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Canes' big guy in big slump
Submitted by ldecock on 11/20/2008 - 07:08
As happy as the Hurricanes were to see Sergei Samsonov score his first goal of the season Tuesday, they know they have a bigger issue with “the big guy,” as Ray Whitney put it.
The 2-1 win over Montreal was Eric Staal’s eighth consecutive game without a goal, and he has scored only once in the past 12 games.
To put this in perspective, Staal has gone eight or more games without a goal only four times since the lockout, with his longest drought weighing in at nine games. (As a rookie in 2003-04, he went 33 games without a goal.) So this is unusual stuff for Staal, who has five goals in 19 games this season.
Samsonov, after talking to Carolina’s coaching staff, decided to shoot his way out of his slump. After taking 10 shots in the previous six games combined, Samsonov had six on Tuesday.
Staal had two (he did ring one attempt off the post), and he has taken four or fewer in each of the past six games. When he’s at his best, he’s shooting the puck at least five or six times a game, so that may be a starting point for him.
Samsonov scored Tuesday. Ray Whitney scored his second in the past eight games. Rod Brind’Amour has three goals in the past five games. That’s a start.
Now it’s time for Staal, Matt Cullen (no goals in his past six games), Scott Walker (one goal in the past six games), Patrick Eaves (no goals in 15 games this season), Ryan Bayda (no goals in seven games) and Chad LaRose (no goals in seven games) to follow suit.
The expectations for each are different, but the Canes need contributions from everyone — starting, first and foremost, with Staal.
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Luke DeCock
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 829-8947 or luke.decock@newsobserver.com.
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Comments
Staal hasn't been right
Fri, 11/21/2008 - 08:57 — sparks1Staal hasn't been right since the hit to his shoulder by Doughty during the L.A. game.
Staal
Fri, 11/21/2008 - 08:40 — coultersDid we forget ? Cole and Stillman are gone? and so is Staals chemistry!
total game
Thu, 11/20/2008 - 14:50 — HockeydogEric should work on his total game. A few times I have seen him shoot instead of make a pass that would have resulted in a better scoring chance. I have never thought Staal was selfish and cared about his personal stats, I know he wants the team to win first and foremost. But when the team struggles and a star player struggles he sometimes tries to help by trying too hard to break himself out of his funk.
Work on winning more face-offs, setting up teammates for good looks and driving the net for the juicy rebound goal, and just playing unselfish ( see above) hockey. Staal has the skills to score goals, don't force the action and the goals will come!
33 games ?
Thu, 11/20/2008 - 08:07 — esteban1949gee i didn't think he (Staal) has gone or went that long. Definatly time to step up and shoot, Not carelessly mind you. heck even his Brother Jordon does that...and i think he has better stats than Eric. I has to go and check that out. But a true master of the stick...like players of old ( ORR,HULL< and etc) they too had slumps, but they played and shot their way out of them...
Go Canes...
PS The Jr. Canes (Lethbridge) won last night 6-1 ;-}