Hurricanes 4, Penguins 3 (OT)

Would the coaching staff please tell Joni to shoot the puck. He likes to pass up the chance when he has an open look. Maybe we should hold up signs telling him to shoot the puck when he has it. Their is no telling how many more goals he could have if he would just shoot the puck.

As a former player I can empathize with the boys on what it feels it like to play a top tier team in a high tempo OT game and then rush home to play another elite team that is well rested. You feel a half step behind the whole night and the legs just don't want to go. That was how the Canes looked last night after an excellent effort against the Caps.
That doesn't excuse the tactical failure of the 5 on 3. The Pens are obviously aware that the Canes like to initiate their PP scoring chances from the points and they countered with an aggressive reverse triangle with two men high. The Canes need to read that and understand that means we have them outnumbered 3 to 1 down low. You need to create movement and cycles to get puck penetration and mysteriously they persisted in trying to get a shot from the point which was never going to be there. I'm sure Ronnie and Mo go over that countless times in practice but last night it did not translate onto the ice.
While I wasn't so impressed with Cole's overall effort, he does seem to be slowly getting his game legs back after being away for over 30 games. It is like exhibition season all over for him and it will take time. More concerning is whether the repeated upper body injuries ( read back/neck) will either change his reckless attacking style or cause a premature retirement from the game. I think this will be an interesting story to watch next season and wish him all the best.
No one has mentioned losing Sutter in the first period. Looked like an ankle sprain or bruise. That meant an already tired team was down a key forward and the Canes use the center position to battle down low and behind the net in the defensive zone. That was a major loss and contributed to the low shot output and lack of forcing the play offensively. Brandon has played awfully well lately and he was missed.
Peters was fighting his rebound control but battled through that and was solid. That is the sign of a good goaltender with strong fundamentals and he should have a great future. But Pothier has been the biggest revelation from my viewpoint. He has great position, an active stick and tremendous hockey sense. He moves the puck well and plays just a really solid all around game. He is, of course, a bit of a roster risk due to his history of concussions but I think he will be worth the risk to sign him for next season since he could stabilize what likely will be a group of very young D next season.

Hockey works in strange ways but it all evens out. We should have beat the Caps in regulation but lost in OT. We should have lost to the Pens in regulation but won in OT. You have to love this game for its fast paced skill, high speed plays and collisions, and sometimes surprsing outcomes!

for the second game in a row the canes as a team allowed the game to end in a tie...yes 1 point is better than 0 points...but in both cases neither game should have went into OT in the second and 3rd periods the canes had and missed several scoring chances by sitting back too much and too far away...in tonights game this fan only saw of 3 occassions where there was any canes player near or at the net when the canes were pressing and keeping the puck in the Pens end of the ice...but hey...I'll take this win...but and again this game and with the caps the night before should have gone into OT ...and what was up with the lack of shooting during the 5 on 3 ? but hell...after the dust had cleared the Canes won...it wasn't pretty...but they won...and the Canes " magic number" is what now ??

Thanks Chip...

The Canes are Good,My Grandkids are Better, and Life is Great !!
Go Canes !!