The Carolina Hurricanes just finished up a seven game road trip with back-to-back wins and a 4-3 record on the trip. The Hurricanes needed to start strong this season and a 6-6 record and eight points is not what the Hurricanes were looking for. The Hurricanes offense has had a hard time getting started, a problem that seems to have carried over from last season. They are only averaging two goals a game but a lack of offense seems to be malady suffered by many NHL teams. The Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers are also only averaging two goals a game with as much offensive firepower as those teams have.
The Hurricanes showed signs of breaking out of this offensive slump against the Islanders in their 3-2 shootout win as Jordan Staal and Jeff Skinner repeatedly crashed the net for scoring chances. It paid off on the game tying goal as Jordan Staal made a slick pass to Chris Terry to hit the wide open net and then Defenseman Ron Hainsey got the game winner in the three-on-three.
Friday, October 30, 2015
Saturday, October 17, 2015
First Win
The Carolina Hurricanes got their first win of the season while handing the Detroit Red Wings their first loss with a score of 5-3. Rookie Brock McGinn got his first NHL goal in his first NHL shift as he scored the first goal of the game as Carolina jumped out to a 3-0 lead. The Hurricanes once again took a 3-2 lead over the Red Wings into the third period but made it hold up this time around.
The Hurricanes set a season high for goals scored as Eric Staal and Kris Versteeg had a goal and two assists and Brock McGinn also added an assist. Justin Faulk had a goal, his second, and has scored a point in all four Hurricanes games this season. This was the start of a seven game road trip for the Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes set a season high for goals scored as Eric Staal and Kris Versteeg had a goal and two assists and Brock McGinn also added an assist. Justin Faulk had a goal, his second, and has scored a point in all four Hurricanes games this season. This was the start of a seven game road trip for the Hurricanes.
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Third Period Unkind
The Third Period has been unkind to the Carolina Hurricanes in their 0-3 start. The Hurricanes gave up three third period goals to the Florida Panthers in a 4-1 loss. Eddie Lack was in goal for the Hurricanes. The Hurricanes offense is struggling to score goals (only five in three games) and they needed to get off to a fast start this season and avoid a repeat of last season's 0-6-2 start.
This is Bill Peters second season as the coach of the Hurricanes. I have to wonder how much leeway that General Manager Ron Francis is going to give him to turn the Hurricanes around. For that matter, I have to wonder how much leeway Francis is going to be given. The Hurricanes still have a good young nucleus of players. Eric Staal is in a contract year, Jeff Skinner has never been able to match his rookie success in large part due to injury, Justin Faulk is starting to come on strong and has a point in each game this season, and this season's top draft pick Noah Hanifin is off to a solid start. It will be interesting to see what kind of personnel moves the Hurricanes will make, front office and players, in the next few weeks.
This is Bill Peters second season as the coach of the Hurricanes. I have to wonder how much leeway that General Manager Ron Francis is going to give him to turn the Hurricanes around. For that matter, I have to wonder how much leeway Francis is going to be given. The Hurricanes still have a good young nucleus of players. Eric Staal is in a contract year, Jeff Skinner has never been able to match his rookie success in large part due to injury, Justin Faulk is starting to come on strong and has a point in each game this season, and this season's top draft pick Noah Hanifin is off to a solid start. It will be interesting to see what kind of personnel moves the Hurricanes will make, front office and players, in the next few weeks.
Monday, October 12, 2015
New Season, Same Start
The Carolina Hurricanes offense is off to a better start this season. The Hurricanes peppered Detroit Red Wings Goalie Petr Mrazek with 47 shots, 12 on the Power Play, while only giving up 19. The problem with that is the Hurricanes only got three goals by Mrazek while the Red Wings slipped four by Hurricanes Goalie Cam Ward.
Hurricanes rookie Defenseman Noah Hanifin got his first professional point when he assisted on the first Hurricanes goal by Victor Rask in the second period. Nathan Gerbe and Justin Faulk scored the other two goals.
The Hurricanes took a 3-2 lead into the third period but could not make it hold up.
This is the beginning of Bill Peters second campaign as the head Coach of the Hurricanes and the Hurricanes can ill afford to get off to an 0-6-2 start like they did last season. Injuries played a major part in last season's start and James Wisniewski's injury in the first game dealt a blow to the Hurricanes experience on the blue line. The Hurricanes recalled Defenseman Danny Biega who has all of ten games of experience in the NHL to take Wisniewski's place on the roster.
Hurricanes rookie Defenseman Noah Hanifin got his first professional point when he assisted on the first Hurricanes goal by Victor Rask in the second period. Nathan Gerbe and Justin Faulk scored the other two goals.
The Hurricanes took a 3-2 lead into the third period but could not make it hold up.
This is the beginning of Bill Peters second campaign as the head Coach of the Hurricanes and the Hurricanes can ill afford to get off to an 0-6-2 start like they did last season. Injuries played a major part in last season's start and James Wisniewski's injury in the first game dealt a blow to the Hurricanes experience on the blue line. The Hurricanes recalled Defenseman Danny Biega who has all of ten games of experience in the NHL to take Wisniewski's place on the roster.
Friday, October 9, 2015
A Loss Plus One
The Carolina Hurricanes lost their 2015-16 opener to the Nashville Predators 2-1 but may have suffered an even bigger loss when Defenseman James Wisniewski went down with a serious knee injury 47 seconds into his first season with the Carolina Hurricanes. His estimated recovery time is six months.
The Carolina Hurricanes came into this season looking to improve on last season's goal scoring average which was third worst in the league but were only able to score a goal late in the third period by Captain Eric Staal on an assist by Justin Faulk. The Hurricanes gave up both Nashville goals in the first period as they caught a bad break when Ron Hainsey had to discard his broken stick and the puck shot by Nashville Predator Craig Smith appeared to go off Hainsey's skate blade shortly thereafter. The Hurricanes were also shaky with the puck in their own zone and Cam Ward had to make several difficult saves.
Rookie Defenseman and top draft pick Noah Hanifin made his NHL debut and logged 18 minutes of playing time and zero on the Power Play and only five seconds of time on the short handed unit. The loss of Wisniewski may push Hanifin into more playing time especially on the Hurricanes special teams.
The Carolina Hurricanes came into this season looking to improve on last season's goal scoring average which was third worst in the league but were only able to score a goal late in the third period by Captain Eric Staal on an assist by Justin Faulk. The Hurricanes gave up both Nashville goals in the first period as they caught a bad break when Ron Hainsey had to discard his broken stick and the puck shot by Nashville Predator Craig Smith appeared to go off Hainsey's skate blade shortly thereafter. The Hurricanes were also shaky with the puck in their own zone and Cam Ward had to make several difficult saves.
Rookie Defenseman and top draft pick Noah Hanifin made his NHL debut and logged 18 minutes of playing time and zero on the Power Play and only five seconds of time on the short handed unit. The loss of Wisniewski may push Hanifin into more playing time especially on the Hurricanes special teams.
Thursday, October 8, 2015
The Rookie Race
The National Hockey League season begins tonight and all eyes will be on the top two draft picks, Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers and Jack Eichel of the Buffalo Sabres. Their offensive potential has been opening eyes over the past couple of years and will be what fans are wanting to see.
The Carolina Hurricanes top draft pick, number five overall, Defenseman Noah Hanifin has made the team as one of seven Defensemen on the roster coming out of training camp and he is only 18 years old. Offensively, not much will be expected of him as he learns the game of professional hockey but he has a very high upside. He is not a big bruiser but he plays positional defense and is a solid passer from the blueline. He will be under the tutelage of veterans James Wisniewski, who was acquired over the summer, and Justin Faulk. I look for some good things from Hanifin this season.
The Carolina Hurricanes top draft pick, number five overall, Defenseman Noah Hanifin has made the team as one of seven Defensemen on the roster coming out of training camp and he is only 18 years old. Offensively, not much will be expected of him as he learns the game of professional hockey but he has a very high upside. He is not a big bruiser but he plays positional defense and is a solid passer from the blueline. He will be under the tutelage of veterans James Wisniewski, who was acquired over the summer, and Justin Faulk. I look for some good things from Hanifin this season.
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