Carolina Hurricanes Lack Energy and Fall to Boston in Game Three

A disappointing effort from the Carolina Hurricanes shows that the team needs to rediscover playoff desperation.

As we await news on the extent of Andrei Svechnikov‘s injury after he fell awkwardly after being tied up with Bruin’s veteran defensemen Zdeno Chara, it is hard not to be disappointed in the lack of hustle by the Carolina Hurricanes in game three of the first round against the Boston Bruins. The basic elements of the game such as passing and puck possession eluded the Canes today.

The toughest part of watching this game is knowing what the Hurricanes are capable of. After a fantastic effort from the team in game two, it almost seemed like a different team was on the ice today. The Hurricanes struggled the entire game to clear the puck from the defensive zone, and Petr Mrazek is the sole reason the Hurricanes remained in the game.

On the other end of the ice, the Hurricanes did have a number of solid scoring chances. Bruins netminder Jaroslav Halak stood tall in the absence of Tuuka Rask, and the only goal by the Hurricanes was scored when Halak botched a puck clearing opportunity behind the net.

Fortunately, there is still plenty of the first round series left to go. The Hurricanes always seem to excel at fighting back from adversity, and I have no doubt that Head Coach Rod Brind’Amour will have some strong words for the boys after today’s games. Here are three takeaways from today’s game as we look ahead to game four on Monday.

Consistency in Net

The Carolina H

Petr Mrazek was outstanding in net today, showcasing Rod Brind’Amour‘s rotating goalie strategy.

I don’t think Mrazek deserved the scorn he received from some Cane’s fans after the game one loss. Sure, he was out of position for the overtime goal, but that shouldn’t negate numerous saves that kept the Hurricanes competitive. Today, Mrazek showed once again that he always shows up for big games and anchors the team in the net.

Quite frankly, the Hurricanes did not play the game that was reflected on the scoreboard, but Mrazek showed hustle to each puck. Although like most fans, I question not riding the hot hand in Reimer after an outstanding game-two performance, Mrazek’s performance reminded me of his true skill in the net.

The goal by the Bruins was an unfortunate rebound that I find hard to attribute to Mrazek. Outside of this goal, Mrazek’s rebound control was excellent. I noticed that he consistently swallowed up shots that he may have let go in the past.

I really have to commend Brind’Amour’s trust in both netminders. Although Reimer has been the better netminder on paper and has had some memorable games that make him the fan favorite for the Canes, Mrazek has been solid and showed shades today of his playoff performance last year.

I do believe that what keeps Mrazek from being an elite level goaltender is his rebound control. I believe that his aggressiveness sometimes prevents him from folding up on shots and controlling the puck, and today he checked this tendency and kept the puck under control. With a focus on rebound control like today’s game, I could see Mrazek having an even better playoff run.

Next, let’s discuss the bad and the ugly of today’s contest and how the team can change for game four.

A Total Lack of Aggression

Without desperation, the Carolina Hurricanes looked like an average team today.

What I remember most about the qualifying round series against the New York Rangers is not the Svechnikov hat trick or when James Reimer stood on his head for the game-three victory. What I remember is the aggression and desperation that the Hurricanes harnessed each game. No puck left the offensive zone without a fight, and the blue line was held like a brick wall.

Today, there was hardly a shade of this aggression. Passes were sloppy.  The Hurricanes lost most races to the puck and gave up on far too many offensive opportunities.  The team that dominated the Rangers offensively and defensively did not show up to play today.

Unfortunately, part of this struggle was most apparent in the power play. Games two and three have contained abysmal power plays by the Hurricanes.  The power-play unit struggled to settle the puck enough to gain a comfortable rhythm, and even scoring opportunities are created like during the first power play today there is no rush to recover the puck after shots.

A productive power play is reflective of a team that excels at capitalizing on offensive opportunities while working as a cohesive unit. The Canes power-play unit was not productive today, and left little room for optimism in five versus five hockey.

Above all, the Canes need to work on entering the defensive zone and settling the puck. Once the team was able to do this today, scoring opportunities were ample. An effective power play will continue to be key in this series and will help the Canes turn the momentum in game four.

Finally, let’s examine what elements of today’s game the Hurricanes must build on for game four on Monday.