Anybodyhome

It's youth, inexperience and a lot of it was not quite sure how to pace yourself thru a shortened season. An 80-game season allows you to juggle lineups, rest players here and there and get ready for a push at the end of the season. A short season against your own division made every game important and, from the looks of the playoff teams right now, the veteran teams with veteran coaches were able to navigate this mess pretty well.

I don't think I'll be able to watch tonight due to a prior engagement, but I think they could pull one out on the road. Accomplishing that without Trocheck or Nino is a tall order, especially since a couple of the top liners have gone cold. At this point I'm looking at UFAs who can help this team take the last step or toward becoming a legitimate, annual contender. I'd be very surprised if Dougie stays. The Canes could easily pay a blue-liner and the replacement for whomever The Kraken takes in the expansion draft, so I don't expect he'll get an $8M offer here. Not to mention they need to find a way to pay for goalies: I'm not disappointed with the team. They're young and they're set to be a very good team for many years with an outstanding coach and good leadership from the "C" and "A". They had a great season, for what it was. Let's not forget it was 24 fewer games than a full season and they only played their division.

Wait, aren't you the guy who, just last night, said: "Well that is that. Hurricanes are pathetic. Another promising season gone. Screw this team." How about this- go fug off while you wait for the Panthers to get "competitive" and while the Hornets are "getting better" while the Canes continue to build on consistent success from the past 3 seasons.

This is a very good hockey team, make no mistake. They still lack a couple pieces, but they have an identity and they play their game, which is far more than anyone can say about other pro sports team in the state. Looking forward to the off-season and watching for the pieces they need to take the next step. For those of you who want to talk sh!t about the Canes, go back to watching your Panthers and the NBA team in Charlotte, whatever their name is, and continue to live your miserable lives waiting for them to compete.

Game, set, match. Season starts in October. Let's go Canes.

This isn't looking good. I'll probably check out early tonite.

Carolina played better today than any game in the last 2+ weeks. Shots on goal, energy, movement. They just couldn't get anything past Vas. Wanna be concerned about something? The power play.

Like these lines. Energy is good and living in TB zone. All good.

Nashville played the regular season with 502 PIM and 62 PIM in the playoffs. Carolina played the regular season with 402 PIM and 74 PIM in the playoffs. Basically, over a 56-game season, Carolina had 50 fewer penalties than Nashville. But, come playoff time, Carolina was tagged with 8 more penalties over 6 games than Nashville.

Refs gonna ref. I always thought NHL refs were pretty good because a lot of them played the game at some point. They used to pretty much let guys play and weren't factors in the outcome of the games. But, much like MLB umps, they've decided they're just as important as the game and players and have progressively gotten worse in the last few years. And the Carolina - Nashville series isn't the only one with some bad/missed calls- I've seen a few others recently.

Scheduled to depart 11AM CDT (that's noon here). Arrives at RDU at 1:09PM.

Washington gone- good. Pittsburgh gone- very good. All I need now is Boston to go down in the second round and all 3 of my most disliked teams in the entire league are out.

Trying to pick a corner.

Was a late night for sure. But, again, while we're all talking about the Canes not playing their game and allowing Nashville to dictate the pace, etc., I'm gonna continue throwing sh!t at the refs, which have been horrible the entire series. A non-stop list of missed and bad calls that change the pace of the game away from Carolina every time they get something going. How do you win a game 4-2 in OT? From a complete bullsh!t call that took away the tying goal. That didn't work, so call a terrible holding penalty on Foegele in OT might have helped Nashville. Too many men on the ice twice in the 3rd period by Nashville not called. Martinook tripped right in front of the net, not called. High stick to Aho's head in the middle of the ice was completely ignored. And that's just the 3rd period! Fug 'em. Goalie interference, my ass. But the first Trenin goal was from a high stick up around his shoulders, so unless he's only 4 feet tall, there's no way that stick was below the cross bar. Hell, it finished above his head. Oh, and let's not forget today Dougie question: When the fug is he gonna use his size to impose his will on players who want to take shots at his team mates? How come we never see him in the scrum?

In this period alone: 2 times too many men not called, high stick to Aho's head not called, tripped Martinook in front of the net no call.

This team will be a perennial contender unless Waddell fugs it up. They have youth, talent, cap space and a very good farm system. Granted, there will come a time when they can't keep all of their studs- Aho, TT, Svech, Nino, Necas- but look at how well Pacquette, Fast and Hakanpaa have fit right in.

Where was Hamilton during that scrum, getting his nails done?

High stick deflection off Trenin

I'll start a GoFundMe account if that's what it takes to get Hamilton to play some fugging defense tonite and show us all why he should remain the head blue-liner on this team. But, in the end, you know what? I'm good with Slavin, Pesce, Skjei, Hakanpaa. Bean needs some work and we can find another defenseman or 2 for the amount of money Dougie wants.

I'm well aware of that. But aren't you the guy who said there was no such thing as home ice advantage? Carolina wins either one of their first 2 road games and the series is over.

I'd venture to say a Carolina loss today could mean a 1st round exit. They are not playing their style game on the road.

Ned is suddenly looking very ordinary.

Thought for sure Svech would get 4 for the Nashville guy hitting his own player

Shock and amazement! A delay of game not called on Nashville. The phantom deflection!

Point being, the players don't care if the officiating is good, bad or whatever. They just need to know that it'll be consistent and they'll play the game accordingly.