Hurricanes News

Leafs finally grab second victory of season
"Rare as it was, the Maple Leafs hope they achieved more than just a victory here Friday. Mixed amidst the palpable relief at squeaking out just their second win of the season was a belief among the players that this could, finally, be the building block on which they can start to construct a much better stretch of hockey."
Struggling Canes hit rock bottom
"The Carolina Hurricanes have hit bottom. The Hurricanes, winless in their past 10 games, and are 30th - that's last - in the NHL standings. They are 30th in the NHL in scoring. They are 30th in penalty minutes per game. They also are 29th in goals against per game, with only the Toronto Maple Leafs worse. And those teams play tonight at the RBC Center. Hurricanes center Eric Staal is injured and out. Now, it appears winger Ray Whitney may miss a few games, as well. Whitney and forward Tuomo Ruutu missed Thursday's practice at the RecZone with upper-body concerns. They're listed as "day-to-day" and were to undergo tests later Thursday. With a need for a forward, the team called up Zach ..."
Injuries, losses piling up for Maurice's 'Canes
"With all due lack of respect to their opponent tonight, the Carolina Hurricanes wake up this morning as the worst team in the NHL. From the Eastern Conference final to the bottom of the standings in five short months, the 'Canes face the Maple Leafs at the RBC Center, rocked and woozy from a horrid 10-game losing streak. "We just have to keep working on what's not working," Carolina coach Paul Maurice said following the team's morning practice yesterday. "When you have a problem, you can complain or you can try to fix it. "Having this start, coming off where we were, in the final four .... that's where it's unacceptable." How bad is it? Carolina is at the bottom of the standings (tied ..."
Hurricanes try to weather storm
"Definitive statements by any member of the Maple Leafs' brass have a way of sticking, either to haunt or immortalize. So former Leafs coach Paul Maurice understands exactly where he's treading when he dredges up an old ghost to describe the current plight of his Carolina Hurricanes. "I know you're going to mock me for this but I'm going to give it to you anyway," he said Thursday. "Our feeling is that our goal is to make the playoffs and compete for a Stanley Cup.""
Boychuk called up: Whitney, Ruutu injured
"With the possibility that Ray Whitney and Tuomo Ruutu may miss games with upper-body injuries, the Canes are calling up forward Zach Boychuk from the Albany River Rats (AHL). General manager Jim Rutherford said Boychuk probably would be on Jussi Jokinen's line with Erik Cole. Sutter may be on a wing today on Rod Brind'Amour"s line with Sergei Samsonov, he said. Both Whitney and Ruutu will have MRIs and CTs today, Rutherford said. He said it's possible Ruutu could play Friday against Toronto, but Whitney may have to sit out a few games."
Canes fall to Panthers
"One long streak came to an end Wednesday for the Carolina Hurricanes. But not another streak that has grown much too long for the Hurricanes' liking. The Florida Panthers outlasted the Canes 3-0 on Wednesday night at BankAtlantic Center. Make it 10 straight losses for the Hurricanes, who played without center Eric Staal for the first time since 2004 and whose misery and frustration continues. Steven Reinprecht gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead at 5:09 of the third when a Cory Stillman shot went off his shin pad and past Canes goaltender Cam Ward. Stillman added a power-play goal with 6:16 to play, and with Tomas Vokoun strong in net with 32 saves, Florida had all it needed. Staal had missed ..."
Fortuitous Panthers benefit from some `lucky' bounces
"When the Panthers put players in front of the net, something good usually happens -- especially when Steven Reinprecht is the one near the crease. Reinprecht scored his team-high ninth goal Wednesday night after a puck ricocheted off him, the fortuitous bounce helping to lift the Panthers to a 3-0 victory over the Hurricanes at BankAtlantic Center. Cory Stillman also scored after deflecting a puck while shielding Carolina goalie Cam Ward."
Horton getting praise for improved performance
"There are plenty of detractors who have been vocal in their belief winger Nathan Horton doesn't play with passion or gives it his all. Those critics have not had much to complain about lately. Horton, 24, is in the midst of one of his most impressive runs in his six seasons with the Panthers. Horton has one goal and six assists in his past four games, including Wednesday's scoreless game against the Hurricanes. Four of those assists have been on goals by linemate Steven Reinprecht. ``As long as you are contributing any way you can, that's the main thing,'' Horton said. ``It's been fun with Reinprecht and [Cory] Stillman. Reinprecht is hot right now, so we have to get him the puck.''"
Vokoun makes 32 saves for second-straight shutout
"There he was, camped out in front of the net, in the perfect place at the right time, as he has been so often the past three weeks. Steven Reinprecht didn't need to move to score the winning goal Wednesday night, just stand there and wait for Cory Stillman's shot to go in off his left shin pad. Reinprecht's goal a little more than five minutes into the third period led to the Panthers' 3-0 win against the Hurricanes at BankAtlantic Center — the third consecutive win for the Panthers and 10th straight loss for their Southeast Division rivals, who haven't won since beating the Panthers on Oct. 9 in Raleigh, N.C. "We found a way to get a win tonight," coach Pete DeBoer said. "It wasn't ..."
Hurricanes go back to the basics
"The players stood in their spots and listened, and Paul Maurice lectured, and then they would try to do what he was telling them to do. Then he would correct them, and the players would switch places, and they would start again. It was the kind of practice common during training camp, not November. For most teams, the teaching was conducted long ago. The Carolina Hurricanes, after a start to the season that has been a complete and total disaster, might as well have been back in training camp Tuesday. It was a back-to-basics practice for a team that hasn't just lost its way, but never found it. After spending the first 13 games of the season standing around and watching, then figuring out ..."
Canes hit road without Staal
"The equipment bags, each with a player's number, were being loaded up Tuesday for the Carolina Hurricanes' flight to Florida. No. 30, No. 77, No. 7, No. 24 ... the red bags were being stacked on top of each other in the Canes' locker room. With one notable absence: There was no No. 12 bag. In Eric Staal's locker were his skates, helmets, gloves and other equipment. For the first time since March 19, 2004, Staal will not be in the lineup when the Hurricanes face the Florida Panthers on Wednesday night at BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla. The center left Sunday's game against San Jose after the second period for what is being deemed an "upper-body" injury, and Canes coach Paul Maurice ..."
Change coming for Canes
"With his team mired in a nine-game losing streak and free-falling down the NHL standings, Carolina Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford promised Monday that changes were on the way. While saying he believes in his coaching staff and players, Rutherford said he would more actively look to make trades. It's also possible other younger players could be called up from the Albany River Rats, the team's American Hockey League affiliate. Rutherford, who accepted the blame for the Hurricanes' 2-8-3 start, said he had hoped to wait until the end of November before making those kinds of decisions. But his attitude changed after the Canes' 5-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues and then a 5-1 whipping ..."
Time to produce a spark
"Now sporting the worst 13-game record in franchise history at 2-8-3, the Carolina Hurricanes need some help. Fortunately, the franchise also has a history of big turnaround games, single games that sparked streaks and changed seasons. The biggest of those make the list (unfortunately for the Hurricanes, two are against San Jose, which suggests they may have missed a big chance Sunday) in Tuesday's Top Five: 5. Edmonton, Jan. 18, 2008: A grim 1-5-0 stretch that saw the Hurricanes outscored 20-11 ended with a 7-2 home win over the Oilers. After that, the Hurricanes ripped off 21 wins in the next 33 games, good enough to make the playoffs if they hadn't lost three of their final four with a ..."
Rutherford accepts blame for poor start
"Jim Rutherford said he accepts the blame for the Carolina Hurricanes' stumbling start. With the Hurricanes 2-8-3, 14th in the Eastern Conference and winless in their last nine games, the general manager said today that he still believes in his coaching staff and players. But he said some offseason decisions and the shortening of preseason training camp was a mistake, and said he would be more actively looking to make an early season trade than in most years. "I'd like to get to the end of November and see where we're at, but it has been so disappointing in the last two home games in how we've played and how we've lost games," he said. "We have a responsibility to our fans to win games and ..."
Rutherford: Staal to miss some games
"Canes center Eric Staal will miss some games because of an upper-body injury suffered Sunday against the San Jose Sharks, general manager Jim Rutherford said today. Staal has played in 349 consecutive regular-season games, but that streak likely will end, Rutherford said. He has missed just one game in his career, late in his rookie season. Staal left after the second period of the 5-1 loss to San Jose as the Canes dropped their ninth straight game to fall to 2-8-3."
Staal to miss several games after injury
"The Carolina Hurricanes will be without star centre Eric Staal for several games, according to general manager Jim Rutherford. Rutherford told the Raleigh News Observer on Monday that Staal suffered an upper-body injury on Sunday during Carolina's 5-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks. "When things go wrong, they go wrong," Rutherford told the News Observer. "All teams have to deal with injuries. We have enough players to step up but we'll have to do it with confidence at an all-time low.""
Hurricanes have fallen far real fast
"In the winter of 2003, after a dismal six-goal loss to the Los Angeles Kings, the Carolina Hurricanes reached the inevitable conclusion that no matter how hard anyone tried or what anyone did, their season was only getting worse. And it proceeded to get worse, all the way to last place. Is it possible the Hurricanes have reached that point on the first day of November, after a dismal four-goal loss to another West Coast team? After all, this is the first time the Hurricanes have gone nine games without a win since then. This team doesn't have the injury problems or overwhelming lack of interest the 2002-03 team developed as it slid down the standings, but it also doesn't have a whole lot ..."
Sharks take bite out of Hurricanes
"Rod Brind'Amour doesn't have the answer. Ray Whitney doesn't have it. Neither does any other Carolina Hurricanes player. Paul Maurice wishes he had one, but the coach seems just as baffled as everyone else, almost to the point of being flabbergasted. The Hurricanes have lost nine straight games after being blasted 5-1 on Sunday by the San Jose Sharks. And by game's end, with many of the few fans left in the RBC Center booing, it was easy to forget the Canes had led 1-0 early in the second period on Brandon Sutter's goal. That would be 20-year-old Sutter, the youngest player on the team. The Canes, who aren't lacking for veterans, have one goal in each of the last two games - losing 6-1 ..."
Sharks get goals from unlikely scorers in win
"Forward Brad Staubitz needed only three words to explain the fact that the Sharks' first four goals in a 5-1 breeze of a victory over the Carolina Hurricanes came from some unlikely sources Sunday. "Full moon, man," said Staubitz, a fourth-line right wing whose second goal of the season held up as the winner. Douglas Murray had a more technical explanation for the fact that he had just scored his first goal in 109 games and that fellow defenseman Kent Huskins had chipped in his first goal as a Shark as San Jose stretched its winning streak to five games. "I think contributions will come from the blue line when the team is playing well," Murray said. "It's all about coming out clean in our ..."
'Canes can commiserate
"Panthers coach Pete DeBoer and Hurricanes coach Paul Maurice, close friends for many years, exchanged text messages the other day about their early season predicaments. "I think misery loves company," DeBoer said with a laugh before Saturday's 4-0 win in St. Louis, "and neither of us is off to a great start. But the one thing we learned last year when both of us were sitting a long way outside of the playoffs is it's a long year and this is a marathon, not a sprint." The Hurricanes (2-8-3) lost their ninth consecutive game Sunday and are off to their worst start ever. The Panthers, despite back-to-back wins, are 4-7-1. The teams will play Wednesday at BankAtlantic Center. The Panthers, who ..."
Flyers blow past 'Canes
"Flyers coach John Stevens made a statement to his players Wednesday when he stripped them of a scheduled day off and told them they'd keep practicing until they started winning games General manager Paul Holmgren made a statement to them Thursday when he said he did not take losing lightly and wanted to start seeing results in the win column. Saturday, the players made a statement to their coach and general manager -- not to mention 19,076 rowdy fans at the Wachovia Center -- with a lopsided 6-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Braydon Coburn pulled himself from a slump with two goals, and David Laliberte celebrated his first NHL game with a goal and an assist as the Flyers snapped a ..."
Flyers storm past 'Canes
"Flyers rookie right winger David Laliberte got into the spirit of Halloween yesterday at the Wachovia Center.He came disguised as Danny Briere.Playing in his first NHL game, Laliberte scored on his second shift, lifting a rebound into the net to help the Flyers defeat the Carolina Hurricanes, 6-1, in front of an announced crowd of 19,076.Laliberte, 23, promoted from the AHL's Adirondack Phantoms to replace the injured Briere, added a second-period assist."It's unbelievable. I couldn't sleep last night. I was too excited about this game," said Laliberte, whose mother, father, sister, and girlfriend drove to the game from Montreal. "It's a dream come true. I just worked hard, and the puck ..."
Big game for Canes in Philly
"It won't be the biggest game in town, by any means, but for the Carolina Hurricanes it's by far the most important. The Canes will play the Philadelphia Flyers today at the Wachovia Center, with the puck dropping a little after 1 p.m. About seven hours later, across the street at Citizens Bank Park, will come the first pitch in Game 3 of the World Series between the Phillies and New York Yankees. But Canes coach Paul Maurice doesn't mind being the afternoon matinee, so to speak. "We'd like to be the main show in town, but we're just not yet," he said. "Not a bad way to go. We're coming in undercover." For the Hurricanes, it's not a matter of exposure. It's simply a matter of trying to ..."
Canes aim to take care of business one on one
"Eric Staal and Ray Whitney were fighting for the puck Thursday in front of goaltender Cam Ward, banging bodies, banging sticks, their one-on-one duel intense and competitive. While much has been made of the Carolina Hurricanes' seven-game winless streak and disappointing plummet to 13th place in the Eastern Conference, coach Paul Maurice said a big part of the solution and turnaround lies in a hockey basic: winning battles. "Simple things, close-quarter areas," Maurice said Thursday after a long practice. "You spend a lot of time working on your systems, but none of them are effective if you're not coming up with loose pucks or defending when they have the loose pucks." Coaches all ..."
Flyers to have different look vs. Hurricanes
"The Flyers will have a different look at 1 p.m. Saturday, when they hit the ice against Rod Brind'Amour and the Carolina Hurricanes at the Wachovia Center. Left wing Simon Gagne, sidelined indefinitely with two hernias, has been placed on the long-term injury list and will be replaced in the Flyers' lineup with center Blair Betts, who has been out since Oct. 6 with a dislocated shoulder. Ryan Parent, sidelined since Oct. 22 with a groin strain, will also return and take Braydon Coburn's spot on the Flyers' second-defense pairing with veteran Kimmo Timonen, who has a team-worst minus-10 through 10 games. Coburn, who is at minus-9, willto the third pairing with either Danny Syvret or ..."
Injured Cole back on ice
"Erik Cole was back on the ice Wednesday and skating with the Carolina Hurricanes, but the forward isn't sure when he'll be back in the lineup. Cole, who suffered a leg fracture Oct. 3, participated in the team's morning skate at the RBC Center before the game with the St. Louis Blues. He wore a yellow jersey, denoting his noncontact status, but he was skating and cutting and helping out on defense. "It was just a pregame skate, so we knew it wouldn't be anything too strenuous," Cole said. "I was on the ice beforehand, so it was to see if I could do some regular drills, the skating drills." Cole was injured in the Canes' second game of the season, against the Boston Bruins. With less than ..."
Hurricanes can't shake the Blues
"There are not many good things that can be said about the Carolina Hurricanes for now. The Hurricanes are not playing good hockey. They're not winning games. They have precious little confidence and easily lose it. They're just not a good hockey team -- not after the first 11 games of the season. The Hurricanes' losing streak continued Wednesday against the St. Louis Blues at the RBC Center. The Blues rolled to a 5-2 victory, bolting to a 3-0 lead in the opening period and never looking back as David Perron led the way with two goals and an assist. Joe Corvo and Scott Walker did score power-play goals for the Canes, who fell to 2-6-3. But the highlights were few on a night when so little ..."
Staal gives kids a boost
"The Carolina Hurricanes' Eric Staal took to the RBC Center ice twice Tuesday, with some of the best players in the sport and then some of the newest. The first was Tuesday morning for the Canes' practice, when Staal skated with his teammates. But the second time on the ice was decidedly special - and, Staal said, a lot of fun. Staal skated with the Capital City Crew, which was formed this year and is giving 32 underprivileged kids from Boys and Girls Clubs in Wake County the chance to learn the game of ice hockey while also gaining life skills. The Canes' star center drew oohs and ahs from the kids, especially when he sped down the ice at full tilt and fired a slapshot. "It's my ..."
Canes try a different combination
"Rod Brind'Amour, a center nearly every game of his career, now is a left winger. Eric Staal has been moved to the point on the power play. Brandon Sutter has been recalled from the Albany River Rats and is the third-line center. Or will it be Jussi Jokinen? While the Carolina Hurricanes are winless in their last six games, coach Paul Maurice recently made some moves that he believes will translate into victories, starting tonight against the St. Louis Blues at the RBC Center. "We have to get it going," Brind'Amour said Tuesday. "We can't have any more down time." Since the 7-2 win over the Florida Panthers on Oct. 7, the Hurricanes have gone 0-3-3, slipping further behind in the ..."
Canes' Ruutu is remorseful
"While remorseful about his violent hit on Darcy Tucker, Tuomo Ruutu of the Carolina Hurricanes said Monday he's not about to change his game or his style of play. Ruutu received a three-game suspension from the NHL for his hit from behind on Tucker, a rugged forward for the Colorado Avalanche. The collision came in the second period of the Hurricanes' game Friday in Denver, causing Tucker's head to slam into the glass and knocking him unconscious. Tucker, who was carried from the ice on a backboard, suffered a concussion and cuts. The Avalanche placed Tucker on the injured list Monday, and he will be sidelined indefinitely. Saturday, Ruutu was handed the first suspension of his career. ..."
Rough road for the Canes so far
"The Carolina Hurricanes were hoping five days and three games on the road, their first extended trip of the season, would help them bond, jell, come together as a team, win a few games. Such, at least, was the plan. Instead, the trip began with a 4-3 shootout loss Wednesday to the New York Islanders, who had not won a game. Next came an entirely different shootout -- a wild and loose 5-4 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Friday in Denver. Then there was the game Saturday against the seemingly moribund Minnesota Wild. But while the Wild is 0-7 on the road this season, Minnesota is still unbeaten at home after a 3-2 overtime win at the Xcel Energy Center. Finally, there was a key injury and ..."
Avs show some grit
"The game wasn't even six minutes old and already the Avalanche was down by two goals to its natural-disaster-nicknamed brethren from Carolina. It was just the kind of game, in other words, where the Avs of last season would have packed it in and seen things get worse as it went along. The final Friday night, though, finished 5-4 in favor of the Avalanche over the Hurricanes. A game the Avs might not have deserved to win, but did anyway - something not seen around these parts for a while. "It was a great win for us," said Avs coach Joe Sacco, whose team improved to 7-1-2. "The way we battled back after a slow start showed a lot of character." While the win, in front of a surprisingly light ..."
Ward, Staal aim for Olympics
"Eric Staal and Cam Ward of the Carolina Hurricanes are accustomed to playing and performing before packed arenas and thousands of people. But Staal and Ward also must be aware that there are a few more eyes watching their every move this season -- those on the selection committee that will choose Canada's Olympic team for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games. Despite the Canes' 4-3 shootout loss against the New York Islanders on Wednesday, Ward has been sharp in goal in nearly all of Carolina's first eight games. Staal has been bothered by a groin injury but is healthy and had a goal and assist -- his first multi-point game -- against the Isles. "I don't really feel those eyes," Ward said ..."
Avalanche goalie Anderson gets first rest; Budaj to start vs. Hurricanes
"Glenn Hall's NHL record of 502 straight games started by a goalie is still safe - Craig Anderson won't play all 82 games this season for the Avalanche. Backup Peter Budaj will get his first start of the season tonight in Colorado's ninth game, at home against the Carolina Hurricanes. "I think it's the right time to get Peter in there and it's the right time to give Craig a night off," Avs coach Joe Sacco said. "We've been riding Craig, but everybody here has faith in Peter. He's going to play a great game for us." Budaj, the starting goalie on opening night the previous two seasons, has tried to stay sharp by working extensively with new Avs goalie coach Jocelyn Thibault. Anderson is ..."
Canes still struggling on road
"The Carolina Hurricanes had not won a road game, and the New York Islanders had not won any game, home or away, this season. Something had to give and it did: The Islanders now have a victory, which in turn means the Hurricanes still are searching for some answers. Rookie John Tavares, the No. 1 pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, finished off a 4-3 shootout win for the Isles with a goal Wednesday at Nassau Coliseum. Jeff Tambellini scored for the Isles to begin the shootout, and Frans Nielsen did the same. Jussi Jokinen scored for the Hurricanes, but Tavares ended it as the Canes lost their second shootout of the season. "We played well in the second and third periods, but we're still too ..."
Islanders earn first victory in shootout win over Carolina Hurricanes
"Finally there was something to celebrate at the Nassau Coliseum Wednesday night. Top draft pick John Tavares scored the winning goal of the shootout as the Islanders won their first game of the season, 4-3, over the Hurricanes. "It's my first time to get a win at this level, it's great," Tavares said. "It's great for everybody. We've worked so hard, and there were so many games we deserved to win, but to finally to get it, now we can just focus on getting the next one." It was the first win for the Islanders (1-3-3) since April 4, when they beat the Lightning, 3-1, before losing their final four games to finish 26-47-9 last season. That NHL-worst record got them got them the top pick of ..."
Whitney sizes up his latest career milestone
"Ray Whitney of the Carolina Hurricanes has everything a man could ask for out of a career. He has a Stanley Cup ring. He has financial security. He has the respect of his teammates and coaches, and those around the National Hockey League. In a rough-and-tumble sport in which size often matters, Whitney has proven that the measure of a man is determined not by his physical stature but in how well he performs, in his consistency of effort, in his leadership qualities, in his willingness to play in pain. And, in how long he is able to play. Tonight, Whitney will take the ice for his 1,000th regular-season game as the Hurricanes face the New York Islanders at Nassau Coliseum. The winger will ..."
Hurricanes looking for that spark
"Seven games into the season, the Carolina Hurricanes are looking to resuscitate an ailing offense. To be sure, the Hurricanes weren't one of the top scoring teams in the NHL last season. But they weren't tied for 28th, either, averaging two goals a game. Other than a seven-goal outburst against the Florida Panthers, the Canes have not mustered more than two goals in a game. Shut out once in the regular season a year ago, they've been blanked twice in a 2-4-1 start, losing 2-0 Saturday to the New Jersey Devils. "Generating offense isn't easy in this league," winger Ray Whitney said. "It's more about winning the battles in the offensive zone, competing for that puck. When we get the puck ..."
Devils end home hex; top Hurricanes 2-0
"A perfect game proved the only way out of the Devils' home futility, and Martin Brodeur delivered. Brodeur's 102nd shutout pulled him within one of Terry Sawchuk's 39-year-old NHL record, and gave New Jersey its first victory of the season in four tries in Newark. "Shutouts mean wins," said Brodeur, who holds the NHL record with 561 of the latter after last night's 2-0 triumph over Carolina in Newark. "For me, it was not about the shutout. I thought 'I just can't give up any goals.' " Brodeur and Cam Ward dueled scorelessly until Jamie Langenbrunner put New Jersey in front 26 seconds into the third, and Brodeur withstood a late Hurricanes flurry before Zach Parise sealed the triumph with ..."
Jokinen, Canes back at The Rock
"A lasting image from the "Shock at the Rock" was Eric Staal gliding around the ice with arms outstretched, like a Winged Victory statue in skates and a Carolina Hurricanes sweater. It came after Staal's goal with 31.7 seconds left in Game 7 of their Stanley Cup playoff series last season. Staal's shocking score gave the Hurricanes a 4-3 victory at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., aka "The Rock," and moved them into the Eastern Conference semifinals. But had it not been for Jussi Jokinen's tying goal with 1:20 to play, the Canes may not have been in that position. Had it not been for Jokinen's goal with two-tenths of a second to play that won Game 4 at the RBC Center, there may not ..."
NHL shootout has its good points
"Imagine if the winner of NHL shootouts received two points and the loser none. Or if the shootouts had five shooters from each team instead of three, as in the American Hockey League. Or just one shooter per team. Talk about pressure to perform. There are different potential formats for a shootout, but since the advent of the NHL shootout in the 2005-2006 season, it has been three shooters for each team and three-point games, two to the winner and one to the loser. While hockey purists may abhor it, the shootout does decide a winner. It is a fan favorite. It's also a matter of expanding NHL exposure, said Canes defenseman Aaron Ward. "From a marketing standpoint, how many times are you ..."
'It's a game to build on'
"To the extent that a hockey game played before the first candy bar hits the fryer across the street at the State Fair can be a litmus test, Wednesday's game was just that for the Carolina Hurricanes. Down two goals to Evgeni Malkin and the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Hurricanes rallied in the third period to force a shootout, where the Pittsburgh Penguins would triumph in the sixth round for a 3-2 win. As a benchmark for the Hurricanes' ability to defend Malkin, the results were mixed -- dismal early, better late. As a benchmark for their ability to persevere and rally from inauspicious circumstances, the trademark of their playoff campaign right up to the point the Penguins swept ..."
Whitney answers Penguins, twice
"The Carolina Hurricanes might not have gotten a win over the defending Stanley Cup champs Wednesday, but they did get a mighty third-period output from veteran forward and assistant captain Ray Whitney in the 3-2 shootout loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Carolina Hurricanes coach Paul Maurice moved Whitney up to the first line with center Eric Staal and forward Tuomo Ruutu in the third period, and Whitney scored twice, igniting the Hurricanes faithful. Maurice said he didn't think Sergei Samsonov, who Whitney replaced on the top line, played poorly. "Tonight was our first night when we looked like our forecheck that we used to have," Maurice said. "I just felt like there were times that ..."
Canes' rally falls short
"The Carolina Hurricanes may have played their best game of the season Wednesday night. The Canes' Ray Whitney thought so. Jussi Jokinen thought so. So did coach Paul Maurice. Against 28 other teams in the NHL, the Canes' best may have been enough to win. But not against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the defending Stanley Cup champions and the best team in the league. The Penguins outlasted the Canes 3-2 in a shootout at the RBC Center, getting the winning score from Chris Kunitz in the sixth round. Pittsburgh won its fourth straight game, but only after the Hurricanes, getting two goals from Whitney, rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the third period to force overtime and squeeze out a point. "To ..."
Kunitz, Penguins wrap up perfect road trip
"Technically, the puck Penguins left wing Chris Kunitz put past heralded Carolina Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward on Wednesday night doesn't count as his much-anticipated first goal of the season. Forgive Kunitz if his response to that is a big, fat who cares? His score in the sixth round of a shootout saved the Penguins from giving away a point they earlier seemingly had safely secured and provided them a 3-2 victory over the Hurricanes at RBC Center. "You try to capitalize on the chances you have," Kunitz said. With only one goal in his past 17 regular-season games dating to last year, Kunitz has admittedly not capitalized on handfuls of chances that come from sharing a line with Penguins ..."
Penguins beat Carolina in shootout, 3-2
"The Penguins defeated Carolina, 3-2, in a shootout at the RBC Center tonight to complete a 4-0 road trip. In the process, the Penguins set a franchise record by winning their first five away games of the season for the first time in team history. Chris Kunitz scored in the sixth round of the shootout to give the Penguins the victory. Mike Rupp gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead at 14:24 of the opening period when he shoveled a backhander past Carolina goalie Cam Ward during a two-on-one break. The goal was his first as a Penguin. Evgeni Malkin made it 2-0 at 4:27 of the second, beating Ward from low in the right circle for his third of the season. Ray Whitney cut the Penguins' lead in half at ..."
Hurricanes won't second-guess
"Listen to Carolina coach Paul Maurice, and it becomes clear that he sees no point in second-guessing what happened during the Eastern Conference final this spring, that he wastes no time wondering what might have been. The simple truth, he said yesterday, was that the Penguins swept the Hurricanes for a pretty good reason. And it had nothing to do with Carolina battling injuries, fatigue or bad breaks. "They were just better than we were," Maurice said. "Everyone has their own [adversities] to deal with. We went through two grinding series [before facing the Penguins], but, at the end of the day, they were just faster and sharper than we were, and that was the end of it." He noted that ..."
Kunitz leads Penguins to 3-2 win at Carolina
"Chris Kunitz still has not scored a goal this season. That means he obviously does not have a winner, either. Kunitz got a little consolation last night, though. Scoring the goal that gives his team a victory can make a guy feel pretty good. Goals scored during shootouts are not counted in the official league statistics, so the shot Kunitz buried behind Carolina goalie Cam Ward in the sixth round of a shootout to give the Penguins a 3-2 victory against the Hurricanes at the RBC Center will show up only as a "shootout-deciding" goal. That's a technicality his teammates seem inclined to ignore. "He's been contributing in so many other ways," right winger Bill Guerin said. "His shootout goal ..."
Canes focus on new season
"The Pittsburgh Penguins took to the ice Tuesday at the RBC Center as if they owned the place, smiling and laughing it up before practice. For two nights in May, they did own it. The Penguins beat the Carolina Hurricanes 6-2 and then 4-1 to finish off a playoff sweep in the Eastern Conference finals, ending the Canes' hopes of a Stanley Cup with the force of a slap in the face. The Penguins went on to win the Cup, outlasting the Detroit Red Wings in seven games. They have the banner, the rings, the tag of "Stanley Cup champions." Tonight, they're back to play the Hurricanes again at the RBC Center -- Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, Marc-Andre Fleury and Bill Guerin, Sergei Gonchar and ..."
Fleury, Ward stand out among NHL goalies
"The Old Guard remains a majority party among influential NHL goalies, but the two puck stoppers set to square off tonight at RBC Center represent change fans can believe in. Or, put another way, Penguins center Evgeni Malkin, the league's scoring leader during the regular season and playoffs last year, tops his list of best goalies with Columbus' Steve Mason, 21, and teammate Marc-Andre Fleury, 24. Sidney Crosby has those guys in his mix, and he also includes Carolina's Cam Ward, 25, to go with veterans Martin Brodeur, 37, of New Jersey and Roberto Luongo, 30, of Vancouver. "There are a lot of great goalies, and they don't have to be necessarily 10, 12 years of experience," Crosby said ..."
Hurricanes Forum Top 5
  1. Finance assignment help, accounting homework help
    Last post:finance99