GDT: 30-03-2017: Blue Jackets at Canes

[Big Daddy Cane]

A factor we don't discuss much is that Jeff Skinner is almost a 500 game veteran despite his age and has never played a playoff game. He's playing like he wants that to change. Such a beautiful move to open up Columbus in that 3 on 3. He's the lone remaining player from our 10-11 team, other than Ward. I hadn't even realized that prior to just now thinking about it. He's only experienced the lean times here.

Faulk, who arrived a year after, arguably, hasn't played a truly meaningful NHL game up until this latest stretch.

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

Faulk is playing like a legitimate #1, and Hanifin is playing like his dad insisted he would if not attatched to tennyson

 

[Vagrant]

I also think it's funny that Tripp basically trashed Hanifin's shot in the 3rd period and then he blistered one top cheddar for the OT winner.

 

[AD Skinner]

Dallas looking pretty inept against the Bruins. Would be a lot cooler if they would lose

 

[Blueline Bomber]

As expected, we won't get any help tonight.

 

[Tryamw]

Well Philly helped us though it's just to make the islanders hill taller. It's not the Bosoton / Tampa losses we need though. and since we are behind in Tie breakers it's 5 points we reasonably need.

 

[raynman]

This ****ing team. Faulk and Skinner are playing like superstars right now. I want to see the both of them in the playoffs so badly, especially Skinner.

It's pretty amazing how quickly Nordstrom got to Hanifin to celebrate the win haha.

 

[HisIceness]

This is the most fun I've had as a fan of this team in several years. Still holding out hope but I much definitely appreciate the never say die attitude.

Holy **** balls!

Look at that crowd!

Little under 12k. Was nervous when I read this that it would be really ugly. Much better than thought.

I really wish Kentucky had done their job on Sunday and eliminated UNC. Even if it's only like 50 people the turnout for Saturday would be better if the Tar Heels were not playing. The interest in this run overall would be higher too. Damn it Kentucky

 

[HisIceness]

As expected, we won't get any help tonight.

Sucks. But they never get any help. Just going to have to win out and hope for a stumble from Boston/Tampa.

 

[A Star is Burns]

Of course it should be expected that some of our young talent will continue to improve, and we'll get better offensively, and we have even more on the way. But I sure wouldn't let that fool us. You could probably look at any team with a 10+ game point streak and they will almost all be scoring at a higher clip than they do on average. I agree with the thought that Francis may now be able to get a bit more creative, and not have to go one of our top 4 D for help, or nothing else. But even as good as they've been offensively recently, nothing wrong with getting even better.

As good as this has all been, and even though I think they could field a very similar team, and improve, they still need to look to add an offensive option or two (maybe not as high end as originally thought), another solid dman in the Hainsey/Liles vet role (even if it's a younger vet that a team can't keep with expansion/cap, and likely for the bottom pair at this point), and ideally, an improved goalie tandem.

 

[ChuckW]

This ain't over yet!!!!

 

[bleedgreen]

They deserve it after tonight. Getting beat by a better team, and they fought and scrapped their way back in. 3pts in 6 games? This can be done.

Edit. TO win, 4 pts

 

[Finnish Jerk Train]

The thing that encourages me the most is the guys have learned what it means to believe in themselves and are figuring out how to pull wins out of their *****. Regardless of which side of the cut line we end up on, that's going to be a very good thing going forward.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Never has the Highway to 9th felt so good.

 

[the halleJOKEL]

i enjoyed watching this in person

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

broons have panthers and hawks back to back, they could feasibly hit a 2 game skid and easily drop the one of them. either hawks on a second of b2b if the backup (ostensibly) vs the cats.

 

[Oogie Boogie]

I don't trust Chicago after they let Tampa Bay come back when they were up 4-1 on them.

 

[Discipline Daddy]

As good as this has all been, and even though I think they could field a very similar team, and improve, they still need to look to add an offensive option or two (maybe not as high end as originally thought), another solid dman in the Hainsey/Liles vet role (even if it's a younger vet that a team can't keep with expansion/cap, and likely for the bottom pair at this point), and ideally, an improved goalie tandem.

Exactly.

Forwards: Re-sign TT, PDG, McGinn, and MAYBE Ryan. Then sign or trade for another top 9 forward. I don't want to count on Nic Roy or Gauthier making the team and would rather season them in the A for a year. Get a veteran forward, ideally. At the very least a guy like Versteeg.

Defense: Although we are set long-term with a ton in the pipeline, we should sign a bottom pairing guy for sure. I'd like to have 5 spots locked in and Fleury/McKeown and others play for the #6 role. We could feasibly sign a #5 and a #7. Maybe Dahlbeck/Tennyson as one and a UFA like Oduya, Brendan Smith, or Kris Russell. We could also get a D by an expansion draft trade with Minnesota or another team, but that's less likely.

Goaltending: Expansion draft. I think we trade with Vegas to get a young backup that they will draft. They should be rolling in good goalies with how the draft is set up. I hope we don't stay pat but that is a possibility as well. As good as Ward and Lack have been down the stretch, I don't like sticking to this tandem again given that they are like 25th in the league in team save percentage.

 

[NotOpie]

Was at the game tonight with my son and his girlfriend. She'd never been to a professional sports event. Despite the score, the game was pretty exciting. Come the 3rd, the crowd go into it and all was good.

Brett Pesce, in my opinion, was the best player on our team tonight. I'm not sure he lost a board battle, his clears were all timely, and he's just so damn solid. Justin Faulk saved at least 2 goals tonight even though I'd say Cam played quite well.

Again, Aho made at least two of the most creatively intelligent passes that were just beyond the reach/capability of the intended recipient. Lindy is more fun to watch in person than on the TV.

Hanifin quietly is becoming a pretty darn good defenseman.

Teuvo Teravainen wants to go to the playoffs. His effort tonight was beyond anything that I've seen him give to date.

All in all it was a great game to introduce a newbie to the sport. We'll likely be at the Islanders and/or the Blues game too.

 

[db2011]

Way to go, boys, thanks for a point but more importantly keep it up!!!

 

[CandyCanes]

Posted on wrong thread -

Playoff odds for the final six games of the season.

6-0-0 - 91.6%
5-0-1 - 73.8%
5-1-0 - 48%
4-0-2 - 43.5%
4-1-1 - 21.1%
3-0-3 - 18.2%
4-2-0 - 6.8%

Kinda sucks that only 1 regulation loss the rest of the way puts us at only a 48% chance of making it.

But I still believe

 

[Vagrant]

I really do think Brett Pesce gets caught up in the wake of Slavin and sort of overlooked for how impressive he has been. We tend to view Slavin as the leaguewide under-appreciated defenseman on this team, but it's probably Pesce. If you started a poll and asked people if Pesce was a top 4 defenseman you'd probably get a lot of LOLNO.

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

i enjoyed watching this in person

pls go to all the games in person pls

 

[Breakdowns]

Damn what a win, we really needed this one!

This team is playing hard, and they are finding a way to win, I love it!

This game was pretty much 50/50 and usually we lose these one`s especially in OT, but came out with 2 points! This feels so good

And say what you want about Hanifin, since Hainsey has been gone, he has played his best hockey yet, and it`s great to see!

 

[Stickpucker]

Jackets fan in peace, pulling for you guys to finish off this crazy ending. If it weren't for the possibility of the President's trophy, and instinctively hating to see the Jackets lose, I'd even be pulling for you tonight (sorry, Nationwide needs banners)

As it is, I won't mind a Canes win at all, since I like the playoff matchup the Jackets have right now.

As the other Jacket poster said, Jackets have been playing some pretty lackluster hockey lately, and the Canes have been so hot, a lot of us Jackets fans are pretty apprehensive for tonight. Good luck, really want to see the Hurricanes sneak in!

Thank you good sir.