When the Charlotte Checkers open the AHL Eastern Conference finals Thursday at home, it represents the deepest a Carolina Hurricanes farm team has gone in the playoffs since 1997, when the Springfield Falcons made it to this point in the AHL playoffs.
The Falcons -- coached by Kevin McCarthy -- lost to the Hershey Bears, who went on to win the Calder Cup. Three times since, the Hurricanes’ minor-league affiliate has won one playoff round, but this year’s Checkers are the first to win two.
Cam Ward was voted the Hurricanes' most valuable player by members of the Carolina chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, while Jussi Jokinen received the Good Guy Award for cooperation with the local media. This is the second time Ward was named team MVP by the writers; he also won the award in 2009.
Earlier, the Carolina chapter of the PHWA nominated Erik Cole for the Masterton Trophy, honoring sportsmanship, perseverance and dedication to the game of hockey. Cole was previously nominated in 2007.
ATLANTA -- The Carolina Hurricanes have done everything they can to get in position to make the playoffs.
They've won 40 games. They have 91 points. They've recovered from some tough losses to score clutch victories.
Now, will the Canes finish it off?
The Carolina Hurricanes' 3-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday wasn't lacking for stars or headliners from the home team.
Cam Ward, playing his 72nd game, earned his 36th win and had 42 saves in his fourth shutout of the season. Rookie forward Jeff Skinner scored his 30th goal. Veteran forward Erik Cole scored his 25th. Captain Eric Staal had three assists. It was a long list.
General manager Jim Rutherford said today that Ward should be in contention for the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goalie and that Skinner should win the Calder Trophy as the top rookie. He also praised Cole, saying, "This is the best year he's had. The way he has played the game, being a good all-around player and being a threat on the ice all the time, this is his best professional year."
RALEIGH -- The Carolina Hurricanes haven't given up. They still believe.
With Cam Ward brilliant in net with 42 saves, the Canes shut out the Detroit Red Wings 3-0 Wednesday at the RBC Center. They're now two points out of playoff position with two games remaining in the regular season.
Do the Canes still need help? Yes. They need someone to beat the New York Rangers, who are eighth in the NHL East with 91 points, two in front of Carolina (39-30-11).
"We're still sitting two points back but we did what we needed to do tonight," Ward said after his 16th career shutout and fourth of the season. "There's relief in the fact we won tonight but that doesn't mean it will get any easier. We've got to win our next two games, facing two difficult teams in Atlanta and Tampa (Bay)."
RALEIGH — Jeff Skinner remains on a roll. Jamie McBain has started one.
Skinner scored a pair of goals in the first period, his 28th and 29th of the season, and McBain added another two scores Wednesday as the Carolina Hurricanes whipped the Montreal Canadiens 6-2. Joni Pitkanen and Cory Stillman also scored for the Canes (37-30-10), who beat the Habs for the first time this season.
The Canes, who beat the Washington Capitals 3-2 in a shootout Tuesday, have 84 points but remained three points out of playoff position in the NHL East as the Buffalo Sabres (87 points) beat the New York Rangers (87 points).
The Canadiens (41-30-7) got power-play goals from Mike Cammalleri and P.K. Subban. The Habs have 89 points and are sixth in the East but have lost four of their last five games.
"It was an emotional game last night in Washington," Ward said. "To be able to respond and play with the up-tempo we did tonight really speaks volumes about the character in the room. We clearly know what's at stake here. Things are looking really good."
RALEIGH — So there apparently were no pre-draft deals between All-Star captains Eric Staal and Niklas Lidstrom when all was said and done.
When Staal won the first pick of the draft with a flip of a puck, he didn't hesitate to pick his Carolina teammate, goalie Cam Ward, at the NHL Fantasy Draft held at the NHL Fan Fair in the Raleigh Convention Center Friday.
Teams are set for Saturday's Honda NHL SuperSkills competition and Sunday's NHL All-Star Game, all to be held at Raleigh's RBC Center.
Ward said Staal made no promises beforehand.
"No, he didn’t," Ward said, after the draft was completed. "That’s why I was worried I might have to sweat it out in there, but fortunately he chose me. I didn’t have to sit down and soak through my shirt."
Carolina Hurricanes center Eric Staal and goalie Cam Ward were two of 36 players named Tuesday by the NHL for the All-Star Game, which will be at Raleigh's RBC Center Jan. 30.
Carolina forward Jeff Skinner was one of a dozen rookies chosen by the league to participate in the Honda NHL SuperSkills competition.
Goaltender Cam Ward missed Monday's road game at Tampa Bay with a skin infection but general manager Jim Rutherford said today he expects Ward back soon. Rutherford said Ward was scheduled to see a dermatologist today.
"We think Cam will be fine in the next day or two," Rutherford said.
Ward had started 10 straight games before Monday, with 45 saves in a 3-2 shootout win Thursday in Atlanta and then 43 stops Saturday as the Canes topped the Anaheim Ducks 4-2.
Canes coach Paul Maurice said Ward had a lot of swelling above an eye during the morning skate in Tampa. Maurice said it was not a rash but an infection.
RALEIGH — Hurricanes star center Eric Staal had a hat trick, but it almost wasn't enough.
Carolina held on for a 4-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks after three quick penalties put the Hurricanes down two men for an extended period in the closing minutes of the game.
Corvo, whose roughing penalty was the first of those penalties at the 16:59 mark in the third period, scored an empty netter with 4.7 seconds left.
