Well, I’ll get the crabbing out of the way up front. NHL didn’t do us any favors for us with four straight on the road hopscotching north for a back to back and then south and finally West. I haven’t scanned the schedules but Canes have one of the worst if not the worst re-start schedules this past week. Shame of it is we could have played the Toronto game earlier…oh well.
Having said that, I actually look at the trip positively. Toronto was a toss up score wise but we outplayed them and in a playoff game we have a good shot of winning. Ottawa was a trap game but our third period was superb. Boston, the team just hates them and Canes put great effort to win.
Then, tonight (coming after a big effort game). We had many great chances to tie & win and against a really good team on the road with a hot goaltender you just don’t win them all. Toronto and Minny are SC contenders and you couldn’t ask for closer road games from us. We will win some of them in the playoffs and then hold serve at home to win series.
Player wise, it’s really encouraging that Tro has stepped up his play and a Svetch is playing like a superstar. My worries are 22, 24 (play has slipped) and most importantly 11 (sorry Tripp, a one off tipped goal is not wowing me and he is just brutally bad this year). We probably need to solidify D & I also would like Lorentz to remain in the lineup.