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Carolina Hurricanes Game Day Thoughts: A New Hope

By Matthew Barlowe

Nov 24, 2016; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price (31) makes a save against Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Matt Tennyson (26) as defenseman Shea Weber (6) defends during the third period at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 24, 2016; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price (31) makes a save against Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Matt Tennyson (26) as defenseman Shea Weber (6) defends during the third period at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Carolina Hurricanes road trip continues across the border to the La Belle Province where they take on the Montreal Canadiens

Hope is a funny thing.  Just when one thinks it has all but gone, hope emerges like a small green sprout from the dark soil.  Tiny and fragile, the hope of the playoffs could be extinguished at any moment.  That hope comes from the Carolina Hurricanes recent eight-game point streak.

In the last ten games, Carolina has gone 6-1-3 to keep their slim playoff chances on life support. The game against the Canadiens may finally put things to rest because there can be no more errors the rest of the season.

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The projected cut line for the playoffs this season in the Eastern conference is 92 points.  In order for the Hurricanes to reach that number, they’ll need to go 8-2-1.  A record that will include two four-game win streaks something they’ve only done twice this season and then only at home.

Given the team’s penchant for starting Cam Ward no matter how well he played the game before, getting eight wins in eleven games will be a tall order.  So yes abandon all hope ye who enter Canes fandom.  It is a Sisyphean love that will always roll the boulder over you on its way back down to the bottom of the mountain.

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Game Day Thoughts

  • Jeff Skinner has been on a tear recently.  Scoring two goals Tuesday night against the Panthers, that put Skinner’s goal tally to seven goals in six games.  His total is now 28 goals and he is on pace for 33.
  • It would be the third time in his career Skinner scored over 30 goals, and if Skinner does end up with 33 goals it would also tie his career high.
  • In addition to young Jeffery, Elias Lindholm upped his point streak to eight games Tuesday as well.  That puts him at 40 points for the season a career-best for the Swede.
  • Lindholm is first in the league for Primary Assists per 60 Minutes for players with more than 500 minutes.  He is sixth overall for total Primary Assists.  Both stats are all situations and he is fourth and eighth respectively 5v5.  I’ve said it before but if Lindholm can even start to slightly improve his scoring touch he will turn into a very formidable playmaker.
  • A lot of those primary assists from Lindholm are starting to come from passes of this nature.  Look at those sweet moves!
  • It seems the Alex Galchenyuk saga continues as Claude Julien has decided to both the talented player back to winger.  I’ve argued before that Galchenyuk would be a great trade target for the Carolina Hurricanes in the offseason.  With his professed desire to play center, the Hurricanes could accommodate that need and his new contract demands as well.
  • Montreal’s top line is in a slump as well.  This could be great news for the Hurricanes, or it could be awful news.  It wouldn’t be the first time that a slumping offense was jolted back to life playing against Carolina.  Just look at the Rangers power play the last time the Canes played them.

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  • If hearing rumors about the Carolina Hurricanes leaving Raleigh disturbs you well you may just have to not pay attention to any of the Quebec media today.  All the jokes about relocation will be out in full force.  For me, well I have a backup plan.
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