WRAL Sports Fan

WRALSportsFan

Canes Penalty Kill Coming Up Short

Jan 2, 2008

The Canes' recent struggles can be traced back to one key and glaring statistic: they're giving up power play goals by the bushel.

Carolina's penalty kill ranks dead last in the NHL - 30th out of 30 teams. The Hurricanes have given up a whopping 48 power play goals. To put that in perspective, only one other NHL team, Anaheim, has allowed more than 40.

It's killed us all year, no question," said captain Rod Brind'Amour. "We're giving up so many easy power play goals. They don't even have to work for them, they just smack the puck, slap it at the net and it's frustrating because we have to be better than that."

Just last season the Canes ranked among the NHL's best at killing penalties, placing seventh. That number makes this season's struggles even more puzzling, since the Canes made few off-season changes in personnel.

"We're using the same system we've used for the last couple of years," Brind"amour said, "so it's not like teams have figured us out, I don't think that's it."

"The penalty kill is comprised of a lot of little things," said coach Peter Laviolette. "Getting pucks out, starting with executing the faceoff...blocking shots...the penalty kill is a bunch of little details."

The Canes' Southeast Division lead now stands at three points, and with the final game of a home-and-home set with second-place Atlanta set for Friday, the Canes need to breathe new life into their penalty kill.

• Reporter: Ken Medlin
• Web Editor: Ryan Craig