wxray1 Report post Posted February 9 It is a hell of a lot more fun discussing possibilities of getting seeded as wildcard or 3rd in metro, or for the dreamers, 1st, than it is talking about how player S was a lost trade, etc. Yeah, still maybe a bit early. The team still has some proving to do. Quite a bit actually. But at least we are in realistic dream territory for once! 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AWACSooner Report post Posted February 9 19 minutes ago, wxray1 said: Yeah, still maybe a bit early. The team still has some proving to do. Quite a bit actually. But at least we are in realistic dream territory for once! I won’t fully believe til there’s an x next to our name that stands for “qualified for playoffs,” but yah, this is finally getting enjoyable to watch Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slapshot02 Report post Posted February 9 4 hours ago, OBXer said: Is it too early to start saying, hey we are only 6 points out of first in the Metro We will be in third after the Devil game as Pitt and CBJ will lose today against TBL and Vegas. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AWACSooner Report post Posted February 9 Meanwhile, Detroit is laying an egg for us Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bonivan Report post Posted February 9 No help from other teams in afternoon games: Boston, Buffalo and Islanders won their games. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kyrule Report post Posted February 9 ...and the Flyers. 0-4 so far. Just like every other night/day it seems. This is really getting on my nerves. Teams in the West can lose 6 of 7 and still be in it. We go 12-4-1 and we’re just trying to keep up. If we were in the Central we would be in 3rd place and we would have a 7 point cushion regarding a playoff spot. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AWACSooner Report post Posted February 9 At this point, all we can do is keep winning...if it’s meant to be, the hockey gods will give us some help 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wxray1 Report post Posted February 9 1 hour ago, AWACSooner said: At this point, all we can do is keep winning...if it’s meant to be, the hockey gods will give us some help Right. The Canes still hold their destiny. They don't need help yet. If they go, say, 17-8-2, which is a pace slightly worse than their torrid pace since Dec 31, they have 98 pts which will almost assuredly get them in. This is because other teams ahead will deny each other points. It also means the Canes will deny those teams points. Screw the West. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hag65 Report post Posted February 10 Just get your points and don't worry. Everything else takes care of itself. Maths. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
remkin Report post Posted February 10 It is frustrating to get nearly completely shut out by the scoreboard the last couple of days, but the law of averages will catch up with at least a couple of teams, which is all we need. Also shows how much harder it is to climb in than to stay in. Loser points and so on. But also why it was so key IMO to have this run early. Just keep pushing get above the cut line, then let other teams watch our scores. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AWACSooner Report post Posted February 10 Well, the Bolts took care of the Evil Empire...now here's hoping Vegas can actually wallop the BJ's Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dinz Report post Posted February 10 (edited) 6 minutes ago, AWACSooner said: Well, the Bolts took care of the Evil Empire...now here's hoping Vegas can actually wallop the BJ's Fun game to watch, got a little worried at the end, now go Vegas! Edited February 10 by dinz Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hopper915 Report post Posted February 10 (edited) Vegas leads Jackets 2-1, end of 1st period. Can you believe the tear the Flyers are on? 9-0-1 over the last 10 games? Edited February 10 by hopper915 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AWACSooner Report post Posted February 10 Well, no help from Vegas. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
remkin Report post Posted February 10 Seriously, I think it's still more about us, but the last two days it's been pretty amazing how little help we're getting. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PamlicoPuck Report post Posted February 10 Greed is a powerful motivator, I want those 2pts today....... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wxray1 Report post Posted February 10 (edited) 6 hours ago, remkin said: Seriously, I think it's still more about us, but the last two days it's been pretty amazing how little help we're getting. Exactly. Everyone stay calm. As long as the Canes continue the pace they've been on, they are in. The math works this way because that means the Canes will deny points of teams ahead, and teams ahead will deny points to each other. But that means this pace, or something close, continues. Do they have that in them? If we start playing with only 0.600 hockey, then help will be needed. Need to go closer to 0.700 to control destiny. Edited February 10 by wxray1 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AWACSooner Report post Posted February 11 Apparently Mongo is taking a leave of absence in Charlotte Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dinz Report post Posted February 11 I hope he is ok. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KJUNKANE Report post Posted February 11 I wish someone would explain to me how our perennial Achilles heel PPP (poor power play), and could add another P to it but this is a G-rated site, but how can it be allowed to fester, seems like for 10 years, without something being done to solve it? I attempted to research our final standing in PP% since the 08-09 season and failed, but if I had to guess, I'd guess we've been in mid to lower 20s in ranking over this span? Why? As shown vividly in last nights game, our team is a better than average 5 on 5 team, and understandably totally slogs, completely losing that edge (I'm guessing from mounting frustration) when the miserable PP fails once again to score? Jokingly I have said that the plan to beat this team is for an opposing team to take lots of penalties. Now I know that no coach would plan against us that way (at least I can't imagine one would), because as is said, "even a blind squirrel finds a nut", but how frustrating is this situation? And to further drive home this claim I've made of perennial power play bottom dwellers, it's not been too long ago that we fans were begging tongue in cheek to just forego the penalty when we were the recipient of being put on one? Pathetic So, I apologize for this lengthy rant, but how can a coaching staff not address this lingering problem? My gosh, with all the reputed statistical sophistication brought on board, and the gurus to run it, cannot that be the project of one to delve into this issue? Or, is it a situation that defies analysis? I'm aware that an argument can be made for "chemistry" and the possible lack of this team's in the PP situation, but how can that be year after year after year? Monday morning Blues Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iceman11 Report post Posted February 11 I really think they should move Hamilton to the 1st power play unit. Switch him and Faulk. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cclifford10 Report post Posted February 11 (edited) Run the damn pp through Aho. Nothing good starts happening until he touches the puck. Put him on the right (one timing) side. He can shoot, pass, or cut to the middle. Edited February 11 by cclifford10 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wxray1 Report post Posted February 11 (edited) 1 hour ago, KJUNKANE said: So, I apologize for this lengthy rant, but how can a coaching staff not address this lingering problem? My gosh, with all the reputed statistical sophistication brought on board, and the gurus to run it, cannot that be the project of one to delve into this issue? Or, is it a situation that defies analysis? I'm aware that an argument can be made for "chemistry" and the possible lack of this team's in the PP situation, but how can that be year after year after year? Monday morning Blues We're not in the management room, so we can't know for sure the reasons. Surely, they are not blind to it. Brindy even mentions it in interviews. After the recent surge, a lot of forgiveness was given to RB. That's fine. However, the thing still concerning is there is one constant that has followed the poor power play over the last 5+ years, and that is RB. Cause and effect? I don't know. I think it is interesting that Columbus hired Martin St. Louis to fix their power play. Guess what happened since his hiring a few weeks ago? The team has turned around a bad swoon, and improved their power play from 14.6% to 16.7%. That's a measurable difference in a fairly small number of games that he has been working with the team. (BTW, Canes are currently 16.1%, tied for 26th. Columbus has worked up to 22nd.) For the Canes, The Committee needs to be honest and address this in some way. Not necessarily like Columbus, but some way. I guess that's all you are asking for, KJUN, and I agree. Edited February 11 by wxray1 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KJUNKANE Report post Posted February 11 (edited) Yes wxray, and I pondered the St Louis hire at the time, wondering if an innate skill like he possessed could be instilled in those he's coaching? I guess that answers that? Relative to that, I've read from more than one source that Brindy's "skills" emanated from his relentless work rather than innate athleticism. Is it possible that a player can have his skill sharpened, but that work ethic cannot be translated? Just musing, and trying to reason thru why, if Brindy is the common denominator to our woeful PP, than why couldn't he relent and hire outside expertise? Or is it an ego thing? Edited February 11 by KJUNKANE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OBXer Report post Posted February 11 In the overall scheme of things we are still only 5 pts out of 2nd, 3 pts out of 3rd and one point out of a wildcard. Flyers fan tonight although the Philly surge scares me a bit a Pens loss would be desirable Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites