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Is James Reimer going to remind us that we probably should not have let him go?

What the hell is going on here guys? I'm out of pocket again tonight missing the game but checking the scores regularly.

I like starting Raanta tonight because they'll need a stout Freddie in net tomorrow in the back-to-back.

When your wife commits you to a social obligation on hockey night:

Sorry, guys, I'm out tonite. Have a pre-scheduled social obligation that only crippling myself, getting to the ER, being treated and released before the game will get me out of.... I may have to sneak an earbud on the off-side of my wife during dinner so I can listen. Don't get me wrong, she's as much a Canes fan as any of us, but there are times, if you know what I mean. It's Whaler Night! Keep The Good Starts Going: Carolina has gotten off to strong starts in their last four contests, each time showcasing at least a strong suit of scoring early or shutting down their opposition from the get-go. One week ago today against New Jersey, more on that in a minute, they scored twice in the game's opening 5:44. Then, in the other three games, they've held New York, Vegas and Ottawa to a combined 16 shots in the opening 20 minutes. Get It Right Back: As mentioned above these two teams met one week ago today in Newark. Carolina had a unique travel situation, as they did not partake in their usual day-before travel due to a snowstorm in Wake County. So they traveled to New Jersey the day of the game and that night things did not go their way. Teuvo Teravainen did not play due to a lower-body injury and the group as a whole defensively was not very strong, as they'd allow seven goals over the course of the night. Fortunately for Carolina they don't have to wait long to try and avenge their loss though. Working Overtime: In both of their last two games played the Canes have needed more than regulation to get the job done, taking down Vegas in overtime on Tuesday and then winning their first shootout of the year over Ottawa on Thursday. Fantastic Freddie: Canes All-Star netminder Frederik Andersen has been the star of the show lately. He is 12-1 in his last 13 outings, ranks second in goals against average (GAA) with his 2.06, tied for second in wins with his 23, third in save percentage (SV%) with .927. Additional Notes: Milestone Watch: Brady Skjei will play in his 100th game as a Hurricane tonight. Derek Stepan is two points shy of 500 for his NHL career.

That was a bullshit call any way you look at it. It was OT and it was Jacob Slavin, a blue-liner who has taken maybe 5 penalties in his entire life. If it's that close, the benefit of the doubt goes to the player. Sure, technically by the book, it was a hook, I guess. But c'mon, OT and Slavin? Very few refs in the league are making that call.

During the last 5 minutes or so while I was watching the game last night, I began thinking about Carolina's losses as I certainly expected another at the hands of the Sens. The Canes have 9 losses/2 OT losses: Florida (2), Philadelphia, San Jose, Seattle, Ottawa, Vancouver, Washington, Dallas, Columbus and New Jersey. Any idea how many of those opponents have winning records? How about 4- Florida, San Jose, Washington and Dallas. We hear the phrase tossed around the NFL schedule every week- good teams win the games they're supposed to. If that same phrase were to be repeated in the Carolina Hurricanes circles, there might be some head scratching. When 6 of the 9 losses at this point in the season are at the hands of sub-.500 teams, these may come back to haunt the Canes when it comes to home ice advantage in the playoffs. Is it a mental let-down after going to town on 2 of the league's best teams in the Rangers and Bruins, followed by an OT win against Vegas that the next games against the Senators, Devils, Kraken and others are hard to mentally get up for?

Boy, they pulled that out of their ass. Anderson gets all 3 stars because no one else showed up tonite...maybe Svech in the shootout.

Canes will lose another game to a crappy team.

Time for an RBA motivational talk....

I know.... was being sarcastic.

Who?

TDA deflected that, otherwise Freddie was waiting for it. They look really disjointed. Start up the ice and fall apart at the blue line. Entries are bad, but they're keeping it in Ottawa's zone.

PP not good so far. No crowd makes that much difference.

I don't watch a lot of college football but if Howell was getting blown up behind a bad O-line at UNC, won't he just end up just like another QB named Sam we all know- getting crushed behind a terrible line and never having the opportunity to show what he could do with even a modicum of protection?

Martinook is out of protocol and skated Tuesday morning before the Vegas game. He's ready to go, but Canada has a 14-day rule that kept him home.

I watched the entire interview on Real Sports last night.... oh, boy. Not a good look for AB.

Would like to see the 3rd and 4th line play out of their minds tonite and put some points on the board. Staal has been grinding it out night after night and, although his point production doesn't show it, he's been working hard. Stepan is also nearing the end of his career and I'd be very pleased to see him get his 500th point in the next few games. Nino's last 2 games have been great, don't know what happened, but he's a different player right now. Lorentz has been doing a lot of the dirty work deep along the boards lately and KK belongs in the middle of that line. His net front is always a threat. ----------------------------- Keep The Momentum Going: Tuesday night the team pulled out a big victory against the Pacific Division leaders, despite letting their two-goal advantage slip in the game's final seven minutes. Sebastian Aho recorded the overtime winner, a new franchise-best seventh, and Frederik Andersen made 26 stops for his 22nd victory of he season. So Hot, Svech: Andrei Svechnikov enters tonight game recording two points in each of his last five games played. Because of the stretch he's upped his season total to 36 points in 36 games, which ranks only behind Aho on the team. DeAngelo's Run: Along with Svech, defenseman Tony DeAngelo also has points in five straight games. The blueliner is now over a point per game, totaling 33 points in 32 contests this season. Get It Back: When the two sides met in the beginning of December, goaltender (and former Hurricane) Anton Forsberg stole the show, making a remarkable 47 stops for Ottawa. He was the deciding factor in why his team won that game, despite Carolina's 49 shots. The Canes will undoubtedly want to get that one back when they go head-to-head tonight. Additional Notes: Milestone Watch: Derek Stepan is three points shy of 500 for his NHL career. What Color Are We Wearing?: The team will be wearing their white sweaters tonight. Hurricanes Next Home Game: Saturday, January 29 vs. New Jersey - Whalers Night Forwards: Teravainen - Aho - Jarvis Svechnikov - Trocheck - Necas Niederreiter - Staal - Fast Lorentz - Kotkaniemi - Stepan Defensemen: Slavin - DeAngelo Skjei - Pesce Cole - Bear Starting Goalie: Andersen

Freddie's saves in OT were highlight reel stuff. Canes are usually pretty conservative and wait for the right moment 3 on 3, but they got caught a couple times and I thought it was over. Svech's anticipation of the puck coming off the boards was great, he blew past Carrier and it was over before they could react.

Canes D looks pretty solid tonite. Lots of excellent sticks & backchecks.

Beauty no look pass by Svech.

Fast pressure on the puck along the wall got Nino the puck.

Wait, some of you guys asking for Payton were here just the other day saying you wouldn't want Aaron Rodgers because he's a prick. Make up your minds.

Teams can tank seasons for a reason. Networks tanking their own series costs them viewers and sponsorship deals.