Canes coach Paul Maurice is expecting a letdown tonight against the New York Islanders.
The question: how big a letdown?
"I think it's going to be part of the game tonight for us," Maurice said after the morning skate. "We're going to have to deal with it as the game goes on.
"It would be foolish to think, based on the two months we've just gone through, that there isn't going to be a little exhale."
The Canes, as Eric Staal put it, have had a "playoff menality" for much of the last two months. They have had to fight and claw their way up the Eastern Conference standings, finally nailing down a playoff berth Saturday by beating the Pittsburgh Penguins in overtime.
The Canes, to a man, say home-ice advantage in the playoffs is a motivator in the last three regular-season games. Tonight, against an Islanders team that is 26-43-9, they will show if that is just lip service.
"We'll talk about it before (the game), we talked about it yesterday," Maurice said. "We'll do everything we can do deal with it, but I am expecting at points in the game that we will be feeling it a little bit, and that's going to be our great challenge.
"I am expecting something. I'm hoping I'm wrong."
At the same time, Maurice said the relief of securing a playoff spot may create a looseness among the players that leads to better play.
"Maybe the pressure coming off of clinching a spot bring out a little more relaxation and we move the puck better and we skate better," he said. "That's possible, too."
There will be a couple of lineup changes for the Canes, Maurice said. Defenseman Frantisek Kaberle will replace Joe Corvo, and Patrick Eaves will go in for Ryan Bayda.
Corvo was at the skate but is not 100 percent, Maurice said.
A Raleigh native, Chip has worked at the N&O since 1979 and is the Canes beat writer. He can be reached at 
Comments
Wow...what an exhale!!!
Tue, 04/07/2009 - 22:15 — antYeah, those guys really slowed it down tonight!!!
Underdog
Tue, 04/07/2009 - 16:40 — WAStoutI would rather play as a lower seed anyway. Whatever it takes. Let's play one of the top three.
Negative, Ghostrider...
Tue, 04/07/2009 - 17:51 — hockeyhickGiven the recent home record and, more importantly, the way the RBC has been rockin', home ice in the first round would be HUGE. I also think that NJ and Wash are primed for 1st round upsets which could possibly push our home ice past just the first round. But I agree about not caring who we play. I fear NO eastern conference team. Bring'em on! We're ready!!!
Im not worried at all about
Tue, 04/07/2009 - 13:48 — mokimanoIm not worried at all about this game, afterall it's the Fish Sticks!!!! For the record, why not give Dougie Weight a few extra facewashes or big hits tonight for that filthy hit he layed out on Brandon Sutter earlier this season. I know he is a former Cane and Cup winner here but that hit that almost took Sutter's head off still deserves some payback.
Oh yeah!
Tue, 04/07/2009 - 14:47 — hockeyhickI appreciate Doug Weight's contributions to our Cup team but he was a rental!!! Take him down!! Let Gleason give him a little jolt. He should be ashamed, picking on a teenager like he did to Sutter!!!
Weight
Tue, 04/07/2009 - 15:46 — ammy144I agree. While they say it was a legal hit, it certainly wasn't a moral one. Weight knew what he was doing and he came on full force after Sutter. I was disappointed in him; guess I expected more from the experienced player and man I thought he was.
Smart move
Tue, 04/07/2009 - 13:11 — HockeydogA letdown is only natural, for Maurice to put it in the open is smart. It can motivate the players. Mo can also roll his 3rd and 4th lines more tonight, they should be a bit fresher and still eager to play hard.
No Problem
Tue, 04/07/2009 - 12:58 — JRs_FaultMo is merely stating & accepting the obvious... a game like this can be a let down. He's a smart guy, no doubt there's a bit of calculation behind what he says to the press on most days. He certainly learned much more in Toronto than he'll EVER have to apply in Raleigh, a much smaller, less intense hockey media market.
Mo the Motivator
Tue, 04/07/2009 - 12:09 — Canes73It's not like Mo is saying anything earth shattering. As Eric says, they have been in playoff mentality for the past two months. Now that they have made it, there is bound to be a little step backwards to enjoy their accomplishment. I think Mo is simply putting the team on notice that he understands the "exhale" period but they had better make it brief and get back to the task at hand. I like how he has also turned it into a positive by stating how a little relaxing can help them to improve their passing and skating.
Keep Your Foot On The Gas
Tue, 04/07/2009 - 11:37 — maddertionHome ice is definately within reach. If CAR goes at least 2-1, and PHIL loses 2 out of 4, we get home ice. If CAR goes at least 2-1 PIT cannot catch us, even if they win out.
plus we have2 more wins
Tue, 04/07/2009 - 12:27 — jgrant641plus we have2 more wins than Philly, so a points tie, we'd get the tie breaker.
I might be wrong,
Tue, 04/07/2009 - 13:21 — hockeyhickbut isn't the head-to-head record the tiebreaker in this situation? If the season series was tied and there was a points tie, then the number of wins would be the tie-breaker. Since they won the season series, we have to end up with more points-no tiebreakers go in our favor, I think.
Tie Breaker
Tue, 04/07/2009 - 13:36 — Canes73This is from NHL.com.
If two or more clubs are tied in points during the regular season, the standing of the clubs is determined in the following order:
Just saw this myself...
Tue, 04/07/2009 - 13:40 — hockeyhickWasn't sure. Thanks for the clarification.
Lousy
Tue, 04/07/2009 - 10:45 — whirligigAttitude to project at such a critical time, Mo. We lose these last three and we're facing the potential of a Washington or maybe even Boston (though I admit to not having done the math). Can we really feel safe with such complacency? Nope. Why even say a thing like this?
I dont think you read
Tue, 04/07/2009 - 12:26 — jgrant641I dont think you read this.
Mo was basically saying, they have played a playoff mentality the last several weeks/months, and in clinching on sat. reached that goal. it is human nature to reach a goal and then let up. Mo is basically saying this game could be the players "letting up" reaction to clinching sat. night.
he wasn't predicting a loss, nor was he downing the team, but he is being real but saying this will be a big test.
What...
Tue, 04/07/2009 - 12:32 — whirligigWhat part of "I am expecting this" could I have misread? If you are speaking about the implications of his language, I think that's something else. My suggestion is that he keep such explicit statements/possibilities out of the media. For the record, I like him.
"I am expecting this..."is
Tue, 04/07/2009 - 12:58 — jgrant641"I am expecting this..."is refering to the "exhale"effect, not a loss.
It's a dare.
Tue, 04/07/2009 - 11:11 — buglermcdThat's Mo saying, "I dare you to be complacent." There's no coach in the world that will allow a team to take a night off, even if he knows they will or thinks they need one. They have to continually motivate their team, and him saying this publicly is a tool to motivate them.
I agree.
Tue, 04/07/2009 - 11:23 — hockeyhickThis is a great motivational ploy. There is a real danger of a dropoff in play in a game like this. But I believe the playrs who, to a man, have stated their feeling on how important home ice would be. I like this strategy. Mo has had the "prove it to me" attitude since he returned. He had it with Ward. He had it with LaRose. He had it with Corvo. Now he is having it with the team as a whole.
I was never 100% sold on Mo as coach, but I must say-he has proven to me that (1) he matured tremendously while in the Toronto organization and (2) he has a great hockey mind. He's honest, humble, fair, tough but approachable. This is a savvy move on his part.
Hockeyhick
Tue, 04/07/2009 - 14:21 — esteban1949Also remember that Mo was also a D man when he played Hockey...so the man has the game ingrained in him. And yes...not everyone can or ever should be a coach in the NHL...but as you said, Mo has matured and has become a better coach than many of us fans ever could expect or believe...
Go Canes !!