If the Carolina Hurricanes are to make the playoffs, a goalie needs to step up and establish himself as the number one.
After a tough loss to the New York Rangers on Saturday, the Carolina Hurricanes are sitting just one game above .500 hockey with a respectable 50 points; just three points shy of the last wildcard spot.
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At this point last season the Canes were nine games under .500 hockey, with just 37 points and sitting 19 points out of the last wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference. It is easy to see that the Hurricanes are benefiting from the strong play of the young defensemen, as well as the system that head coach Bill Peters has installed.
While the Hurricanes have a realistic shot to secure the franchise’s first playoff berth in seven seasons, it will be no easy task, as 12 out of 15 Eastern teams are also realistic postseason contenders. So what do the Hurricanes need most desperately to secure their playoff spot? To put it simply, the answer is goaltending.
Cam Ward, longtime injury-plagued backstop of the Carolina Hurricanes, has played at an average, unsurprising level throughout the first half of the season. Playing 32 of 49 games, Ward was recently diagnosed with a concussion, and has been placed on injured reserve.
Through nearly 10 seasons wearing a Hurricanes sweater, Ward has compiled a regular season save percentage of .909, and a goals allowed average of 2.71. Through 32 games this season the Alberta native has compiled a similar .905 save percentage with a 2.41 goals allowed average.
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Many in the hockey world will say that Ward’s best years are behind him, but I wouldn’t be so quick to write him off. Ward is perhaps most famous for his unbelievable rookie year playoff run that carried the Carolina Hurricanes all the way to a Stanley Cup in 2006. Without his heroics between the pipes in that postseason, the Canes would not have lifted the Cup, and they probably wouldn’t have made it past Montreal in the first round.
Surprisingly enough, during the 2005-2006 regular season, the 22 year old Ward boasted a lack-luster save percentage of only .882, letting in almost four goals a game. This goes to show that Cam Ward is a goaltender who is susceptible to hot streaks, and maybe a run at the playoffs will ignite the lifetime Hurricane in the second half of the season.
Carolina signed 27-year old net-minder Eddie Lack to a two year contract extension after acquiring him in the summer, expecting to see the same magic that he showed in Vancouver last year which ultimately carried them to the playoffs. So far this season the 6’4″ Swede has not exactly impressed, with a save percentage of .896 and a goals allowed average of 2.85.
Eddie has shown flashes of his ability to play at an elite level throughout the season, but the consistency has been sorely lacking. With Cam Ward on the IR for the foreseeable future, it is time for Läck to string together a few quality starts, and ultimately prove himself as the go-to-man here in Carolina. As mentioned before, Läck has experience with playoff runs, and the Hurricanes are hoping that he can tap into that and carry this team within the top eight in the Eastern Conference.
With Cam Ward unable to dress for games, the Hurricanes were forced to call up prospect goalie Daniel Altshuller from Charlotte.
The 21-year old Ottawa native began his year in the ECHL playing for the Florida Everblades, a Carolina Hurricanes affiliate. After playing well in Florida, Altshuller was called up to the Charlotte Checkers on December 14th. Over the last month, Altshuller has played in fourteen games for the Canes AHL affiliate, compiling a save percentage of .941, a goals allowed average of 1.69, and recording one shutout.
The young goalie is clearly on a roll right now, and it would make sense for head coach Bill Peters to give him the nod at least once during his first NHL recall. While the ECHL and AHL are definitely a lower level of competition, Altshuller has shown a sustained level of elite play at both levels. Who knows, this wouldn’t be the first time a rookie goalie carried a Hurricanes team.
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If the Canes want to make playoff noise in the second half of the season, history shows that a goaltender needs to get hot. Who will step up?