GDT: Canes at Bolts

[tarheelhockey]

So going back to this

I actually kind of like the timing for psychological purposes. We're at exactly the 1/4 mark and at this point we can legitimately say the Canes are good. Out of left field, now they'll have a playoff series against the defending champs.

Either they'll rise to the occasion and have one of those "hey guys, we can really make a run this year" moments, or they'll get a harsh reality check. The reality check might not be the worst thing, in the same way that getting buzzsawed by Boston twice wasn't the worst thing for this group's long term development.

And this

Upside for the Canes is they have a chance to start burying the Lightning a bit. One win can make a big difference...

If we win
1. CAR 17 games, 27 points
2. FLA 16 games, 24 points
3. CHI 19 games, 22 points
4. TBL 17 games, 21 points

If we lose
1. CAR 17 games, 25 points
2. FLA 16 games, 24 points
3. TBL 17 games, 23 points
4. CHI 19 games, 22 points

If they can power through and get a tough W, expanding to a 6-point lead instead of a 2-point lead would make a world of difference in a 56-game season.

Test failed. This team is not quite as overwhelmingly good as we hoped they might be, and they won’t be running away from the division contenders. They still have a lot to prove. Time to put the hard hats on and break this losing streak.

 

[Rick Davis]

I’d like to think that the series would have been closer if Mragic were available but even that is debatable. The mark of a great team is one that can win even on nights where the A game is missing which was certainly the case for the Bolts tonight..

 

[Daeavorn]

Man I sure wish we had a super awesome goal scoring offensive defenseman.

 

[Identity404]

Canes deserved to win this game. They were better, didn't get the bounces. Reimer wasn't good. That was the difference.

We are terrible when with the extra attacker. How often do we end up with a goal in our net shortly after pulling the goalie? It's just making our goal diff worse. STALP.

 

[hblueridgegal]

The intangibles make a difference again. I like our players because of the personality and who they are...yet we seem to lack that finish them snarl.

 

[Svechhammer]

Jam3s R3im3r

Offense wasn't good enough, and Tampa exploited the same weakness that Boston exposed the last 2 years. We have fundamental flaws that we have not done well enough to resolve. Analytics doesn't help a team that is scared of being bodied.

But yeah, our goalie situation kind of sucks.

 

[Joanna]

Lightning sitting back and laughing at us. It's the Bruins all over again. We just lose our shit too often to be relied on.

Someday we'll figure it out, I guess.

Lightning are not laughing at you - they are laughing at Goodrow's 2 EN. As a Lightning long time fan, I can tell you that we fans always look forward to playing the Canes because we know it's going to be a good game, no matter who wins. Your team is great and very enjoyable to watch. Good luck as you move on.

 

[Big Daddy Cane]

1000 foot view:

Game 1 - Defensive stalemate
Game 2 - Total domination by Carolina
Game 3 - Domination by Tampa
Game 4 - Total domination by Tampa
Game 5 - Domination by Carolina, just no puck luck

+2 goal differential for Tampa and a 3-2 series lead heading back to Carolina.

A playoff series between these two will be a nailbiter, imo.

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

Tampa should show the staff we need more wrinkles in the offense. Tampa packed the defense and the point shots didn’t cause rebounds and the below goal line passes were not as easy with 4 guys that close to the net.

They punished the better offensive players when they could and made them less likely to go to the net and keep them on the outside.

Rod loves playing the game the right way. He needs to adjust his style to what the league allows. If they are allowing cross checking to the nth, then gain your advantage too. Keep the sticks away from the hands and away from the skates. Everything else is fair game.

 

[Identity404]

1000 foot view:

+2 goal differential for Tampa and a 3-2 series lead heading back to Carolina.

And what is that goal differential if you don't count EN's?

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

We blaming Reimer for playing the 2nd goal exactly as he should with McGinn not doing his job, possibly even deflecting it and even then the puck found the smallest of holes to go in? Interesting.

 

[MyLuckyPuck]

Measuring stick games. We haven't measured up. (Except that blowout)

 

[Drivebytrucker]

Seems alot of the time we lose our goalie plays worse than the other one even if he has a good game. Props to CMAC

When the puck bounces aren't going our way like tonight,. We seem to rush every shot. Just get it on net and hopefully one gets by.

Few times tonight (Brady in front, Nino in the 3rd),. I'd like to see them take that extra half second and pick a corner.

 

[Big Daddy Cane]

And what is that goal differential if you don't count EN's?

Even

 

[chaz4hockey]

It's almost like Tampa knows exactly what we're going to do offensively every time. Well coached players for sure.

Years ago, the Islanders swept an offensive machine in the Oilers (they were still very young) 4 straight by playing tough hard, nosed positional hockey. Gretzky didn’t have a goal in the entire series.

Following year, the Oilers won in 5 despite having lost the last 10 to the Islanders (Oilers to a man said they didn’t realize the sacrifice/what it took to win until they played the 4-straight cup Isles in ‘83 and having also lost to them in ‘81 prelims).

Bolts are an older/experienced team that has been to the mountain. The young Canes are still learning how to win and more importantly the sacrifices that it takes to win against the best.

My only worry is that the Oilers had a Hall of Fame goalie in Grant Fuhr (who stole the first game the following year) whereas our Goaltending is just not Stanley Cup winning material.

btw: Yup, I’m old....

 

[tarheelhockey]

A playoff series between these two will be a nailbiter, imo.

It’ll be like that Boston/Vancouver final where they alternated kicking each other’s asses.

 

[hblueridgegal]

Folks don't seem to be buying what RBA is selling tonight, particularly, around his defensive choices. The 8 minutes of Fleury seems kinda strange on a back to back? If Slavin and Dougie don't feel well or optimal, why not give them a night off - not as punishment but as a recuperative measure? On ice performance aside, in interviews, they both come across as a bit disengaged or whatevs. It's very odd to see.

 

[Sens1Canes2]

Years ago, the Islanders swept an offensive machine in the Oilers (they were still very young) 4 straight by playing tough hard, nosed positional hockey. Gretzky didn’t have a goal in the entire series.

Following year, the Oilers won in 5 despite having lost the last 10 to the Islanders (Oilers to a man said they didn’t realize the sacrifice/what it took to win until they played the 4-straight cup Isles in ‘83 and having also lost to them in ‘81 prelims).

Bolts are an older/experienced team that has been to the mountain. The young Canes are still learning how to win and more importantly the sacrifices that it takes to win against the best.

My only worry is that the Oilers had a Hall of Fame goalie in Grant Fuhr (who stole the first game the following year) whereas our Goaltending is just not Stanley Cup winning material.

btw: Yup, I’m old....

I love that story. Oilers got swept by the Isles, and as they walked out of their room, bodies feeling *ok*, they peeked into the Isles winning dressing room and there were guys keeled over, nursing bruises and generally exhausted.

Canes might get there and they might not. But more often than not, the differences are, the Bruins and Lightning have/had elite goaltending, and they generally play a harder game than the Canes.

I think a healthy Mrazek at least takes a dent out of the first point. The second, I’m not sure what the answer is. It might just be, figuring out how to persevere through those types of series.

 

[Peterpuck7810]

The cane's are not quite ready for prime time yet. They still lack that big and ugly defenseman. And need some more snarl... But still young and improving. This was a great test to see where they stand.

 

[AD Skinner]

I still think mcelhinney is a cool dude and am not too salty about this skid. We're 2-3 against the defending champs. If this was a best of 5 series it would've been a bummer but hard fought loss and if it was a best of 7 we'd still be right in it. But it's not and we are putting up decent fights without our starting goalie and one of our best forwards.

 

[Cardiac Jerks]

It’ll be like that Boston/Vancouver final where they alternated kicking each other’s asses.

Hopefully we behave a bit better if we turn out to be Vancouver in this scenario.

 

[GoCanes2015]

As tough a time as Slavin has been having generally, Dougie is the real liability here, followed by Skjei. Dougie has been markedly slower, running away from hits (again), passing poorly (albeit the rest of the team is doing this too). Clearly, he's nursing something, but this Dougie is not the one I would re-sign. Reimer was good, actually really good last night, but not quite good enough. I will say the Bolts seemed to really push the limits on cross-checking as well.

 

[GoldiFox]

I get that it is Tampa and it sucks going up against their forward group every night for 4 games in a row but I don't think I have ever been so disenchanted with Slavin's play. Similar to the Boston Playoff series, the effort and energy is just sad to watch. The Canes simply aren't going to be able to compete unless Slavin is 100% engaged.

 

[CanesFanBudMan]

I get that it is Tampa and it sucks going up against their forward group every night for 4 games in a row but I don't think I have ever been so disenchanted with Slavin's play. Similar to the Boston Playoff series, the effort and energy is just sad to watch. The Canes simply aren't going to be able to compete unless Slavin is 100% engaged.

Agree, he has just not looked engaged at all (including before he was out for Covid). He has shown some pop on a couple of offensive rushes, but has been completely flat on defense.

Last year if there was a 50-50 puck in the D zone it was more often than not his and if he had the puck in the D zone you could guarantee a breakout.

 

[Peterpuck7810]

As tough a time as Slavin has been having generally, Dougie is the real liability here, followed by Skjei. Dougie has been markedly slower, running away from hits (again), passing poorly (albeit the rest of the team is doing this too). Clearly, he's nursing something, but this Dougie is not the one I would re-sign. Reimer was good, actually really good last night, but not quite good enough. I will say the Bolts seemed to really push the limits on cross-checking as well.

I agree, this version of Hamilton can be let go. I'd rather see Bean get those minutes and sign a rugged brusier for a replacement.. one that chews up forwards and spits them out just for fun....