12/30 Game Thread: Canes v. Habs- Puck Drop 7:00PM

[Anybodyhome]

https://www.nhl.com/hurricanes/news/preview-canes-versus-canadiens/c-329284300

Shake Off The Rust: It's been just under two weeks since the Canes have last played a game. Mind you they've been had thorough practices every day since Sunday, but as the team will tell you, there's nothing that can replicate participating in a game. Since December 18 the team has had six players come off of COVID Protocol, however, they've had four more enter. Tonight's action will be the first since December 11 for Sebastian Aho and December 12 for Seth Jarvis, Ian Cole, Steven Lorentz, Andrei Svechnikov and Jordan Staal.

Maybe More?: Of the four that entered protocol since the team's last game, at least one of them is already out. Stefan Noesen, who was assigned to the team's Taxi Squad yesterday, completed his ten days of isolation and now could be recalled ahead of the 5 p.m. deadline in order to play in tonight's game. The same recall procedure could be utilized for goaltender Alex Lyon, who was recalled to the Taxi Squad from Chicago earlier this week after Frederik Andersen tested positive on December 23. The big question mark regarding all of this is how the NHL's adjustments to their protocols from yesterday will impact the team. Moving to the five-day isolation from ten days, that leaves the door open for a potential return for some of the players with Andersen on the team list at the moment. More information will follow morning skate if this is indeed the case.

Strike First: The Canes are 14-2-1 when scoring first this season. Along the same lines, Montreal is 2-17-1 when their opponent scores first.

Additional Notes:

Milestone Watch: Tony DeAngelo needs two more assists to reach 100 in his NHL career.

What Color Are We Wearing?: The team will be wearing their red sweaters tonight.

Arrive Early: Please be advised another big crowd is expected at PNC Arena tonight. Allow yourself a few extra minutes for your commute this evening!

In The Arena: Due to staffing limitations there will be some concession stands and retail stores closed tonight.

https://www.nhl.com/hurricanes/news/projected-lineup-canes-versus-canadiens/c-329306688

RALEIGH, NC. - For the first time in nearly three weeks the team will have more of a standard-looking lineup, welcoming back over a half-dozen of familiar faces.

Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, Ian Cole, Steven Lorentz, Jordan Staal and Andrei Svechnikov are all expected to play in their first game since entering COVID-19 Protocol on December 11 and 12 tonight. In addition to those six, Stefan Noesen and Jesper Fast both took part in morning skate, signaling that they too could be available after exiting protocol.

Although not expected to play, Jordan Martinook and Jalen Chatfield (lower-body injuries) also took part in the team's session.

In net, Antti Raanta was in the starter's crease, opposite Alex Lyon.

The only two absences this morning were Brendan Smith and Frederik Andersen, both who tested positive for the virus on December 20 and 23, respectively.

Carolina's projected lineup for this evening against the Habs is as follows. One of the four listed players on the fourth line will serve as a scratch.

Forwards:

Niederreiter - Aho - Teravainen

Svechnikov - Trocheck - Necas

Kotkaniemi - Staal - Jarvis

Lorentz - Stepan - Fast - Noesen

Defensemen:

Slavin - DeAngelo

Skjei - Pesce

Cole - Bear

Starting Goalie:

Raanta

Injuries:

Jalen Chatfield

Jordan Martinook

COVID-19 Protocol:

Frederik Andersen

Brendan Smith

 

[Harbingers]

Two more Habs in the protocol today. Making their total 13… with 13 skaters supposedly able to go tonight. The habs beat reporters are claiming the NHL is refusing to call it off. As much as I want to see canes hockey forcing 13 skaters(or players, not sure which) to go is just ugh. I wouldn’t want the canes to do it so…

If it is on I expect a lot of dirty play from the Habs to slow things down.

CORRECTION: it may just be down 13. The beat writers tweet wasn’t clear. 

Edited December 30, 2021 by Harbingers

[Anybodyhome]

I'd rather face off best-on-best than play this way. I'm a firm believer that too many skaters on the ice unfamiliar with each other and unfamiliar with the speed these guys play only sets up the possibility for injury.

That being said- I wanna see some hockey!

Edited December 30, 2021 by Anybodyhome

[Harbingers]

18 minutes ago, Anybodyhome said:

I'd rather face off best-on-best than play this way. I'm a firm believer that too many skaters on the ice unfamiliar with each other and unfamiliar with the speed these guys play only sets up the possibility for injury.

That being said- I wanna see some hockey!

Agreed. Teams shouldn’t be penalized if they have followed all protocols. Best on best would be.. best!

[MillionDollarCam]

The NHL is backed into a corner here because teams don’t own the arena’s that they play in. If they continue to push games out then they’ll eventually run into the issue of overlapping dates with concerts and other future events hosted by the venues that their teams play in. It sucks but either all the teams need to push through or they just need to cancel the season.

As for this game, it’s a lose-lose for the Canes. If they lose it’s embarrassing, if they win it’s because they were supposed to. Hopefully there’s no rust.

[Anybodyhome]

I think the NHL has a lot more options than you think. They could shorten the season again, maybe not as drastically as 58 games, but maybe down to 70; they can do the 2-game sets against the same team like they did last season to make up for lost divisional games; cut the playoff schedule to a 3 out of 5 for the first 2 rounds. 

PNC Arena only has the NC State basketball games to contend with, along with a couple concerts, but all those are subject to COVID just like the Canes.

[Harbingers]

3 minutes ago, Anybodyhome said:

I think the NHL has a lot more options than you think. They could shorten the season again, maybe not as drastically as 58 games, but maybe down to 70; they can do the 2-game sets against the same team like they did last season to make up for lost divisional games; cut the playoff schedule to a 3 out of 5 for the first 2 rounds. 

PNC Arena only has the NC State basketball games to contend with, along with a couple concerts, but all those are subject to COVID just like the Canes.

I’d say play games at smaller markets like us. Yes it gives us an “unfair” advantage. But keep divisions and conference rivals split evenly. Unlike the panthers there is not going to be any away team advantage though. 

[WelshPanther]

I think it’s inevitable that the season is shortened to 72 games unless they change protocol rules. I’ve missed the hockey so much the last few weeks but this is tough on Habs.

[WelshPanther]

KK back on the wing tonight after being pretty good at C on 4th line, see if he has built confidence and it works

[Harbingers]

3 minutes ago, WelshPanther said:

KK back on the wing tonight after being pretty good at C on 4th line, see if he has built confidence and it works

I think they want to see if he can keep up his production on the wing after reading a bit of the last Don interview. I suspect it will be temporary. 

[Harbingers]

Is it me or is Shane Willis like third period trashed already?

[Harbingers]

9 minutes ago, WelshPanther said:

I think it’s inevitable that the season is shortened to 72 games unless they change protocol rules. I’ve missed the hockey so much the last few weeks but this is tough on Habs.

Ya… if it was a division rival I’d say game on. But the habs have been injury plagued and struggling. No reason to put them vs. Tampa and then us. 

[Harbingers]

It is good to have hockey back. 

[MillionDollarCam]

55 minutes ago, Anybodyhome said:

I think the NHL has a lot more options than you think. They could shorten the season again, maybe not as drastically as 58 games, but maybe down to 70; they can do the 2-game sets against the same team like they did last season to make up for lost divisional games; cut the playoff schedule to a 3 out of 5 for the first 2 rounds. 

PNC Arena only has the NC State basketball games to contend with, along with a couple concerts, but all those are subject to COVID just like the Canes.

I think there’s options but the NHL is trying to minimize the excuses in my opinion. The NHL isn’t responsible for who gets Covid so they can essentially say “sorry, but the games have to go on”. If they start tampering with the schedule and rules there will be push back from teams. Not every team we’ll agree to the changes which is what they would need.