Anybodyhome

Leafs are broken. Out of the playoffs and Matthews done for the year. It's either a very dangerous game against a team who doesn't give a fug and will leave it all on the ice, or a team who's thrown in the towel with an effort to match. And, yes, I'm sitting in the Miami Airport waiting on my next flight. Will be back in Lenovo both 28 & 29 for the b2b.

Half my section was obnoxious Pittsburgh fans last nite. I'm not sure I would have held it together if the Canes lost. You're in someone else's house, they gave you a free bobblehead- regardless of your jersey- just sit down and watch the game and don't talk sh!t. "Go back to Connecticut, you Whalers!" is as imaginative as it got. "You can't call a penalty on Sid the Kid!" It was a challenge. In a relative sense, the blue line was excellent last night. Kept the puck in the O-zone and the Canes owned the offensive end of the ice thru 2 periods. Slavin gave up a breakaway, Nikishin turned the puck over once or twice, but it was a far better effort than what we've seen recently. Sure, it should have been a 2-3 goal differential, but Freddie stopped nothing in the 3rd period. But he was a wall in OT- Pittsburgh had their shots in OT. And, it goes without saying, the officiating sucked. Malkin took a dive and slid halfway down the ice until a whistle was blown and Svech catching an extra 2 minutes was complete bullsh!t. The refs did everything they could to keep Pittsburgh in the game. A good way to start vacation. Headed to the Caribbean for a solid week of nothing but beach time and good food & drink for a week. Will be back at the NJ game on the 28th.

10 games back from the Olympics: 6-4 record. Avg 3.8 goals per game while giving up 3.4 goals per game (+4 goal differential in last 10). Can't afford to do anything with Miller. In either sense of the word. Moving on from him is not happening with his contract and moving him down to the bottom pair and move Nikishin to his off-side would be a disaster. So, we're stuck with him on the 2nd line as well as his contract. Bussi is losing his sh!t in net. He's nowhere close to being as cool and collected as he was when piling up the wins. Why, all of a sudden, does he look like a hooked bass on the riverbank, flopping and flailing all over the ice? Why has terrible puck handling suddenly appeared?

No rhythm, no pace, looks like no plan. And this is the first of a b2b. Better figure something out and come out with a strong 2nd period

Maybe right there with the 5-4 win over the same team on Feb 26.

Remember Stef Noesen? Best net front the Canes have had in the last 10 years. Once told Tripp that none of his goals would make highlight reels because they all happen within 3 feet of the net.

Was able to see most of the game without sound, and watched the replay today. Blue line was outstanding. I think there is little doubt Jaccob Slavin is the best defensive player in the league. Chatty, Walker & Miller all had excellent games. Freddie looked pretty damn good. If he and Bussi each find their peak performance, they could carry a couple games in the playoffs. Ehlers has been a little quiet lately...

Literally every Tampa game since the Olympic break has featured multiple fights. Maybe Deslaureais gets on the ice tonight? Regardless, have to attend a black-tie fundraiser tonight and will miss the game. Don't expect them to win, but if I'm wrong I'll watch the replay tomorrow.

The Metro is one thing. I'd rather see them take the Eastern. I mean, if you're going to flame out in the second round anyway, may as well go in with the best title possible?

After watching Tulsky's interview last night- he needs to go. If finding a legit 2C is "a depth piece" in his book, he's so fugging wrong.

Neither of last night's goals were on Bussi. Stop turning the puck over in the middle of the ice or behind the net.

Both goals came on bad turnovers- one in the neutral zone, the other behind the net. The D nor the goalie could have stopped either. Defense did their job, holding them to 16 shots, but transitioning to offense, they just turned the puck over too many times. The top line was MIA and RBA was playing the 4th line more. It's choke time. The Canes will go .500 down the stretch and will likely fall to a 2 or 3 seed.

0-3 @ Tampa, @ Columbus and home w/Pittsburgh incoming.

A bad team who traded away a few good guys and got worse just beat the "I like our room" Canes.

Top line MIA.

Slavin with the rare fail to gap up. Walker might be the most improved player on the team. Canes getting out-shot this period.

Nikishin may be better on his off side based on what he's put on display the last couple games with Ghost off the ice. Miller, in his defense, has been the most flexible D-man when RBA has put him on all 3 lines. Miller has also been paired with virtually every D-man on the roster. I'm not defending Miller, and yes, for every 4-5 very good plays he makes, there's one aw-sh!t moment that overshadows them. But, again, he's played on all 3 lines and has been paired with every dude on the roster (I was wrong- Slavin) except Slavin.

Next Wed nite, same Pens at home. Officiating was horrendous, especially Svech getting a 2nd high stick after getting high-sticked; and the Slavin penalty in OT. Canes might get past Boston in the 1st round, but I wouldn't expect much beyond that.

I like my group.

They made the same bed over and over since 2020. Let them lie in it. We all know the definition of insanity, and the only thing as consistent as the Canes getting to the playoffs every year is their inability to address/solve the goalie issue every year.

Under what conditions do they suck defensively? Because they played as solid a defensive game as we've seen all season the night before against Edmonton. Is it RBA's pairings? They've remained pretty consistent since Slavin came back. I mean, I don't follow the stats and analytics, but can someone point to a specific 5v5 analytic that shows us where or who the problem is?

Now, Bussi for the Canes reminds me of Kooch. Very wild. If the Flames last goal wasn't an empty netter, hasn't Bussi given up 13 goals in his last 3 starts? Someone correct me if I'm wrong?

That's game. I'm off to bed and will read about it tomorrow.

Bussi has this habit of throwing himself on the ice when he loses track of the puck.

Edmonton had 16 SOG last night. With McJesus and Draisaitl and Hyman. Calgary almost has that number 26 minutes into the game.