GDT: Canes v. Slugs 1/11 7:30

The back half of a back to back.

This weekend sees the Canes play half of their January home games with Nashville coming in for a Sunday matinee. This is another 4 point game. After a tough loss at Tampa that snapped a 5 game inning streak, they need to put it behind them and start another streak. And stay out of the box. Expect McElhinney in goal tonight.

The Slugs hold the 2nd wild card spot, 1 point ahead of Montreal. They’re scuffling a bit, 4-5-1 in their last 10 but they’re coming off a 5-1 win over the Devils on Tuesday. They’ve played the last 3 games without Jack Eichel who’s had an upper body injury. He practiced yesterday but will be a game day decision, Housley didn’t commit to him playing tonight. In his absence, Sam Reinhart has been centering the top line with Skinner and Tage Thompson. Skinner’s 29 goals are tied for 2nd in the league. They’ve scored 12 more goals than the Canes but Skinner and Eichel are the only Slugs in double figures in goals. Carter Hutton is in his first year as a full time starter in goal and carries a 2.57/.918 stat line. The Slugs are 18th on the PP at 18.5% and 5th on the PK at 85.2%.

Tonight is a Homegrown game. The featured food is a pork chop sandwich, the dessert is banana pudding. Deep River will be pouring flights at section 102, not in their bar upstairs. Their IPA is my libation of choice in the arena, their Wit is my wife’s. The Marzen is also good.

Fox Sports Carolinas for TV.


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OK ... setting the Skinner homecoming aside, because I'm not objective enough about that issue, as you all know.

Buffalo is an exceptionally top heavy team. Shut down that first line and they are as pedestrian as they come. So, for my money, especially since this is the back end of a back to back set, this is a defense-first game for Carolina. They saved McIllhenney to set up that scenario. So what I'm looking for is actual line matching from Brind'Amour instead of the haphazard "every line is the same" egalitarian nonsense he normally pulls on home ice. The Sabres top line gets a steady diet of either Aho's line or Wallmark's ... and nothing else ... and if Eichel plays then you hit him. A lot. You have 2nd change and should be ticked off about snapping the win streak, this is NOT difficult stuff.

Not unexpectedly, The Athletic has a nice article about the return of Skinner to the PNC: https://theathletic.com/758974/2019/01/10/758974/?source=dailyemail

I hope we rebound from a disappointing loss last night - disappointing not because we lost, but because we played well enough to win against a superior team.

I'll be there in my Reebok #53 Skinner, bringing an extra hat which I will plan to toss on the ice when Skinny pots his 3rd of the game (how's that for stating how I feel about that issue). Beyond that, I hope we win by dwind's favorite score, coincidentally, 5-3.

Skinner scored. Tied the game just before the end of the first.

There's the first one.

Still sure he will get he hattie. 3rd MTNetter

Svech with another Bad penalty.

I'd bench his ass for the rest of the game. And maybe the next game.

We love returning the goal favor or letting other teams score twice quick.

Defensive struggle tonight.

Buffalo Beating the Sabres 3-2 with an additional goal by Justin Williams.

The Justin Williams score was the difference. Buffalo tied themselves. Canes win. and Williams bowls off target.


Scratch this... forgot the third Sabre goal was off the canes. so Buffalo lost the game Canes were even.

It's going to be really heart wrenching when Buffalo misses the playoffs and Skinner signs a big contract with LA in the offseason. All those poor Buffalo fans....

Six wins in seven games is as good as it gets around here. Aho line was a beast, and hopefully Dundon took notice of the impact that Ferland had yet again!

Throw Mac a bone for a 1-2 year extension, the guy at the very least gives you a steady start in goal almost every time out.

Carolina is trending towards playing a heavier style of hockey. its about time.

Svech needs to think outside the box, because he gets too much time inside the box to think (and feel shame). He's playing more like a liability than an asset. To be fair, he's a kid playing a man's game. He needs to get busy un-learning some bad habits.

Nice win against somebody ahead of us in the standings. Nashville will be more of a test.

Jim

I tell ya who I noticed last night. Mäenalanen. That kid is big, fast and with time looks like he can score too.

HurryCanes said:

I tell ya who I noticed last night. Mäenalanen. That kid is big, fast and with time looks like he can score too.

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He’s been noticeable every shift, plays with an edge too. When Ferland gets moved at the deadline, he’s the replacement. :couch

I'll never be able to spell "Maenalanen" without seeing it written first, but I'm really enjoying watching him play. He's a tough cookie and is playing for keeps. My biggest surprise during this stretch has been the play of Justin Williams. He's been awesome these last few games and has perfected the art of slow moving the puck to get the goalie to commit. Good on him.

HurryCanes said:

I tell ya who I noticed last night. Mäenalanen. That kid is big, fast and with time looks like he can score too.

Click to expand...

I don't know about the scoring part, but he reminds me of Nordstrom back in that one season when he was worth a damn. Big, quick, rangy and smart positionally.

brassbonanza said:

Carolina is trending towards playing a heavier style of hockey. its about time.

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Any lineup with Kegger, Martinook, Ferland, deHaan and a few supporting cast members like McGinn is going to play heavier than whatever the heck we were doing the previous three seasons.

Pucking Lamplighter said:

Svech needs to think outside the box, because he gets too much time inside the box to think (and feel shame). He's playing more like a liability than an asset. To be fair, he's a kid playing a man's game. He needs to get busy un-learning some bad habits.

Jim

Click to expand...

Little bit of the "rookie wall" at play with Svech right now. We're just noticing more because Brindy has taken the training wheels off of his ice time and situational usage. It's normal, especially for the power guys. They've got to learn where that ever shifting line is and also they have to start to understand that the star treatment you got in Junior isn't on offer in the NHL when you're a rookie. That little tug that Svech got called for right in front of me last night is absolutely a no-call for him in Junior last season. There's a 0% chance he gets popped there if he's a vet. But he's not. He's a kid and the refs treat kids differently. Welcome to Realityland.