GDT: Game 2: Carolina vs Columbus, 7pm

[The Faulker 27]

Damn this Division.

 

[Roboturner913]

Didn't look like Aho gave up to me. He'd been out there for like forever already and been up and down the ice. I was talking to the tv saying pass and change when he got the puck in the d zone to start the 3 on 1... I knew he wasn't going to because the opportunity was too juicy but he was out of gas

Exactly, he chased the play back the other way just to get the puck, then chugged his way into the 3-on-1 when the other two Canes were ahead of him. Then after he missed the shot he had to make a quick stop and get moving the other way. His legs had to be jello by that point.

Nobody on this team I would ever accuse of quitting at any point over the first two games. Effort is never the problem. If sheer effort was all you needed to win games we'd be 82-0-0.

 

[hurricure]

We need someone in front of the damn net... we potted a couple last year just by planting Bickle there

 

[HisIceness]

We need someone in front of the damn net... we potted a couple last year just by planting Bickle there

It's unfortunate he had to retire early because we could use that this year.

 

[hurricure]

So there's no way Peters tries to sneak his man crush in net Saturday is there... if Darling is the true #1 he gets the start right?

 

[The Faulker 27]

So there's no way Peters tries to sneak his man crush in net Saturday is there... if Darling is the true #1 he gets the start right?

Darling played well tonight. He kept them in it. Peters would have to be a raving lunatic to put Ward in.

 

[dogbazinho]

I think u put Ward in against the dregs of thr universe in a back to back. Also play Necas

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

paraphrasing bill peters: make a f***ing call

 

[Blueline Bomber]

I didn't notice it in the moment, but I love Jordan's reaction to Skinner's goal.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

We got beat by two guys tonight: Sonny Milano, who got two beauty goals and may win the Calder, and Sergei Bobrovski, who is the reigning Vezina winner and shut us out for 59 minutes. And we still got a point.

If you're not happy with that, you need to get over yourself. Seriously. The way C-bus played tonight, there's no way we sniff a point in this game at any point in the past decade.

 

[Roboturner913]

I didn't notice it in the moment, but I love Jordan's reaction to Skinner's goal.

Yeah, but I was told he's never really fit in, never really wanted to be on this team. Or some nonsense.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Feel free to be mad at the USMNT though. Ell oh ell.

 

[robbieberns]

Here’s some points that are obvious, and have been mentioned, but I’m going to rehash:

Darling is the real deal. He went toe to toe with maybe the best tender in the league, and looked real comfortable doing it.

The sky is truly the limit for Aho. That coast to coast drive late in the third was jaw dropping quality. He’s our spark plug and true driving force.

Thanks to Rod for all the great years, but he’s got to go. Watching the way any one member of this team can slide in to the pk really shows how much they’ve bought into Smith’s system. I’ve never seen special teams so polar opposite of each other, and I’ve never seen a power play so bereft of ideas.

Also, Rask needs to step his shit up. He’s a passenger on most shifts, and I think a lot of the line shifting was done to pair him with guys who can carry him.

 

[bleedgreen]

Yeah, but I was told he's never really fit in, never really wanted to be on this team. Or some nonsense.

Square peg, round hole. It happens.

 

[HisIceness]

Yeah regarding Darling. So far I'm more impressed with him than I was with Eddie Lack in his first few games here.

 

[Ole Gil]

It's wild how different pp is from preseason, where they were whipping it around the ice like crazy. Preseason looked like Harlem globetrotters. Now it's pass. Dust off. Deliberate pass. Dust off. Nobody moves. Skate a few inches....

 

[CandyCanes]

It's wild how different pp is from preseason, where they were whipping it around the ice like crazy. Preseason looked like Harlem globetrotters. Now it's pass. Dust off. Deliberate pass. Dust off. Nobody moves. Skate a few inches....

For real. It really seemed like the power play was clicking during the preseason.

 

[FlyingSquirrels]

Was at the game tonight. And I have 2 comments:

Victor Rask has regressed terribly and is totally unsuited to be one of our top 3 centers at this point. His subpar skating is becoming more and more noticeable as the league's pace of play continues to get faster. He was terrible.

Darling is excellent. If BP over-coaches this situation and doesn't make him the clear #1, I will be pissed..

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Rask and Hanifin for Duchene and a 2nd.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Agree Rask looked bad, so did TT, Ryan and Kuokkanen. Any surprise though? Columbus is a fast, aggressive, physical team so they neutralize soft guys that need time and space.

 

[Roboturner913]

As terrible as Rask was overall (and I won't argue that) he did look better late in the game, after they went up 1-0 and we started selling out hard to try and tie it up. And he had a pretty major goal against Minny that A) should've won the game and B) was of pretty high skill level, on the team right now only Aho, Skinner, Jwill and maybe Teravainen have shown the consistent ability to roof a shot like that, with that kind of velocity. I could see him being the odd man out down the road, maybe moving to right wing where he seems to play pretty well, but he's far from a bum.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Columbus is a tough matchup for Carolina. Their defense is every bit as good as our defense, if not better. Their goaltending is better than our goaltending. Their forward talent is similar to our forward talent, but their depth is better than ours (IMO). They skate as well as the Canes skate but are bigger and more physical. They don't give you much time and space, which really impacts some of our "softer" players like Teravainen, Ryan, Kuokkanen, etc.. They were the 3rd best team in the east last year for a reason.

That said, it was the 2nd game of the season. The Canes will take some games to get fully in synch, but still went toe to toe with them last night. Neither team had a lot of "grade A" scoring chances and the 1st goal they scored was on Darling for not hugging the post. The team showed some fight by coming back and getting a point and really had a chance to win it in OT. That's the nature of OT though, if you get an odd man rush and fail to convert, you are likely giving up an odd man rush or breakaway the other way. Those are the breaks. Re: the PP, Wally nailed it in his post.

Fleury looked good again and I think after he gets a few games under his belt, he'll be playing with more confidence. Slavin continues to be an absolute stud and is a treat to watch.

 

[Roboturner913]

The thing that has surprised me about Fleury is his offensive instincts. He's not wheeling up the ice or anything obviously but he gets rid of the puck fast and gets it out to the right person with no hesitation at all. He's ahead of where Pesce was in his rookie season in that regard, IMO. It's crazy to me that these kids on D are coming in every year and playing like solid veterans right off the bat.

 

[67 others]

I really wanted Aho to shoot that in the first place, maybe create a rebound. Canes were really intimidated in the 3rd period and OT by Columbus sticks at ice level.

How is lindholm looking?

I feel he should be #1C and Rask bumped to 3rd line

 

[tarheelhockey]

Yeah, I noticed that too... he looks completely comfortable with the puck, for a guy who’s had the “defensive defenseman” label all along.