John Forslund
Hockey insider John Forslund provides television commentary for the Hurricanes. You can get his thoughts on the team at his blog on WralSPORTSfan.com.
By John Forslund
May 2, 2009
Time to Reset the Table....
The Carolina Hurricanes come away from their first effort at the Garden in Boston with a couple of different conclusions. Game one ends with the same outcome in terms of the score as game one of the previous series, but in this one there was some positives to build on. As I watched the game back last night, there were many times you could see the Canes "amp up" their offense and take the play to the Bruins. Granted, much of it was in "drive by" fashion but they did accomplish enough to say, this can be done.
Conversely, the Canes were their own worst enemies. At times, they were very careless with the puck. At times, they were lost defensively and at times not prepared to be totally physically committed. This is one team that if you are not efficient especially in what you do with the puck, this series can be over before the trees are in full bloom.
Personally, I don't think that will happen. It appears the Hurricanes can play with the Bruins. But Boston is so good and so well-oiled that if the Hurricanes are not totally at their best , they won't give themselves a chance.
The question is: How can the Canes make it better? Aside from the obvious points of staying away from turnovers and getting the puck deep on the attack, the Canes might be better advised to get back to the line combinations that brought them here.
There was a constant line shuffling act in game one.
…
Click here to read the rest of the post
By John Forslund
Apr 26, 2009
Complete the Task...
My apologies for being away for the last few days. The rigors of playoff hockey have taken over and four games in four nights have held me back from blogdom since earlier this week. As I sit back down to come up with something for tonight, I too have been in awe of how majestic this series has been. We have been all part of one of the greatest first round series in NHL history. We've seen "off the chart" goalkeeping, unbelievable skill, coaching adjustments/ match-ups and tremendous intensity. This has truly been what the playoffs are all about. But for the Carolina Hurricanes to beat the odds and win this series they have do something they have not done in this series, play a "complete" game. You see the Devils lead 3-2 in this best of seven slug-fest but in my own category of "complete hockey" they also lead 1-0. In order for more hockey to be played here in Raleigh after Tuesday at some point the Canes have to put it all together for three periods.
The Devils got the early jump in this category by totally dominating the first game of this series. The Hurricanes were not prepared to play and it showed. Nerves, lack of aggression or was it the Devs being just that good. It was quite clear who set the tone. New Jersey played hard and efficient for sixty minutes and completed their "task" to a in control 4-1 victory.
In game two, the Canes were as close to being 'complete"
…
Click here to read the rest of the post
By John Forslund
Apr 19, 2009
Teams that take a 2-0 lead in best of seven series in this sport win that series 87 percent of the time. Now I'm not one for too many stat crutches but I will say that is quite a trend.
With that thought in mind - or maybe it was just the embarrassment of Game One - the Carolina Hurricanes played a much more intense style in route to a thrilling 2-1 OT win at the Rock on Friday. Now in the elation of it all, it appears that the Hurricanes will capture much of that momentum that playoffs are about and parlay it into a Game Three win. Well, it might not be that easy.
If you watch closely, the Devils have been the better team so far. What I mean is they have controlled large pockets of time in both games. The first game is a landslide, the second one, far closer but still if style points are given out in my opinion it's a Jersey verdict.
The playoffs are about proving to one side that you are better and tonight will be the opportunity for both sides.
For the Canes it's a chance to build on all that was good in Game Two. Emotionally they answered the test. Their commitment was incredible, their battle level was where it needed to be. But don't forget it had to be. If not , the opportunity to do more "Swamp Seeing" in New Jersey might not happen.
So now they can build on it. The crowd will be over the top tonight - there is no question about it. The Hurricanes will have to stay within the framework of their discipline. That's
…
Click here to read the rest of the post
By John Forslund
Apr 16, 2009
Greetings from New Jersey. We are hunkered down in Short Hills, which by the way is quite beautiful as the Canes look to repair what went way wrong in Game One of this series with the Devils. To throw just a few more Springsteen references your way, and during this round you will get more, the Canes' "Land of Hope and Dreams" turned into the "Darkness on the Edge of Town." It was a curiously played game by the boys from Raleigh that needs to be altered and soon or this said to be long series could be a quickie.
The Hurricanes have opportunity early in Friday's game to reverse the fortune. That's why I truly believe the first period could be the whole series. It's hard to toss out a generality like this but quite possibly this is what it could boil down to. New Jersey leveled the Canes with their team game in the opening encounter. They dictated the pace, outworked the Hurricanes in little intangibles and displayed team confidence of a club that could go very deep into the spring. But given the nature of this game and the make up of the team's it could all change with one solid twenty minute effort.
On Monday we discussed the "Danger Zone" on the ice, an area of the rink where the Hurricanes could be exploited if not careful. Unfortunately it came to fruition. The Hurricanes stumbled in their own zone and the Devs jumped on it. The trick now for the Hurricanes is to recapture their own team confidence. How can they do this? Well
…
Click here to read the rest of the post
By John Forslund
Apr 14, 2009
Here we go, the day before the start of what could be an unforgettable two months. We've been there before. You know what to expect in terms of how special this time of the year can be for a hockey fan. You know how captivating playoff hockey can be. How emotional it becomes and how fully entrenched one can be in the run for hockey's silver chalice.
But get ready to enter hockey's "Jungleland", always lots of Springsteen references here. For the Hurricanes it starts appropriately in New Jersey. For some unknown alignment of stars it wouldn't be the playoffs without a trip to the "swamps". Unlike previous encounters the Hurricanes will have to conquer the "Rock" not capture a piece of the "turf" at the Meadowlands.
This should be long one. I would expect a six or seven game joust. The teams have so many similarities. The match ups can be broken done so many ways. At the end of it all you say, it's close.
The teams have each had times during their regular seasons when they looked like they were ready to dominate the league. The goaltenders bring special pedigrees in their own right which should make this one have the most intriguing allure at the most important position. The power play success the Canes have had in the season series might be enough to keep the Devils preoccupied. There are eleven rings in the Devil room and ten on the Hurricane side. The coaches are very well prepared. Each team
…
Click here to read the rest of the post
By John Forslund
Apr 9, 2009
Here we go. The final home tilt of the regular season. In this magical run of consecutive good fortune the Canes have efficiently handled all kinds of conditions and opponents. Tonight thanks to Buffalo's win in Toronto last night, the game takes on more meaning.
For the opponents it's the never ending "Don't Stop Believing" theme. The Sabres have mathematical hope and need plenty of help to get there. If the NY Rangers take tonight's game against Philadelphia to overtime, that's it for the Niagara men. But if they lose, the Sabres HAVE to win here.
I say "it's all good" and the Canes could use a little push from the opponents tonight. Tuesday game was, well I'm sorry a "joke". The New Islanders came here with absolutely zero competitive zest and to the Hurricanes credit they kept on pushing and staying within their good winning principles. That's all well and good but once a team has clinched a spot in the post season the games that are left are little complex in terms of how they are played. If this was the Atlanta Thrashers or Toronto Maple Leafs or some other bound for the golf course lot, I don't think it would sit well. The Hurricanes are forced to be at attention. All you need to do is ask the New Jersey Devils about playing under clinched conditions. The last two weeks have been miserable and they still are searching for their total team game with time running out.
It's quite possible that the Canes would continue their
…
Click here to read the rest of the post
By John Forslund
Apr 2, 2009
As the Carolina Hurricanes hit the ice tonight in search of their franchise record 10th straight win at home, they have an opportunity to do so with one of the grittiest components back in the line up. Although Paul Maurice has elected not to commit to adding Scott Walker until after his morning skate or as he called it a "game time decision, "24" will be back in the line up tonight. It also comes at the appropriate time.
You might say hold on a minute, the Canes are playing their best hockey and maybe some conventional wisdom would say NOT to tinker with an existing winning line up. We have been down this road before, you can look back to the final week of the regular season last year and point to the reinstatement of Ray Whitney and Justin Williams. That kind of hindsight logic has no place here, nor does the replacement of Walker hold any comparison. At least that's my opinion and that's I all need to support here. Ah yes, the logic behind blogging.
Scott Walker has been absent since March 6th, when he played just over 5 minutes and scored one goal in a 6-1 shellacking of Calgary. A recurrence of his symptoms relating to his hit from Pittsburgh's Matt Cooke in late January took place and he was given time off. That is when his detachment from the group would begin and some rocky days were ahead. Days when Walker would feel terrible, others when he would start out fine finish poorly and vice versa. These are times when a player does not enjoy his
…
Click here to read the rest of the post
By John Forslund
Mar 26, 2009
So here are the Carolina Hurricanes. Winners of nine straight at home and sporting a mark of 18-8-2 since the All-Star break. They are firmly in a position to make the playoffs and I'm about to label Wednesday night's victory over the Ottawa Senators a " measuring stick."
I know you probably saying, how can this be? The Sens have made the most of their lost season by doing what many teams do after their fate has been sealed, win and win a lot. To their credit and thanks to a new coach, they were 9-1-0 in their last 10 and winners of five straight. They had just spoiled the New York Rangers party on Broadway Sunday night. Mathematically they have hope. But these games are the tough ones.
Quite possibly this was one the toughest the Canes would play down the stretch. Ottawa possesses high-end talent, a hot goalie and attitude of, OK, let's finish strong and hit the links. The pressure is basically off. The Canes had to measure up and do so in little intangible areas. Let's see how they did.
First of all, handle what could be one of the best forwards lines in the game today. In order to shut down Jason Spezza, Dany Heatley and Daniel Alfredsson, coach Paul Maurice decided to go strength on strength and match them with Eric Staal's line. It was a great test and certainly it worked in the Canes favor. In the first period the tone was set for the game.
Staal's line didn't score but did what they have been doing of late - that is, to push
…
Click here to read the rest of the post
By John Forslund
Mar 20, 2009
In the midst of all this March Madness going on around us, the Carolina Hurricanes will take another step towards solidifying a playoff spot as they host the New York Islanders tonight. It was a well-timed effort against the Martin Brodeur-less Devils on Wednesday they might prove to be one of the Canes most important victories of the season.
The importance of this win can be seen on many fronts. Yes it came on the "first game back" from a long road trip which even with playoff ramifications can be a stumbling block. It came against a quality opponent regarded by many as the best team in the East at the moment. It came on a night when everyone else is watching and the Canes who along with Pittsburgh have the fewest games remaining, needed a win to apply the pressure on all the "chasers". In addition, there were individual stories like the start in the first 20 where the Eric Staal, Erik Cole and Tuomo Ruutu trio set a breakneck pace to the game the Devs couldn't catch. The continued balance scoring of the Brind'Amour line which gave a highlight to remember. The special teams that were letter perfect. Lastly, don't forget the play of number 30, who bailed out the Canes in the second period once again.
For me, the most important aspect of the win has to do with team confidence. This is the most important intangible that has to tangible to the naked eye at this time of the year. All you have to do is watch the Montreal Canadiens right now and you
…
Click here to read the rest of the post
By John Forslund
Mar 11, 2009
Good morning! Here we are in the windy city. The plane ride was fairly bumpy yesterday as the Canes touched down in one of America's finest cities.
As we all know, the Canes invade Chicago on a very high note. Winners of four straight and eight of their last 10, they are scoring goals, stopping chances and overall have put together a very fundamentally sound "team game" over this stretch.
The Canes continue to check the morning line every day to see where they stand in the mad scramble of the East. Today, they start with the eighth spot with only 14 games remaining. It will be a night where they stand alone on the schedule and will have to watch everything else in the ensuing days. It would be nice to start this trip on a winning note and if they do it will be a major step forward but this one might be about the style of game and the carry over more than anything else.
Let's start in the defensive zone. In the most important half of the ice, the Hurricanes have taken their game from a team that was rated 23rd out of 30 teams in late November to one that is ranked 12th. Much of this is due to the solid play of Cam Ward, whose nightly work is right on the spot. A penalty-killing unit that since the middle of January is among the best in the NHL.
Finally, "D " zone coverage that is keeping opponents to the outside and giving number 30 a chance to get clean looks on the majority of shots. Tonight, it will all be tested. Chicago
…
Click here to read the rest of the post
