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GDT: Canes v. Rangers 2/19 7:00

A

andyt

Canes Moderator
Staff member
The Canes try to keep streaking.

A win tonight moves the Canes back into the playoff race. Depending on other results, it could be as high as 3rd in the division. Pittsburgh is at the Devils, Columbus is at Montreal. Columbus still has a game in hand. Jordan Staal practiced in a regular jersey yesterday, centering Turbo and Ferland. RBA wouldn’t commit to a return date though. With no morning skate today, we’ll have to wait for his press availability to see if he’s in and who is in goal, but I’d expect McElhinney.

The Rangers are at NHL .500 with 58 points in 58 games. They’re 4-5-1 in their last 10 and coming off a 6-5 loss to the Pens on Sunday. Mika Zibanejad leads with 26 goals and 32 assists. Lundqvist’s GAA has crept over 3.00, it sits at 3.02 with a .908 Save %. Alexandar Georgiev has played their last 2 and carries a 3.21/.904 stat line. The Rangers are 12th on the PP at 21.6%, 25th on the PK at 77.5%

Fox Sports Carolinas for TV.
 
Take it to the Rangers and Win... Honestly. I don't care how.. just win! (you bunch of Jerks!)
 
Even this Rangers team scares the crap out of me every time we play them. They always seem to find ways to cause us fits in our own end, seem to have guys wide open all over the place, and just never let up. Canes really need clamp down in their own zone and make sure that we bury every open look we might get.
 
Lundqvist confirmed per LeftWingLock.

He's less fearsome (at least to me) these days. Beatable if this still fragile team (but less so than before) is surfing an in-game confidence wave tonight.

He's moving differently than he did before. There are places to score.

Let's find some.
 
The Rangers may have lost to PIT this weekend, but that was a scoring fest and the Pens prevailed given their talent. NYR always seem to have our number and no doubt they'll come in ready to play tough. The Canes can't play fancy and they need to keep tight gaps in our end. Dallas and EDM had way too much freedom.
 
Here's the thing with the Rangers ... their D and goaltending might be shaky to bad, but they've got size and grit up front and they always bother the Canes. The biggest issue being that the Rangers have size up the middle, and we know that's always a problem for the Canes centers. So, focus on keeping the play outside the dots, get the heck on the forecheck then everything will work out fine. If the Canes come out and half ass the forecheck effort like they've done the last three games and this is gonna be a frustrating night ... or at least it's going to be one of those nights where you're asking your goalie to bail you out ... again.
 
No lineup info? Hope the boys can bring it tonight. While the storm surge celebration has provided a terrific amount of entertainment value the past few days, the team needs to put that behind them for the next few hours and focus on winning this game. We need it!
 
Good question, is Jordan playing tonight?

Michael Smith had the lineup sitting as it has been as of 4:45. McElhinney in goal tonight.
 
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The Canes should send a message tonight, that they will no longer allow their goalies to be run without consequence. This is ridiculous.
 
Desperation should have been there a lot more than the last 5 minutes...can’t afford to lose to teams below you in the standings often this time of year.
 
That's not a playoff team, playoff effort, or playoff fight.

Justin Faulk is absolutely horrible, and I can't figure out why the **** Brind'amour keeps parading him out there over and over. Please for ****'s sake trade his sorry ass.
 
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TheBigKahuna said:
That's not a playoff team, playoff effort, or playoff fight.

Justin Faulk is absolutely horrible, and I can't figure out why the **** Brind'amour keeps parading him out there over and over. Please for ****'s sake trade his sorry ass.
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Faulk was garbage tonight. And Lundqvist remembered he was Lundqvist, at least for 1 night.

Canes lost their way for about 4 minutes in the 3rd, from the Rangers 2nd goal to the under 10 TV timeout. They came out of the timeout with their hair on fire. And then Faulk put the puck into the stands and snuffed it out.
 
I don't know, I thought the Canes actually played pretty well in that game, better than the Edmonton and Dallas games. They just didn't score enough goals to win. That happens. They are not going to win EVERY game they play, and don't have to. But now they have to get back at it in Florida for sure, you can't afford losing streaks.
 
cmaleski2 said:
I don't know, I thought the Canes actually played pretty well in that game, better than the Edmonton and Dallas games. They just didn't score enough goals to win. That happens. They are not going to win EVERY game they play, and don't have to. But now they have to get back at it in Florida for sure, you can't afford losing streaks.
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That was my view, as well. But we had a lot of playing it too cute with our passing, which probably cost us a goal or two. And Faulk's horrific play late in the game really cost us. I ALWAYS cringe when I see him pinch to play the puck, which he inevitably loses and which results in a breakaway attempt. He's been doing it much less this year, but when he does....look out.
 
The effort was there, but Carolina were a little too fidgety with the puck, and the passing was a tad sloppy at times. Tuevo still wont shoot. We got a tantalizing glimpse of what Svechnikov will become on that sparkling give and go feed to Hamilton. Turn the page, on to Florida.
 
Yeah ... the effort level from Carolina was good, and they did get the forecheck going for long stretches. Special teams futility and a turn back the clock effort from the King in the other net doomed them. That and McIlhenney getting hurt in that scrum early in the 3rd. I didn't think he moved well at ALL after that, and he started barfing up long rebounds which is not like him at all. One of them was eventually going in the back of the net. It was only a matter of time.

And yeah ... I thought Faulk was a real issue last night. He was actually fairly good at the point of the power play and got some good shots on net, but he missed a wide open net late and got badly burned several times in transition. That's a good example of what you get from Faulk when his shot isn't going in. He HAS to give you the offensive upside to even out the defensive shortcomings and he just isn't doing that.
 
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