

Colin Powell would be proud...

... to be there seeing stellar puck handling skills during today's Isles / Canes game. Let's just hope he was watching Ricky D do his thing and not Cam Ward.

When the team hired Tom Barrasso as the new goalie coach, Cam's first response was, "One of his top skills was puck-handling, and if you look at my game, that's one of the areas I'd like to improve on". A collective 'hallelujah' was said, but we're pretty sure that he didn't teach Ward this one:

Luckily for the team, he looked sharp in a back-and-forth gritty victory over NY in betwixt the pipes.

Brindy must have taken AQ's post personally, as he has woken up with 6 points in his last three games.

Cory Stillman was in the right place at the right time and scored the OT chip-in on the rebound as he was knocked down onto his back. Fortunately, he was able to get his skate out from under him thus avoiding a scary incident like the "hey-your-knee-isn't-supposed-to-bend-like-that" fall at Philadelphia in December.

Whew. Rematch, the big bank, Tuesday night.

We stink, you almost ready to go?

Well, let's hang around for another minute.
(Stiller scores)
Awesome! We've got a chance. We're probably still doomed.
(Wizard scores)
AH!!!! Whaaaaaaat!?! YES!!
(OT - On the power play yet we haven't scored a PP marker since the Hartford days)
d00d - we've got to score here.
(Staal farts a shot towards the net, Walker tips in)
Awlriiiiite. Awesome. WE ARE THE BEST TEAM EVER!

The Kaberle family got to see both their sons play a decent game, with Frank getting a helper and Tomas getting an assist and a PP goal.

It was great to see the remaining crowd at the RBC all on their feet during the OT period.

Cory Stillman is a beast. BEAST!

Since this game wasn't televised locally, here's the YouTubeage

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

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

Upcoming Ebay Auction Items: Official Chotchkes

Here it is folks! The Roddy Brind'amour figurine. I guess the Pint Glasses just weren't getting it done, so they went all "Franklin Mint" on us. Now I don't have a problem with the promotion, but you must admit that it doesn't look a thing like Roddy. In fact, the figurine actually looks like what would occur genetically if Ted Nolan boffed Sidney Crosby. I'll leave it to you to decide whether that is an improvement or not. The other three (3) players featured in the figurine series are Eric Staal, Ray Whitney, and Cam Ward.

However, in a C.O.I. exclusive, we can now reveal that before the Staal, Whitney and Ward figurines were chosen, there were several other Canes and former Canes figurines that were considered and rejected. These proofs were supposed to be destroyed; never to see the light of day. However, Wufpirate knows a dude who is friends with a guy who once dated the sister of a girl who worked for a guy who delivered mulch to a neighbor of Ron Francis' plumber. For the hefty sum of a bottle of Mad Dog 20/20 (the blue kind) and a half used can of WD-40, we managed to procure a peek at these figurines. As a public service to our readership, we can now post exclusive pictures of the never-before-seen (and never-to-be-seen-again) rejected Canes figurines. They are:

The Cory Stillman Figurine:


The Pavel Brendl Figurine:

And the Jeff O'Neill Figurine:

Man, the lengths we go to for you people. But that's OK. There is nothing too good for our readers.

Both of you.

Stillman Still-The-Man: Canes 3, Jackets 0

Judging from the sounds of Chuck K calling the game on the radio last night - Cory Stillman has his groove back. He nailed a slapshot (complete with the ding off of the goalpost) from 50 feet out. All that I could immediately think of was his series clinching goal that flew over Cristobal Huet's shoulder in Game 6 of the 2006 playoffs.

(for lack of that clip being YouTube available - here is the man himself endorsing Wake County public school bonds - Yaaaaay!)



"Yeaaaah - I still got it!"

How Convenient Is That?

In a matchup of two of the best teams at the World Championship of Hockey, Team USA & Team Canada played this afternoon in Russia. In a moment that ironically was similar to the Canes season, Erik Cole skated into another player awkardly, collapsing to the ice and leaving the game in writhing pain. At least it wasn't a Hurricanes player that injured him.

LINK TO STORY

Soon-to-be Headlines for Carolina Hurricanes:

-In other news, Ray Whitney suffered what appears to be a tailbone injury while going down a waterslide. The Whitney family was on vacation in the Caribbean, and Ray came off the slide "kinda funny". No word on what kind of recovery lead time so far.

When contacted, the only comment from "The Wizard":




-Cory Stillman is listed as day-to-day after an alleged "drive-by sneezer" attacked the 2-time Cup champ in Cary yesterday. Mrs. Stillman, when contacted, said Cory is "in good hands" and making a recovery from bouts of measles, whooping cough and flu-like symptoms.



-Anton Babchuk unexpectedly was a no-show for a local charity event last weekend. It seems there were some thunderstorms that knocked his electricity out. "My Choco-Taco melted. It was in freezer. Don't deserve this. Won't go." (Anton muttered in rough Ukranian/English.)
Babchuk's agent, Jay Grossman, said, "Babs will show up. We just didn't feel that the Ronald McDonald house was the right place for him, and we have requested a trade for something else."