Anybodyhome

Detroit starting a goalie with no NHL games under his pads (0-0-0). Canes might get shut out.

I am going to the game.... my last tickets for the year. Again, glad I did not purchase playoff tickets and I'm almost sorry I've already purchased next season's tickets. Oh well. Maybe I'll win the Harley-Davidson tonight and it won't be a complete loss. Since I no longer ride, my plan is to auction it off for one of my favorite charities, keep a few bucks for myself to pay the taxes and whatever else and be done with it.

I have no reason to believe Carolina will beat Detroit tonight. As I said last night, Buffalo is on the 2nd game of a back-to-back against NJ tonite and I expect NJ to jump ahead of the Canes for the Metro lead. Canes squandered every possible opportunity to put space between them and the Devils and failed in every imaginable way. Game in hand, playing non-playoff teams, playing against call-up goalies... you name it, they had their chances. So, the Canes fall to the 2 seed and will face the Rags. I don't expect a sweep, usually a home ice advantage might be good for 1 win; so I'll say NY in 5 games. After that week long stretch when the Canes played Boston, the Rags twice, Toronto and Tampa Bay (they went 2-2-1), the remainder of the schedule, on paper, was easy compared to that: Detroit, Montreal, NYI, Ottawa, Nashville, Buffalo, Ottawa... and they go 3-4. Svechnikov goes down and the team immediately becomes a .500 team. Not saying he's the only reason, but.... among other things- subpar goaltending, the top line is either all or nothing and the last 7 games they should be on a milk carton they've been missing for so long. On March 1, the Canes were 39-11-8. On April 1, they were 47-18-9. A 30-day stretch of 8-7-1 hockey is not playoff hockey.

A choke of epic proportions. The game in hand is gone, a weekend opportunity to gain some separation from NJ wasted and the inability to beat non-playoff teams down the stretch. Carolina will lose tomorrow night, NJ is playing Buffalo who also played tonight. Carolina will go down in 5 games to the Rangers.

Maybe I'll just sit out at the bar and not bother with my seat.

I'm out. And I have tickets for tomorrow night. Fug, I don't even want to go.

3 in a row.... Don't look now, but a 1st round exit against the Rangers incoming.

Leave Tkachuk alone behind the net. WTF gents. The "work in progress" is on the ice.

Tomorrow at home vs. Detroit won't be easy. I've said many times here they give Carolina fits. If there's an upside, it's at home and Detroit is traveling on a back-to-back after facing Dallas.

Canes have repeatedly allowed opportunities to slip away this season. Leaving almost $10M on the table at the TDL for the sake of "chemistry," not having a sense of urgency to close out games down the stretch that would have alleviated the need to win the next 2 of 3, inability or unwillingness to play the right goalie for the right situation..... it all shows signs of an organization unable to adapt and commit. Sure, I hope the Canes can pull off the division win, even if its only to see NJ and NY fight it out for 7 games while the Canes face the Panthers. A much easier match-up for the Canes. But wouldn't it be nice to have a 3 or 5 point lead right now after wins over Nashville and/or Buffalo?

Good on ya, CWG. Here's to strength and perseverance and you're well enough to get home soon.

Trust me, the Canes are trying wrap up second place as soon as possible.

Really? I thought it was in Boston because the all the dasher boards were adorned with Boston College logos. My bad.

Game was around 8 last night in Boston, so I'm sure he got a charter or private flight out of Buffalo. Only a 90-minute flight.

In other news, I watched the Frozen Four Championship last night. RBA was in attendance as Quinnipiac tied the game at 2-2 with an extra attacker inside 2 minutes. Quinnipiac then went on to win in OT. Talk about some physical hockey. There was not an opportunity to hit someone that was passed up by either team. Congrats to the RBA family.

Ottawa rolled Tampa Bay last night 7-4. Last week it took OT to beat them in our house. Do I honestly think the Canes can beat a team desperately trying to make the playoffs and the next night beat a Detroit team the Canes struggle mightily with? No. I have zero reson to believe the Canes, in control of their own destiny, can close the season on a high note.

But, let's not forget, the PP is still a work in progress.

Kochetkov is not ready for prime time. If the Canes roll with Raanta and use #52 to fill in those back-to-backs and maybe catch a start against a lower tier team here and there, okay. But to pull the same alternating starts between Raanta and Kochetkov makes this a .500 team.

For the life of me, I do not understand leaving damn near $10M on the table when it's a "use it or lose it" salary cap proposition. The fact that we had the same opportunities to speak with every one of the players who ended up with contracts in the Eastern Division and the Canes came away with nothing bothers me to no end. Kane, Tarasenko, Meier, Horvat, Engvall.....

Both Raanta and Andersen are UFAs once the Canes exit the playoffs in the the next 2 weeks or so. I imagine one of the 2 are going to stay and 1 is walking. Here's the point of discussion: who is the free agent target for the Canes? Issue #1: Raanta and Andersen bring are ranked 3 and 4 in GAA among UFA goalies. So whoever comes to Carolina will not be packing a 2.4 GAA in their luggage. Issue #2: What's your desired sample size? You want someone who played 25 or more games this season or are you willing to put someone in net with not much time on the ice this season? Who ya got? I'd be willing to give a look at Adin Hill, Korpisalo and Alex Lyon. I'd consider Varlamov, but he's 35 and not sure he's got many seasons left in the tank. And, yes, I know we've seen Lyon and he was not good after showing like a stud with the Checkers and Chicago Wolves.

Another rookie goalie stones the Canes. The current philosophy and system do not work. Time for some changes.

Do not underestimate the net front ability of Stef Noesen. Boy, was he missed today.

Fugging laughable. But, hey, "I like our group."

The Canes PP is still a "work in progress." In the middle of the 78th game of the season.... oh boy....

None of the Buffalo goals were on Raanta. Jumping when they shouldn't, pinching when they shouldn't, just an overall lack of discipline.