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GDT: Canes at Buffalo 2/25/14 7PM

cmaleski2

cmaleski2

Well-known member
Canes start anew with a 7PM game at Buffalo tonight.

All players are expected to be with the team and all of our Olympians are expected to play. Canes right away face basically a must win game against a team that they should easily outclass at every position save for goalie, where Ryan Miller could steal a game. Been some speculation we might see Cam Ward in the nets tonight.

Just flat out have to win this game, its really that simple.

Fox Sports South for John and Tripp.
 
Honestly ... if you're going to go ahead and see what Ward's got, you may as well go ahead and chuck him in net tonight. Buffalo's offense isn't productive and the Canes hould be able to handle them physically. I don't like the matchups as much as they head West to face some of the bigger and more physical teams. Dallas, LA, Anaheim? Umm, no. Let's go ahead and rip the Band Aid off now and see what we've got.
 
Yep, Slugs are DFL in goals per game, by a large margin. They're the only team averaging less than 2 goals per game. They're also 28th in shots per game. If they're going to give Ward a start, tonight's the night.
 
One writer "NHL Trades, Transactions & Rumours" is saying that Muller's thinking otherwise at least for now. Nothing yet from ice_chip.

NHL TT&R ‏@NHLTTR 7m

Looks like Khudobin starts for the Canes in Buffalo tonight, though not 100% confirmed. We will let you know when it is!
Click to expand...
 
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Chip tweeted that Cam stayed around for some extra shots after the practice proper broke up. So barring something unusual, look for Khudobin in net tonight. Chip also indicated that Muller said both keepers will play on this trip. So look for Cam to be thrown to the wolves in one of those two back to backs in the LA area.

And for the record, I think that's a mistake by the staff ... which probably means it'll work out great.
 
Muller needs to play the goalie that's going to give us a chance to win. A fifth post season with no playoff appearance is at risk. We need the points and we need the playoffs.
 
At some point Muller is going to just have to play Ward just to play him. You can't keep using the thought process that 'we need to win this game tonight, so I have to play Khudobin.' With that approach, barring Khudobin getting hurt, wearing out, or losing it, Ward won't play any game until we are either out of the playoff picture or have a 5 point lead. Considering the compressed schedule from here on out, Ward is going to have to play in some games that we 'really need to win'.

I've plenty nervous about Ward too, but he's going to have to play at least 1 game on this road trip, and every one of these games is pretty critical. Tough spot for Muller to be in.
 
I see Ward getting the start on a back-to-back. Perhaps at Dallas tomorrow? Given the road trip and the LAK and ANA back-to-back, I see Ward getting one of those as well.
 
Not sure I understand your point CanadaCanes. If Ward is going to play at least 1 of the next 5 games (and he almost has to given how many game the Canes are going to play in the remaining 7 weeks of the season), shouldn't we put him out there against a team that is the worst in the league in goal scoring? Anaheim is 3rd in the league in goals per game, San Jose 9th, Dallas 12th, LA 29th, Buffalo 30th. Wouldn't you rather have our 'better' goalie out there against Anaheim, San Jose, and Dallas and our 'worse' goalie out there against LA and Buffalo?

I'm not seeing where Muller is making an error here in starting Ward this game. To me that is not an indication that Ward and Khudobin are in a full share situation. Muller is going to get Ward in there against the team least likely to light him up. To me that beats waiting until the opponent is more dangerous and Ward's NHL layoff even longer.

If the Canes can't beat Buffalo, regardless of who is in the nets, then this team is in huge trouble.
 
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Ward has to show us something sometime, so it may as well be against Buffahole. Start at the bottom, as it were.
 
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