Game Day - Carolina @ Ottawa - Thu, Feb 7, 2013

I believe there's a game tonight.



Game Day Preview: http://www.nhl.com/ice/preview.htm?id=2012020147
HURRICANES (4-4-0) at SENATORS (6-3-1)

TV: FS-Carolinas, SNET-East

Season series: The Hurricanes won the first of three meetings this season, beating Ottawa 1-0 last Friday in Carolina. Captain Eric Staal scored the game's lone goal and backup goalie Dan Ellis earned the shutout with 33 saves.

Big story: Ottawa tries to extend its season-opening home point streak to six games as it plays the second of four straight at Scotiabank Place. The Senators' longest season-opening home point streak was seven games, set back in the 2000-01 season.

Team Scope:

Hurricanes: Carolina is struggling to find any sort of consistency in the early part of this season as evidenced by its .500 record so far. But when the Hurricanes manage to gain a win, they do it in dominating fashion. The aggregate score of the Hurricanes' four victories this season is 14-5.

The Hurricanes will try to build off the momentum of their most recent game, a 4-1 win at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday. Carolina received goals from four different players and starting goalie Cam Ward was solid with 41 saves.

"I expected they were going to throw a lot of shots at the net, and I had to be ready," Ward said. "It took a little bit to get our legs, but to walk into that first intermission down one we really took over the second."

Senators: The home cooking at Scotiabank Place has tasted like a five-star gourmet spread this season -- Ottawa has earned nine of a possible 10 points there so far. While goalie Craig Anderson surrendered more than two goals for the first time in nine starts Tuesday, his teammates bailed him out in a 4-3 win against the Buffalo Sabres.

"It was a great effort by everybody and everyone was chipping in and doing their job and they got rewarded for it," Anderson said after earning his sixth win of the season.

Who's hot: Eric Staal is in the midst of a six-game point streak, with seven goals and three assists over that span. ... Anderson 6-2-1 in his nine starts with a 1.33 save percentage and a save percentage of .956.

Injury report: For the Hurricanes, Tuomo Ruutu (hip) is on injured reserve. ... Ottawa defenseman Sergei Gonchar and forward Guillaume Latendresse both missed Tuesday's game with the flu. Gonchar is expected to play against Carolina, while Latendresse remains questionable. Defenseman Mike Lundin (thumb) skated in full practice for the first time Wednesday and the team posted via its official Twitter page that coach Paul MacLean said the blueliner is available to play Thursday; however, the Senators will carry eight defenseman until he's fully ready to suit up.

The Bees keep rolling along, after dispatching the Montreal Canadiens last night. As far as I know, there were no broken necks, but PK scored to take the early lead, so there may have been some taunting.

The Sens are carrying 8 D as Lundin is cleared to play, and Gonchar is done with the flu. Expecting Borowiecki to be returned to Bingo soon.

Latendresse is over the flu but has whiplash. Some are suggesting it's a concussion, and given his injury history this could be all she wrote for the luckless winger. Good thing Zibanejad seems to be over his injuries and butterflies and is playing like an NHLer; and Silfverberg is coming around as well. Now, if only we could get Michalek and Alfie to get back to scoring goals we'd be all set, even without Spezza.

Another game the Sens need. Beat the teams behind you and make sure they are 6 feet under in the standings. This is a big game, if they win this one they are in really good shape and really only need to win 1 of the next 2 at home. Getting 2 points here is huge.

Latendresse has another concussion, I wish people would stop saying "whiplash". His career is basically done at this point and I would be surprised if he was so play another game as a Sen.

NEELY wrote:Another game the Sens need. Beat the teams behind you and make sure they are 6 feet under in the standings. This is a big game, if they win this one they are in really good shape and really only need to win 1 of the next 2 at home. Getting 2 points here is huge.

I want someone to do something to Staal. 7 goals in 8 games and 1 in 1 against the Sens. I'm not putting a bounty out or anything, but get in his face and stay there. Don't do anything to draw a penalty but make his life miserable. Make *him* draw the penalty.

Time for Karlsson to get untracked. He's not leading in any category (they don't have "Awesome" as a stat) other than shots on goal by defensemen (he's tied for 2nd overall with Crosby and Marleau). A goal would be nice. A multi-point game would help get him back on top. He deserves it the way he's been playing.

I would say his entire game is awesome. Stats will come but right now he is carrying the team along with Anderson. With those 2 they can compete with anyone in the NHL. The nice thing about Karlsson winning the Norris last year is now all eyes are on him and he doesn't need the stat sheet for people to take notice. It's pretty clear everyone believes he is the best D man in the game today for the most part.

NEELY wrote:I would say his entire game is awesome. Stats will come but right now he is carrying the team along with Anderson. With those 2 they can compete with anyone in the NHL. The nice thing about Karlsson winning the Norris last year is now all eyes are on him and he doesn't need the stat sheet for people to take notice. It's pretty clear everyone believes he is the best D man in the game today for the most part.

A lot of people think he's the best player, period.

I'm one of them as well.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

NEELY wrote:I would say his entire game is awesome. Stats will come but right now he is carrying the team along with Anderson. With those 2 they can compete with anyone in the NHL. The nice thing about Karlsson winning the Norris last year is now all eyes are on him and he doesn't need the stat sheet for people to take notice. It's pretty clear everyone believes he is the best D man in the game today for the most part.

A lot of people think he's the best player, period.

Crosby, Malkin, Karlsson, Stamkos, Dats (maybe)

Hard to compare forwards with Defensemen, but he plays way more minutes and has way more impact on the game IMO.
Based on just this year (a WHOLE 10 games), it's Karlsson, Stamkos and the rest.

LeKing wrote:Hard to compare forwards with Defensemen, but he plays way more minutes and has way more impact on the game IMO.
Based on just this year (a WHOLE 10 games), it's Karlsson, Stamkos and the rest.

Let's just separate D and F then, because at the end of the day nobody is picking Karlsson over the legend Sidney Crosby.

why is Da Costa playing on the 4th line?

Ev wrote:why is Da Costa playing on the 4th line?

Like Zibanejad he can earn his way onto the top 2 lines. Why should he be given top 6 mins over some of the other players who have played better and earned it to this point?

NEELY wrote:

Ev wrote:why is Da Costa playing on the 4th line?

Like Zibanejad he can earn his way onto the top 2 lines. Why should he be given top 6 mins over some of the other players who have played better and earned it to this point?

I don't think Zack Smith has earned Top 6 minutes. I'd rather play Da Costa where he could shine. Zibanejad can play on a 4th line, but I don't think Da Costa can.