From Talking Points:
When Eric Staal stepped into a one-timer to open the scoring Friday, Zdeno Chara wasn’t on the ice. It was one of the rare occasions Staal didn’t have the full attention of the gargantuan Boston Bruins defenseman, and he took full advantage.
After Game 1, there was plenty of talk that the Staal-Chara matchup might decide the series. So far, that matchup has been the fulcrum, but not in the way that everyone expected.
Staal has dominated, helping the Carolina Hurricanes to a 4-1 win and 3-1 lead in the series with five points in the past three games. Chara, the likely Norris Trophy winner and a 6-foot-9 pillar of stability during the regular season, is a surprising minus-4 against Carolina.
Read more here.
Luke has worked for The N&O since 2000. He covered the Carolina Hurricanes and the NHL before becoming a sports columnist in August 2008. A native of Evanston, Ill., he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. He can be reached at (919) 829-8947, @LukeDeCock on Twitter or
Comments
No One should be surprised
Sat, 05/09/2009 - 09:29 — JumptheSharkWe all hoped it would be different with Chara this year. We found out after last year's Montreal series that Chara had been playing with a shoulder injury. So he got the slide. We all know Chara is a beast in the easy going days of the regular season. But nobody should be surprised by his poor play in the crunch of the playoffs. We've seen it before, when he was with Ottawa. He failed miserably in the post season with those regular season high-flyers, too.
He needs to use his size to his advantage. Instead, he's been using it to his disadvantage. We know he's not a speedy guy. He needs to put fear into the opposing players at the blue line. In last year's playoffs, after a Chara stuff at the blue line in which a Montreal player was sent flying six feet through the air, the announcer said Chara made him look like a "cartoon character". That's how he needs to play. And you take your chances with the calls. If he doesn't step it up, all done.
Well, the entire team needs to step it up. But I think it starts with Chara making strong statements along the blue line.
Not much of an analysis, I know, but there is so much wrong with the Bs right now. Have to start somewhere.
Amen Luke
Sat, 05/09/2009 - 09:23 — esteban1949now if the canes can wrap this up on sunday it would be great ending for a well fought and played series thus far...
Go Canes !!