Carolina Hurricanes: Bad Periods and ‘Slow Starts’
When the Carolina Hurricanes have had a weak first period this season, and it happened again last night, the invariable reaction is that the Canes ‘started out too slow’ or ‘came out flat’.
For complete transparency, we here at Cardiac Cane have used the statement ourselves in analyzing and writing about games. I believe, though, that that is too simplistic to explain why the Hurricanes have had rough first periods this season. Last night I was lucky enough to be offered a ticket to the Islanders game, and watching my Hurricanes in the first period reinforced what I’m about to throw out here for discussion.
By all accounts the first period against the Islanders was bad. It wasn’t just the first quick goal by Kyle Okposo, or the second on a breakaway by Nikolay Kulemin. It wasn’t that the Isles were that much faster, or the Canes were that much slower. It was still a very close checking game game that didn’t allow a lot of open ice for either team.
The problem the Hurricanes players had, and have, is that they can’t adjust quick enough to a team that comes out playing their game. When the opposing team has obviously watched and studied how the Canes play, and are ready for the Peters’ system of fast breakouts and quick puck movement, this team seems to forget what the coaching staff has taught them.
Related Story: Chris Terry is elevating his play at the right time
I’ll use some quotes and video from last night’s game to prove my point.
Everyone in the Carolina Hurricanes dressing room after the game knew the first period wasn’t good. From the coach on down the opinions were the same.
Jeff Skinner said, “I thought we did a good job coming out in the second responding after the first period we didn’t want to have.”
"“[We need to] start a little better. Stick with it. We had some good things, and we need to keep building like we have been.” – Jordan Staal"
You’ll see in the video clips from the first period that the Canes problem is that they forget the Peters’ system, and their play in the defensive zone breaks down. They lose or give up on their assignments and get hypnotized by that little black thing, chasing the puck rather than watching their man. The end result is almost inevitable.
First, Kyle Okposo’s goal at 18:25 of period one, courtesy of the New York Islanders.
And here, at the 11:18 mark of the first period, Eddie Lack has to make a great side-to-side save because the Canes are scrambling. Not slow, not tired, just not following the system and adjusting to adversity.
As Coach Peters so aptly put it after the last game, some of his players were “stirring soup” instead of defending. The video is courtesy of the Carolina Hurricanes. (Sorry for the Harris Teeter ad.)
And finally, to prove my point that it can’t just be a “slow start” to the game, here’s Clutterbuck’s game tying goal in the third period, again, courtesy of the New York Islanders.
Maybe it’s because Coach Peters’ system is still relatively new to the organization, or the team is made up of a bunch of young future stars still trying to get their NHL legs underneath them. Either way, the problems for the Hurricanes this season have come more from not doing what they’ve been taught, and less from having slow starts.
Regardless of the reasons, I’m confident that as this team finishes out the 2015-2016 season and gets ready for the next, the beautiful game we have seen from these players when they stick to the coach’s system for sixty minutes, makes the future look very bright in Carolina.