New coach, new routine

Come 10 o'clock Thursday, the Canes were on the ice at the RBC Center, on game day.

It's called the pregame skate, something discontinued under Peter Laviolette and now reinstituted by new coach Paul Maurice -- at least for now. It was pretty lively, with some power-play work.

"I think there was a little less of the extra emotions that are on the ice when a change happens, and it's game day," Maurice said. "The morning skates, and I know they haven't had any this year, are all about preparation and feeling good.

"I didn't like morning skates my first 10 years in the league, but we had them anyway because it was the way it went. And now we'll do what we think is right. We're going to skate some mornings when we think it's the right time. We won't when we don't think it is.

"We've all got our routines that have turned into superstitions. I'm not married to anything like that now."

Niclas Wallin, who missed Wednesday's first practice under Maurice, was on the ice. ...

Maurice had a more stern tone to his voice today -- almost to the point of sounding hoarse.