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GDT: Canes @ Caps, Game 5 4/20, 8:00 NBC

A

andyt

Canes Moderator
Staff member
The best of 7 is reduced to a best of 3.

Two wins, laugher and tight game in front of a record crowd brought the Canes even in the series. The war of attrition continued unabated, with Martinook and Oshie going down. Both sides have brought up reinforcements, Saarela for the Canes and DSP for the Caps. The Caps also brought up goalie Ilya Samsonov from Hershey, even though they’re in the AHL playoffs. Formthe Caps, Hamelin moves up to Oshie’s spot on the 2nd line and DSP moves in as 4RW. This is their lineup from their morning skate, according to Stephen Whyno, who is an AP writer.

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Wilson
Vrana-Kuznetsov-Hagelin
Burakovsky-Eller-Connolly
Stephenson-Dowd-DSP

Orlov-Niskanen
Siegenthaler-Carlson
Orpik-Jensen

After being abused pretty badly in the first 3 games, dman Christian Djoos remains on the outside looking in.

The Canes are skating at 11:30, so we’ll see where Saarela slots in for his NHL debut. I expect that he’ll slot in on Wallmark’s line, leaving Thursday’s 4th line of Maenalanen/McKegg/Brown intact. Calvin de Haan returned to the lineup, playing mostly at even strength. He had 4 hits, tied for 2nd most on the team.

Tonight is on big NBC, with Forslund, Olczyk and McPlankton on the call. Maniscalco and Tripp will be on the radio. The downtown Carolina Ale House has another viewing party on Tucker St. starting at 6:00.
 
Couple of thoughts on the Caps lines ... Burakovsky has spent some time on that checking line this season, so if Vrana struggles early again you could see the frisky Russian shift up a line. Hagelin is, of course, an old hand and should be able to hold his own. One thing the Caps have really missed thus far in the series is a real scoring threat from that third line. Eller has a goal and an assist, but that's the only production they've gotten from a group that gave them stout secondary scoring all season long. Vrana and Connelly were on that line most of the year and both went for over 20 goals. Both have yet to scratch out a point in the series.

On Carolina's side ... it would be REALLY good for the Canes if they could get one of those games where the refs swallow the whistles. The Caps have done the vast majority of their damage on the power play, and despite Carolina's kill coming up big on home ice, you really don't want to be giving them free range at home. That's a recipe for trouble. I DO expect the Caps to take a lot of runs at Foegele early, so it would also be nice if they could pop in a power play marker of their own to take some pressure off. Carolina is in good shape in this series, while the Caps are the ones feeling the familiar heat of unfulfilled expectations. Taking the game to them would be good, but maintaining some discipline and not getting stuck with any dumb retaliation penalties would also be good. You're gonna get run tonight ... a lot. Take the hits and play on. Carolina has frustrated Washington with their possession game and getting some extended shifts in their zone early would ratchet up the pressure. And I think a real key will be pressing the crap out of that weak 3rd D pairing for the Caps. Orpik is a statue out there and Siegenthaler looks like a guy just trying to avoid doing anything dumb. PRESS those guys. Make 'em turn and play the puck, limit their passing options and then jump on their mistakes.

This one is a house money game for Carolina. Down some key bodies, on the road, angry bear of an opponent ... just go play your own game and see what happens. Worst comes to worst, you come home and try to send it to 7 in front of the rabid home throng. Seriously. No pressure today.
 
This game is important go into Washington and play hard and clean. Win the game Send Washington to Raleigh having to save the series then cause them to abandon hope.. Foegele keep your head up..

Go CANES go!.

Otherwise Jeffbear seems to have stated this well.
 
Saarela slotted in at 4RW, with Brown on the other wing and McKegg at Center. I guess that means Maenalanen moves up to 3RW. Svechnikov skated with de Haan’s full face cage and a yellow jersey. We won’t see him tonight, but I expect he’s back in on Monday.
 
OK ... so for the Canes that looks like:

Turbo, Aho, Nino
Foegele, Staal, Williams
Maenalanen, Wallmark, McGinn
Saarela, McKegg, Brown

That third line works if McGinn can continue to generate good looks at the net. He's been really solid in this series in all three zones, and Wallmark has been pretty good at picking his spots. Should be a decent defensive group, which is good as I expect Reirden to throw the 1st line at them as much as he can. I doubt Carolina plays that 4th unit all that much other than to level things out after special teams shifts ... but who knows? Kegger has been pretty good and Brown was getting more comfortable as the game went along on Thursday. Saarela is a complete wildcard. He's a two way guy with some shimmy in the offensive zone, but it's a big ask to throw him into this situation.
 
[polar’s word]

We get Tim Peel and Dan O’Rourke tonight.


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andyt said:
[polar’s word]

We get Tim Peel and Dan O’Rourke tonight.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Ugh. I see what the league is thinking, assigning two veteran refs to this game. But holy cow, you had to give us freaking Tim Peel.
 
Pretty amazing the bottom 6 currently looks like this and the series is tied 2-2 with the defending Cup Champs:

Maenalanen, Wallmark, McGinn
Saarela, McKegg, Brown

Like JB stated well already, the Canes are playing with house money today.
 
Remember when we would complain that Kerry Fraser could make the game about him? I miss him. Tim Peel is the worst-- worst about inserting himself, worst about tilted calls, worst about not seeing things, worst about managing his ego. Those beady eyes, hook nose...

I like our chances right now. Brind'Amour doesn't have a lot to chose from, but he has managed this team far better than Rierdon has with his overstocked talent. Keep it emotional without getting caught up in the extracurriculars. Let the defense lead the way and we are in a good space.
 
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Will be watching this one without audio. Cant handle another Pierre game.

Those downtown Ale House watch parties are a disaster. Went once, never again. Left after 1st period. Unless you arrive 3 hours early and get inside, don't bother. The outdoor projection screen is small and too low to be seen beyond the front row of people. Lots of college kids playing on their phones.
 
Yeah, I've had nothing but bad experiences at Canes cool bar events during the playoffs. Just too many damn people. I mean, good for them and it's nice to see the enthusiasm, but I can't handle too many people in small spaces. Maybe I'll just stick with a bottle shop in Cary or something for this game. I miss the pig's place that was on Glenwood. I remember hanging out there for a game or two in 2002 or 2006 with Brian and some other board folks during the playoffs.
 
Pierre is the best :sarcasm:
I'll try to get the game + the radio to match so I can hear Forslund...
Can I get a mute device for Tripp and Pierre?
 
SlapShots said:
Remember when we would complain that Kerry Fraser could make the game about him? I miss him. Tim Peel is the worst-- worst about inserting himself, worst about tilted calls, worst about not seeing things, worst about managing his ego. Those beady eyes, hook nose...

I like our chances right now. Brind'Amour doesn't have a lot to chose from, but he has managed this team far better than Rierdon has with his overstocked talent. Keep it emotional without getting caught up in the extracurriculars. Let the defense lead the way and we are in a good space.
Click to expand...

Yeah. I haven't been impressed with much about Rierden. His pressers are whiney and his tactics have been somewhere between futile and non-existent. Plus, I'm NEVER impressed with a coach who makes a bunch of line changes and then throws them out the window in less than one period. That's a LOUD signal that you're in over your head.

That said, the talent level in DC is on a different planet than what our roster can muster, even full strength. Brother has all the cards ... he just doesn't seem to know how to use them.
 
TheBigKahuna said:
Will be watching this one without audio. Cant handle another Pierre game.

Those downtown Ale House watch parties are a disaster. Went once, never again. Left after 1st period. Unless you arrive 3 hours early and get inside, don't bother. The outdoor projection screen is small and too low to be seen beyond the front row of people. Lots of college kids playing on their phones.
Click to expand...

FWIW, I grew up hanging around on Tucker St ... mostly killing time on weekends while my Dad and Grandfather worked all day in their office across from the old Pine State offices. I used to go beg the lady at Pine State's reception desk for those ice cream cups with the wooden spoons. They kept a freezer full of them in the employee lounge.
 
If the Canes get 1 powerplay, I fully expect a "cheating refs" meltdown from the Crapheads.

Of course I don't expect the Canes to get, or much less know what to do with, a powerplay.
 
Tryamw said:
Pierre is the best :sarcasm:
I'll try to get the game + the radio to match so I can hear Forslund...
Can I get a mute device for Tripp and Pierre?
Click to expand...

Forslund is calling the game on TV. Maniscalco and Tripp will have the radio call.
 
Pierre has been giving Carolina due propers the last few games. Yeah, I still think he's a dooo*h, but it's been refreshing.
 
Craps fans are 100% fully expecting Wilson to go headhunting for Aho and Foegele. Even a DC area sports reporter was ranting about how it has to happen. Don't dish out what you cant take. So far, all the dirty hits by the Caps are totally excusable. But Foegele has seriously gotten a bunch of death threats.
 
Yeah, I don't have good vibes regarding this one. The refs are going to let the Caps do whatever they want to the Canes since the Canes have been getting away with murder all series long (despite all of us knowing it's the other way around if anything).
 
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