Canes Outlook

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• thatrollslayer Feb 13, 2013
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  Location: Apex, NC
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  After claiming 9 of a possible 12 points on this long road trip, the Canes are in a great position to keep the momentum rolling. Tlusty has been playing great these last couple games, and the chemistry is really starting to build on our lines. I was glad to see us send Seteguchi back down, he was getting burned badly at the NHL level, along with Westgarth. If we played with the intensity we had last night against the Devils all the time, then we will be a force come playoff time. Right now there is still a lot to be worked on, namely DEFENSE and power play effeciency. These next couple games at home are huge for us and will need the fans there for support. I realize this forum isn't nearly trafficked as much as the UNC/Duke/NCSU ones, but hopefully we can get some good hockey discussion going on this season. Hopefully some of you guys can make it out Thursday as the Canes take on a red hot Toronto team thats on a 4 game win streak.
  
  OUTLOOK: Positive

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• anderson Feb 13, 2013
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  Location: Garner, NC
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  I was going to put something up here about the lack of traffic myself. I"m a huge Tarheel fan but since they aren't having one of their better seasons I'm even more interested in the Canes than usual. They are looking much better than the first two games. I think they have real potential to make a deep playoff run. Wish I could go to the games at PNC but with 5 in the family and bills to pay we can't afford it even on Family Nights :(

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• giantfan1956 Feb 13, 2013
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  Location: South Yarmouth, MA
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  Great post! yea, lets get this thread going, canes fan here on cape cod.. Wife and i are huge Caniacs... Huge road trip, and outplayed jersey for most of game, and CAM IS Cam... Hope Joni is ok, any word on him?? dinz

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• thatrollslayer Feb 13, 2013
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  Location: Apex, NC
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  The forechecking last night was outstanding, aggresive throughout all 3 periods. And lets be honest, Justin Faulk is our most solid defender (all around) and the TO he had right infront of Cam was a fluke. Its great to see Semin & Staal gelling together, and you can tell a lot of the players are really starting to get their legs under them, especially a guy like Jordan Staal who with a big body like his can get up ice quick and create in transition with ease.
  
  Looks like we have our lines sets for the near future barring any injuries, and as far as Joni is concern this is all I was able to find as of today:
  
  "Joni Pitkanen left Tuesday's win over the Devils with a lower-body injury. Hurricanes coach Kirk Muller said after the game that he did not know of the severity of Pitkanen's injury, the Charlotte Observer reports."

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• thatrollslayer Feb 13, 2013
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  Location: Apex, NC
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  Also good to see a guy like Tim Wallace getting a chance in Carolina, he has played hard and aggresive giving the Canes solid minutes on that 4th line, which has really looked like a 3rd line at times.

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• anderson Feb 13, 2013
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  Location: Garner, NC
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  Do ya'll get the games on TV up there?

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• StunGunn Feb 15, 2013
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  Location: Raleigh, NC
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  Thanks for the heads up about getting this forum a little action, trollslayer. It's great to see fans of Duke, State, and Carolina all on the same side for once.
  
  As for the Canes, I'm loving it! Muller has tinkered with the lines, and it's paying huge dividends. Great to see players like Corvo and Tlusty playing so well. I was afraid with Gleason out last night, it might be trouble for the Canes, but other guys stepped up. Having Ellis as Cam's backup is terrific!
  
  It would be great to see the Canes make the playoffs this year, and they certainly have the talent to do it. Go Canes!!!

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• thatrollslayer Feb 15, 2013
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  Location: Apex, NC
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  Make that THREE STRAIGHT W's for the Canes. Last nights game was a great exmaple of how this team should be playing every night. We have done a great job at keeping pucks in the offensive zone and keeping opposing teams on their heels. Playing with this level of intensity and awareness is just going to lead to more wins. Also great to see Corvo have the game he did, well deserved. Not the biggest or most physical defensemen on the ice, but brings an offensive side to his game that really can boost our attack. Staal extends his point streak, which is still the longest active one in the NHL, and I agree with you jgunn, this team is poised to make a playoff run this year if we can just hold it together.

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• kheffn Feb 15, 2013
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  Location: Cary, NC
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  Jordan Stall and Semin were great pickups even though not cheap. If i see them trade for Robyn Regehr, I'll feel good about them going deep into the playoffs. Tha Canes have too many offensive minded defensemen and need some more pure grit defense like Gleason.

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• ncJB96 Feb 17, 2013
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  Location: Yanceyville, NC
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  Tha Canes are looking good

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• giantfan1956 Feb 18, 2013
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  Location: South Yarmouth, MA
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  Yes, we get Center Ice up here, Any word on Skinner?

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• kkevin7048 Feb 18, 2013
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  Location: Winston-Salem, NC
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  I get Center Ice so my wife can watch her Buffalo Sabres and most times it does not show the game but just the audio,Why? GO CANES !

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• kkevin7048 Feb 18, 2013
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  A Tar Heel fan to wear the color red or root for a hockey team in red/white and not Carolina blue?..Yes the games are not cheap but I try to see them once a year.I buy those Kleenex tissues for the nose bleed seats.

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• thatrollslayer Feb 19, 2013
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  Location: Apex, NC
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  Injuries, injuries, injuries. Gleason and Joni on IR as of right now, and Skinner out with an upper body injury which hopefully doesn't mean conccussion.
  
  Last night against Montreal we just didn't show up. Ward kept us in the game for the first 2 periods with some excellent saves, but the 3rd period we just looked deflated. Hopefully the guys we just called up (Nash, Welsh) gained some confidence from that game, which they didn't play bad in actually. Got the reeling Jets coming Thursday, need to capatalize.

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• VT1994Hokie Feb 19, 2013
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  Muller is working this team to wins.

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• StunGunn Feb 21, 2013
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  Location: Raleigh, NC
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  They also called up Ryan Murphy, but Pitkanen may be able to play tonight. These injuries all seem to have happened at once. Missing Gleason and Skinner really hurts. Skins was out a long time last year - 16 games missed - so I hope his concusion is not a serious one.

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• thatrollslayer Feb 21, 2013
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  Going to the game tonight, so I'm hoping Joni can get back out there, but we will see. No need to rush anyone back at this point. Skinner's 2nd concussion and with head injuries you just never know, just look at what happened with Crosby 2 years ago. Skinner has got to do a better job of absorbing big hits, or not making himself so vulnerable in the first place. Hopefully we can get a W tonight against the Jets, but not looking forward to not getting to see Skinner play.

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• thatrollslayer Feb 25, 2013
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  Huge win last night with the Islanders. Needed that badly to stop the skid we were on. The team has been playing some uninspired hockey as of late and just didn't have the same effort as our long road trip showed we were capable of. Thankfully the Staal brothers stepped up big tonight and got us back into this game right at the end of the 2nd period. And what a timely 1st NHL goal for Bobby S., huge on so many levels. Hoping we can get some of our injured players back soon, got a tough part of the schedule coming up.

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• mortonlipschitz Feb 26, 2013
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  Location: Raleigh, NC
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  Jim, I can name this tune in 5 notes...its very familiar
  
  (1) tied for 8-10th place in points in the conference
  (2) negative GF/GA differential
  (3) Tampa Bay blowing us out consistently
  (4) injuries excuses
  (5) Cam Ward overrated

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• kkevin7048 Feb 27, 2013
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  Location: Winston-Salem, NC
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  I got my tickets for the Canes/Sabres game next Tues night. GO CANES !

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• thatrollslayer Feb 27, 2013
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  So about last nights game....yeah.....hopefully we show up Thursday night at home against Pitt.

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• thatrollslayer Feb 28, 2013
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  Gleason, Skinner, McBain, and Brent ALL returning tonight vs. the Pens.
  
  Trending up again!

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• thatrollslayer Mar 4, 2013
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  3 in a row. Lost Cam Ward for 6-8 weeks with a knee sprain. Times like these when you are glad to have a backup like Ellis.

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• StunGunn Mar 5, 2013
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  Location: Raleigh, NC
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  Totally agree. Some people questioned Rutherford's decision to have such a good back-up goalie, when he could have possibly spent the money on a defensive player. JR he sure looks like a genius now!
  
  So glad they won tonight with Peters in net.

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• thatrollslayer Mar 6, 2013
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  Huge W last night against what many people consider to be our most heated rival. Was good to see us skating hard and strong on the forecheck all night. Not just dumping and chasing like we were earlier on in the season, everyone seems to have their legs under them at this point. Hopefuly we don't get by the injury bug again, and can keep this momentum going forward.

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• ncJB96 Mar 10, 2013
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  Go Canes!

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• anderson Mar 13, 2013
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  rollin', rollin', rollin', let's keep momentum rolling!

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• thatrollslayer Mar 15, 2013
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  Just an awful loss last night. Up 2-0 and to lose it 3-2 in the final minutes of the 3rd. Not gonna cut it Canes.

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• kkevin7048 Mar 15, 2013
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  Just a bad loss by the Canes,Bounce back and were on a roll baby !

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• thatrollslayer Mar 20, 2013
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  Last night was awful. Probably the worst game we have played all season, and it was against the miserable Panthers. Need to right the ship ASAP!

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• VT1994Hokie Mar 21, 2013
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  Changing the line up is proving positive.

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• thatrollslayer Mar 21, 2013
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  Must win tonight. Gotta stop this 4 game skid and get some points!

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• StunGunn Mar 22, 2013
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  ^^^^^^
  
  Unfortunately, they stunk it up again. It's bad when the Devils' goalie is credited with a goal. With Ruutu back, I hope the Canes can get back on track, SOON.

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• thatrollslayer Mar 22, 2013
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  Last night was pretty bad. Like Kirk said in the post game, its time to hold players accountable, if you aren't giving it 100% for the entire 60 minutes, your not going to play. Skinner has been playing tough these past two games, but its hard to win when only two lines are creating chances really. Getting Ruutu back was great, but one defensemen isn't going to suddenly get us on a win streak, this team needs to look itself in the mirror and get back to its old ways - hard skating, aggresive on the forecheck, blocking pucks, and not just dumping and chasing like we are starting to do again.

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• fireman1234 Apr 5, 2013
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  BLEAK

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• thatrollslayer Apr 8, 2013
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  OVER

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• StunGunn Apr 12, 2013
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  Location: Raleigh, NC
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  Had my hopes up last night when Skinner scored the first goal, but that was all she wrote for the Canes. With every loss, the guys lose more and more confidence. I agree with Muller: the Canes deserve a better fate.

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• thatrollslayer Apr 19, 2013
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  A season with so much promise ends with so much dissapointment. Canes R' Bad.

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