RSS
Home
Weekend Report: Tough start to the season for Hurricanes
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
AP Photo / Mary Schwalm
The Carolina Hurricanes gave up nine goals in their first two games of the season, were shut out by the Flyers at home on Friday, and scored only twice in a 7-2 loss to the Boston Bruins on Saturday.
Needless to say, it was a tough way to open the regular season. But if the Canes are going to have back-to-back losses like these, the fans would rather see it in game 1 and 2 of the season than game 81 and 82.
And face it: the Canes have met adversity head-on in recent seasons too. Just last year, the team relieved Peter Laviolette of his coaching duties and reintroduced Paul Maurice as their head coach after an unsettling beginning to the 2008-2009 season. That changed seemed to work out just fine, as the Canes went on to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since they won the Stanley Cup in 2006.
In essence, the Canes will find a way to overcome a rocky opening weekend.
On Friday, Flyers goaltender Ray Emery had 28 saves in the Flyers 2-0 defeat of the Canes, resulting in his ninth career shut-out. Jeff Carter and Mike Richards both tallied a power-play goal each for the Flyers. Cam Ward had 25 saves for the Hurricanes.
The Canes woes proved worse on Saturday night when the Bruins stomped them at the TD Banknorth Center.Scott Walker and Eric Staal were the lone goal scorers for the Canes, while the Bruins had seven different goal scorers for each of their goals.
Clearly, it was a rough weekend for the Canes.
There are, however, several things the Canes can improve to grab their first win this Tuesday night against division opponent Tampa Bay. And the first thing they need to do is score on the powerplay.
With fifteen chances to capitalize on the power-play in their first two games, the Canes scored just once.
Scoring on the power-play has seemed to be a problem for the Canes in recent years. If the Canes want to win the Southeast division this season, they are going to have to take the opportunities presented to them and execute. Otherwise, the Canes won’t be returning to the postseason next April.
But Canes fans, there is no need to worry. This season has 80 games left in it, and the Canes have plenty of time to figure out their beginning of the season woes. And rest assured if captain Rod Brind’Amour, Eric Staal, Paul Maurice, and the rest of the Canes have anything to do with it, they will.
For more information, visit www.carolinahurricanes.com or www.nhl.com.
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
