News & Observer | newsobserver.com | 2008 NCAA Men's Bracket

Wonder how hockey fights begin? Sure, often it's a retaliatory thing. Sometimes, the two guys just don't like each other.

Then there was the Canes' Tim Conboy and Chris Stewart of the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday.

Conboy and Stewart once were teammates in Albany (AHL) and Conboy calls him a "good guy." But Conboy figured the Canes needed a first-period lift and Stewart seemed like a willing partner.

"I just went out there and asked him and he said, 'Sure, I'll go with you," a smiling Conboy said today.

Watching Tim Conboy mix it up with Steve Downie on Friday, I couldn't help but wonder yet again: Where's he been?

With called-up defensemen Tim Conboy and Casey Borer set to join the line-up tonight in their season debut, Hurricanes coach Paul Maurice praised what both players accomplished with the AHL's Albany River Rats this year, and spoke about the physical game Conboy brings.

"Timmy obviously brings a physical component, and that's part of what he offers our team," said Maurice. "We want to see that from him tonight, but we also want to see him control it. ... I don't need to see him try to impress the new coach three minutes into the game, if it's not the right time."

After watching his new team hand the Pittsburgh Penguins a 5-2 win on Thursday, new Carolina Hurricanes coach Paul Maurice identified the first area of concern to address.

Before practice Friday, Maurice’s second with the team, the Hurricanes discussed their defensive positioning in the neutral zone, taking an approach Eric Staal called “not so aggressive,” although hardly out of line with what most NHL teams are doing.

Maurice, though, was quick to point out that most of the drills the team did out on the ice were offensive-minded, designed to get the puck to the net, preferably with a body somewhere in the area as well.

One game into the Paul Maurice regime, assessments are being made. Two of them will come as no surprise to fans: Josef Melichar wasn't getting the job done and the team needs more toughness.

So exit Melichar, who was sent to Albany (AHL) along with Pat Dwyer on Friday, and enter Tim Conboy and Casey Borer, who were called up in their place.

Another game, another injury. Canes coach Peter Laviolette said this morning that defenseman Tim Conboy may miss up to two weeks after being injured in Saturday's preseason game at Philadelphia.

Conboy went crashing into the boards early in the game and was helped from the ice with an apparent shoulder injury. But Laviolette said it was a "torso injury" and not the shoulder.

(UPDATE: Conboy said he tore some cartilage under his rib cage but hoped to be back in a week or so).