SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Ray Whitney scored 1:37 into overtime to lead the surging Carolina Hurricanes to a 3-2 victory over the Florida Panthers on Monday night.
Tuomo Ruutu and Patrick Eaves also scored for Carolina, which improved to 8-1-2 in its last 11 games and moved past Pittsburgh into fifth place in the Eastern Conference.
Jay Bouwmeester and Cory Stillman scored for Florida, which has lost six of seven. The Panthers tied idle Montreal for eighth in the East with 81 points. Florida has played one more game.
Cam Ward, in his 22nd consecutive start for Carolina, made 37 saves. Tomas Vokoun stopped 28 shots.
The Panthers, who went 1-2-2 on their five-game homestand, welcomed back forward Nathan Horton. Their second-leading goal scorer had missed six games because of a finger injury.
Whitney scored his 24th goal of the season when he one-timed a cross- ice feed from Joni Pitkanen inside the left circle.
Carolina led 2-1 until Stillman tied it with 4:05 left in the third period during Carolina's 5-on-3 power play. After Ward deflected Horton's pass from the side of the net, the puck was knocked over to the side during a jam in front. Stillman was there to put a shot home.
"As the game went on, we got better and better," Ward said. "We were in control in the third until those penalties, and that's just a couple of
bad breaks.
"But the guys responded. (Florida) had the power play
after (Stillman's) goal and it would have been easy to sit back, but P.K. (penalty kill team) stood tall after the goal against and obviously Whitney had a huge goal in overtime."
Eaves scored the only goal of the second period at 19:47. After taking a short pass from Rod Brind'Amour, Eaves skated around defenseman Karlis Skrastins and lost control of the puck as he cut to the front of the net. The loose puck went off Eaves' left skate and off the leg of the sprawling Vokoun before trickling in.
Ruutu tied it 1-1 at 13:47 of the first period with a power- play goal. Vokoun stopped Anton Babchuk's slap shot from the point, but Ruutu grabbed the rebound as he was skating in from the side of the net. He skated around Vokoun and flipped the puck into the top of the net.
"That was pretty important for us," Whitney said of the goal. "We realized in the first 10 minutes how hard and fast they came out. They were a little bit desperate.
"We're glad we were able to withstand that and kind of move on from there."
Bouwmeester opened the scoring at 8:30 after Carolina turned over the puck behind the net. Stillman stole Babchuk's no-look backhand pass and fed Bouwmeester in the slot. Bouwmeester beat Ward with a low wrist shot to the blocker side.
"This is four (games) in six (days) for us," Canes coach Paul Maurice said. "We just came off three real big emotional games. Overall, on the road, against a team that works (hard) every night, we're real happy with it."
Comments
JR
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 09:59 — Canes73Yep, you have to give the guy credit. He has made some bold moves, including many that did not receive much fanfare. I'm anxious to see what he does in the off-season...hopefully that's a long ways away.
Offseason
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 15:55 — hockeyhickis gonna be interesting. Cole, Ruutu, Babs, Seids, Bayda, Rosey and Jussi are all free agents of some sort. Out of that group the only one I'd let walk would be Bayda. He is the Frank Kaberle of the forwards-didn't play his way out of the lineup just got caught in the numbers game. But the economics of the league may dictate how many of these core guys stay and how many are replaced with some of the Rats, many of whom deserve some consideration. Tough decisions.
Other things to consider:
Conboy is on a one-way contract next year, so there's one roster spot filled.
What do you do with Scotty Walker? (my favorite Cane, by the way.) Big cap hit and an injury rap sheet that gets bigger each season. He is the consumate teammate and a tough SOB, but he might be getting to the "Justin Williams" point with injuries.
What about Brandon Sutter? I think he should spend a full season in Albany. He could definitely captain that team. Give him a year with loads of ice time and let him fill out that lanky frame. After that, LOOK OUT. This kid could easily be the wearin' the Canes "C" someday. Don't rush him...
How do you rid yourself of the Kaberle contract? I have a feeling he will end up in Toronto with his brother. The hard part will be how to con Brian Burke into trading something for him. Probably won't happen. I'm thinking another buyout to add to the Jeff Hamilton/David Tanabe cap hit (which is only 1/2 million this year and next.)
Will Brind'Amour retire? My gut says "yes". He has secured a HOF career with some lofty milestones this year and last, he has his name on the Cup. I think he is ready to be a full-time dad, and i think thetiming is right for all parties. I love him, but I would love to have that 3.5 million to spend on other players. It's time to pass the torch on to Eric Staal.
Gonna be interesting to see what JR does...
Brind'Amour
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 18:38 — Biff_BeersMy guess is that Brind'Amour will be back for another season unless he sustains another serious injury or we win the Stanley Cup. (I'd accept the latter.) Otherwise, I think this season will feel like unfinished business to him.
7 games -- it is a playoff series
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 09:56 — wxray1Think of the 7 games remaining as a pre-warm up to the playoffs.
Win 4, they are in.
Win 3, probably, but maybe not
Win 2, trouble (need some help).
Win 6 or 7, maybe even steal away home ice
You Forgot . . .
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 08:59 — beer210. . .bringing back Babchuk. There was a lot of skepticism about that move, but man has it paid off. You've got to go back a long ways to find a defenseman who has scored as many goals in a season for this team (Corvo's current season notwithstanding). Lots of upside to that kid.
Good point about Babs
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 09:26 — hockeyhickI don't think anyone ever wanted him to leave in the first place. What a story he is this year. Sometimes people need to learn hard lessons to mature. I'm sure playing in Siberia was a blast! He certainly seems more humble and appreciative of this opportunity and is taking full advantage.
7 games to go and...
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 08:48 — esteban1949yes fans the Canes have 7 games to go...and what will be even harder for the Canes is the waiting...yes waiting as there are teams in the Atlantic Division that have anywhere from 8-10 games left to play. And as many of know...waiting is the hardest thing anyone of us here has to do. We wait on our children to be born, then can't wait for them to grow up. We run here and there like we just have to be "first" in line. Our micro-wave pop corn takes too long ...or so it seems...and yes folks the list goes on and on...why ? because we don't like to wait...I guess this year we'll just have to get used to it, even though it will be just a short wait ??? After all it will be better than the wait the Thrashers or the islanders will have to endure at the end of the season huh ?
Go Canes !!!
JR the GM
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 08:35 — DavidMeyerHockeyhick, I agree with all of your points. Especially about JR. I've always felt that JR has been very shrewd in making trades. Not all work out, and sometimes our FA contracts haven't worked out well (see 3-year Frank Kaberle deal), but that's quibbling. He is a very good GM.
Kaberle
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 16:02 — hockeyhickThe season, and especially playoff, he had in 2006-we HAD to sign him! Hindsight is 20/20, but Kaberle has the pedigree and experiene to make that contract look pretty reasonable. Injuries knocked him down the depth chart. Imagine what all the know-nothing naysayers would've said if he was allowed to walk!
Ward, Mo, and JR...
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 08:17 — hockeyhickI listened to the game, including all the pre and post coverage, and came away with this:
This season could very well be JR's best managing job yet. Hear me out before you start bashing!
(1) We all know what the Cole deal has done for this team. I think, if we use THIS season as the basis for this discussion, that everyone will agree it was a smart move to make. No need to rehash all the reasons why.
(2) Jussi Jokinen is looking like a steal. I am amazed at how well he has fit in with this team. Great move that has added skill, smarts, versatility, and a "team-first" attitude without losing a roster player.
(3) This is the most important move to me. Bringing Mo back. I am not the biggest fan of his style, but I am a big fan of winning, and that's what we've done with Mo behind the bench. Is he a better coach than Laviolette? Stats say no. Is he a better coach for THIS team? Absolutely. During his previous stint, Mo was coined a "defense-first" coach. That was an accurate tag. But I think his style has matured into a more "accontability first" approach. Accountability breeds teamwork, and we have become a great T E A M under his watch. Coincidence? I think not.
But I think Mo's greatest accomplishment has been his handling of Cam Ward and the positive results it has yielded. Under Laviolette, the team was run and gun, offense-offense-offense, often resulting in high shots-against totals and defensive lapses. Ward was left out to dry on many occasions. But there always seemed to be a goalie controversy looming. There was never any confidence put in Ward. If he had a bad game or let in a bad goal, he would sit the next game. Not the best way to groom a young, promising goalie. Mo has given Ward the keys to the castle while also demanding the rest of the team help guard the gate and look at the results.
The elite goalies in the game play 60-70 games a year. Knowing you are the starter and knowing you are gonna get help breed confidence. Ward is oozing confidence right now. I won't give Mo all the credit because there are others involved Ward's progress. But I truly believe we would've seen Ward go backwards in his development had he played much longer under Laviolette.
So many things have to go just right in a season to make a run at the Cup and GM's never make the right move EVERY time. But these moves by our GM have been the one's that this particular team needed and at the right times. Some of it is luck, but I don't much believe in luck. Luck is, quite simply, when preparation meets opportunity. JR has done the right things to prepare this team to take advantage of this opportunity.
Go Canes!!!!!
Sorry....
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 08:23 — hockeyhick...I didn't realize that post was so long until I saw it!
Not necessary
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 08:58 — JRs_FaultExcellent post (as usual)...
I agree that JR has made some great moves this year. I didn't expect him to actually bring Cole back, and certainly underestimated the effect he'd have on Staal.
I remember thinking Jussi would be a good fit in Carolina when I saw him hit the wire... Put him in the 'formerly out to pasture' file along side Samsonov.
And I think it's key to note that it's no coincidence that Cam has played 'better' since Mo's return:
1) He's benefitted from the improved defensive system
2) He continues to show he benefits from a heavier workload
In The
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 09:14 — esteban1949Off season ( summer) I can't help but wonder how things will go...will JR & Jason try to hang on to everyone that we have now? Or do we make some trades that to us fans look and feel rather painful ? As mentioned before with justin peter's doing a great job in Albany in the net, do the Canes bring him up ? With brandon sutter doing a wonderful Job down in Albany will there be a good and productive 4th line in the making ? And what about the "eruo" line ? Yes we all can and could come up with many possibilities of what could, might or maybe happen in the off season and after the draft, but still one can't help but think if the current roster were to return
intact, and was able to remain healthy...and was playing at the level and intensity the canes are at this very moment, Imagine the possibilities...sigh...but if only...huh ? time to go check on the Rats,Lethbridge and Spokane ...
Go canes !!
Panther's Announcers
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 08:06 — Canes73Just when I thought I wouldn't have to hear the whining from the Panther T.V. announcers, Centre Ice puts Florida's radio feed on for the game and it turns out they're just as bad. I watch all of the Canes' games on Centre Ice and Florida's announcers are the only ones that bring up the diving accusations. Give me a break! The Panthers dive just as much as Carolina or any other team in the league. Florida should be thankful the refs don't make the diving call very often. If they called diving last night, Florida wouldn't have had the 5 on 3 to tie the game.
Another great win by the Canes. We're getting much closer to the playoffs but that 5th place is a little deceiving. If the teams below us win their games in hand, we're right back down in the 7th/8th spot. At least we now control our own destiny. If we keep winning, we're in. Go Canes!!!
Muffin Man?
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 11:31 — Biff_BeersAfter Stillman's goal, the announcer shouted out "Do you know the muffin man?" (I'm not making this up). I don't remember Cory being tagged with that nickname while he was here. Maybe the announcer thought it was Chris Drury.
After Bouwmeester's goal, the announcer shouted "Hit me baby one more time!". I guess Britney is still popular in Florida.
Wouldn't it be funny...
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 16:00 — hockeyhick...if Rhianna (or whatever her name is) sang that song and not Britney?
(eagerly awaiting the backlash....)
yo Biff
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 12:09 — esteban1949trust me Britney Spears would never make it as a hockey Mom let alone eye candy for some player...but I did have a good laugh ...Thanks...i needed it...
Go Canes !!
Announcers were horrible
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 08:38 — HockeydogI could deal with the poor video production as I think the broadcast was a last minute effort, but those announcers were horrible! Florida won't drop the diving rant. It's almost like they blame their lack off playoff apperances on the Hurricanes diving! The play by play guy was like listening to a local college broadcast and the color analyst is just a dope. I heard Bill Lindsey on Hockey Night in Canada radio and he didn't sound too sharp there either.
As for the Canes, it was a good win. I hated to give the whiners a point but at least we got 2 points. The Panthers were deperate so it was a tough game, and a good win. Whitney comes thru in the clutch!!
NetMinder
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 06:56 — esteban1949I agree 1000% with you...while it would be nice, but let's get REAL here fans...one day & One game at a time...anything but that will cause the Canes to flounder and fall...
Go Canes !!
Whitney
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 04:15 — greensborogeezerWhitney again saved the team in a touch and go game. Three SE teams making the playoffs would drive the rest of the league crazy-hope it happens
TEAM effort!!!
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 23:05 — gf101112We knew they were gonna win but that non call on Stillman for diving was something else! Now they might catch the Caps!!! Ray IS the MVP!!! Go Paul, Go Canes!!! Hurry up Tripp & John... We MISSED YOU DEARLY TONIGHT!!! GREAT TEAM EFFORT!!!
Wha????
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 08:53 — JRs_FaultCatch the Caps???
Great game, but calm down a bit... 9 pts w/7 games left (no head to heads) I don't think so.
The saying that was on the
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 22:32 — hockey101The saying that was on the board in the canes locker room (good teams find a way to win) says a lot about this team. A few weeks ago it looked liked they would be out on the golf course and out of the playoffs again which would've been disastrous for the organization. Everyone has seen how important it is to make the playoffs. I had my doubts about coach Mo coaching this team, but it seems everyone has grasped his system. Everyone is playing as a team. Credit to JR for bringing back Cole which has been the spark his team needs. I know during the offseason tough decisions have to be made. Keep Cole, Ruutu, and re-sign the other restricted free-agents and also sign Coach MO! Great win tonight! Headline!!! CANES WIN THE STANLEY CUP!!
This Is A Good Team
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 06:33 — NetMinderThis is a very good team ... but let's not get ahead of ourselves. The Canes have gone from making tee times to making the playoffs. That's great. But you won't stop there. You take them all the way from hoisting their golf bags to hoisting the cup. Then, off you go into the offseason. What do you say we just secure a nice, comfy spot in the playoffs, get past the first round and see what happens?
Even
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 21:29 — esteban1949Chuck K was miffed at those penalties and wasn't too happy about the Canes somewhat loosey - goosey play at times...no wonder the Canes finished 3-3 with Florida...And the way Ray Whitney played...that is why he needs and earned the right to be the Canes...MVP...
Shift of the Year
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 09:01 — JRs_FaultWhitney's final shift in OT was a thing of beauty... too bad so many couldn't witness it due to the inexplainable NHL TV policies... on the other hand, kudos for getting something out for at least the Center Ice folks. (and yes, the Florida radio guys were painful to listen to)
just the way i wanted it to
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 21:27 — jejohn8just the way i wanted it to end, two points for us and one for them.
i want three from the southeast in the playoffs.
Diving
Mon, 03/23/2009 - 21:21 — JustListenenAfter two of the penalties called on the Canes tonight, the Panthers can't ever complain about DIVING again ...
Stillman
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 15:33 — hockeyhicklooked like Greg Louganis...well, without the...uh...ya know. Man, I HATE being politically correct!