Georgia on my Mind - Canes Thrash tangle in Atlanta

Atlanta is the place to be Wednesday night as the Carolina Hurricanes battle the Thrashers for the third time this season and second time at Phillips Arena in downtown Atlanta. These two teams have teamed up for some exciting hockey in their previous two games this season both won by the Canes.

First off, hats off to the Thrash as they are the only team this season to put a mark on the Buffalo Sabers record. This past Saturday night, Atlanta beat Buffalo in a shoot out in front of a sold out arena in Buffalo. The Sabers were not able to set the NHL record for best start in a season. They tied the record with the 1994-1995 Toronto Maple Leafs.

Now on to the business at hand, the Carolina Hurricanes put the pedal to the metal when they meet Atlanta and the first two games of the season series has been no exception. In the first game the Canes took a commanding 3-0 first period lead, only to see it evaporate in the second and third periods. Ray Whitney scored the game winner with .5 second left in the third. The second game of this epic battle saw Atlanta dent the score board first, but the Canes rallied back and at the end of one period the Canes lead 3-1. The problem however is that when it comes to the Thrash, the Canes can’t seem to hold the lead and “Adam Ant”on Babcuk scored the game winning goal early in the over time period from a feed from Justin Williams aka "Willy".

Now its time to see if the Canes can get the lead and keep it or if the game is another blistering one that sees the pendulum swing early for Carolina and late for Atlanta. We shall see.

Monday Minors Memo - 10/31

ECHL-Charlotte, NC – The Charlotte Checkers moved their record to 3-1 pm the early ECHL season and are tied with the Texas Wildcatters for second. The Checkers split a pair of games with the Carolina Hurricanes ECHL affiliate Florida Everblades. Up next for the Checkers is a Halloween tilt with the Pensacola Ice Pilots.

Here’s a look ahead at the rest of the games for the Checkers in the week ahead:

October 31 – Charlotte Checkers @ Pensacola Ice Pilots 8:05 P.M.
November 4th – Gwinnett Gladiators @ Charlotte 7:30 P.M.
November 5th – Texas Wildcatters @ Charlotte 4:00 P.M.

SPHL-Fayetteville, NC – The Fayetteville FireAntz opened their 2006-2007 Southern Professional Hockey League season at the “AntHill” Cumberland County Crown Coliseum. Friday night’s game saw the expansion Richmond Renegades defeat the Antz 5-3. The second night (Saturday October 28) the Antz got their scoring going and securing an 8-3 victory over the visiting Columbus Cottonmouths. The Antz have one more game at home before hitting the road for the first time this season.

Here’s a look ahead at the rest of the games for the FireAntz in the week ahead:

November 3rd – Knoxville IceBears @ Fayetteville 7:30 P.M.
November 4th – Fayetteville @ PeeDee Cyclones 7:10 P.M.

Take Three - Canes/Lightening

Storm warnings are in effect tonight for Raleigh, North Carolina as the Tampa Bay Lightening travel to battle the Carolina Hurricanes. Now what kind of storm is to hit is still a mystery. In my eyes, I am hoping for a Hurricane to hit and hit hard, often and to be relentless. Those lightening storms are the ones that I like not to have. You have to shut down the pc, TV and just about everything else. Okay to the game at hand.

If anyone saw the game from Thursday night, then they know that Carolina was just plain beat. There are no excuses that can/could/should be made. They were just simply beat. That is one of those game films (in my mind) that you burn without every watching. Carolina has scored five goals in the last two games but has given up nine in that same span.

Each team coming into tonight’s tilt has won convincingly in one of the two games played. Both teams took control of the contest early and had 5-0 leads heading into the third period. Tampa pulled Denis prior to the start of the third period in the season’s first match up. Carolina pulled Ward in their last meeting.

I believe that this game comes down to who wants it most. I know that is nothing more than a clique but it is true. Who ever wants it the most will come out of the gates fast and I am here hoping that is the Canes!

What does one say after a game like last night’s?

More than words can say? Isn’t it ironic don’t you think? A little less talk and a lot more action? Okay, okay, I am done with the song titles but just about all three of those fit.

Thank goodness I was not able to log on last night to blog or I might have said something that I would regret later. You know where you speak first before thinking. That good ol’ shoe leather in the mouth from sticking your foot in.

After a long day at work and everyone asking if I saw the game, I have finally just decided to purge the whole entire thing out of my system and focus on the positive. Abysmal as it was, at least the Canes were not shut out. As more and more I wanted to put skates on and check a ref, there will be those games where the ref swallows the whistle (just hope he used some kind of dippin’ sauce – I like the buffalo sauce from Burger King). And even when you look at how the Canes didn’t go in and take control early, there is always one thought in mind – there is always tomorrow – or you hope there is.

Again, no power play to speak of, no passes connecting and strange bounces off the dasher boards coast Carolina the game. Since it is the end of October, can we please quit using the “Stanley Cup hangover” phrase? Can we quit talking about having to play back-to-back games one on the road and the next at home or vice versa? Can we please get over the injury talk? And can we please get away from the “we lost Matt Cullen, Aaron Ward and so we are having to get the new guys accustomed to the system” talk? Every team is going to go through what the Canes are going through now. Even the “well they only had 80 days off” excuse is exactly what it is – an excuse! Adam Gold from 850 the Buzz stated to a caller yesterday 10/26 that Buffalo had only two more weeks off than Carolina. And just think, Buffalo also has lost players such as defenseman Jay McKee to St. Louis and others to other teams and they are 10-0. So please, just get rid of the excuses and just play hockey!


More than words can say – abysmal, horrid, fast passed and hat trick (2 in 2 games of this 8 game season series)
Isn’t it ironic don’t you think – both final scores from Tampa 5-1. both teams had shut outs until late in the third period. and both teams pulled the starting net minders in the third.
A little less talk and a lot more action – please see third paragraph

Minors Moment

SPHL, Fayetteville FireAntz - Even before the season begins, the Fayetteville FireAntz find themselves behind the eight ball. Veteran forward Tyler Perry hung up his skates today. Due to an injury from last season, the veteran decided to call it quits. He leaves the organization as the 5th leading scorer in Antz history and has played professional for five season after being drafted by the Detroit Redwings back in the summer of 1995. With the retirement of Perry, the Antz have an opening that needs to be filled before they drop the puck this upcoming weekend. For Tyler’s career stats check out:

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php3?pid%5B%5D=28881

Home Sweet Home?

Eh.....we shall see as the Carolina Hurricanes play on home ice for the first time in more than two weeks and after an abysmal performance against the New Jersey Devils and Wardo’s childhood idol Martin Broduer. It’s a Southeast battle between the Atlanta Thrashers (division leading I might add) and the Carolina Hurricanes at the frozen ATM tonight. There is one difference in these two teams…..the Power Play. The Canes power play is like that of the city of Buffalo after the surprise October snow. They have no power in their power play. Like the city of northern rednecks, lets all hope that power is restored soon to the pp for the Canes. The Thrashers come into tonight’s game after coming from behind against the Florida Panthers. You know that cat team that put 6 goals up on good ole Johnny G and the boys during the road trip. Ilja Kovalchuk has found his scoring touch with five goals in two games including a hat trick against the Panthers. Lets hope that the “d” can clear the zone and that Wardo is on his game like he has been since these two teams first matched up on Friday the 13th. On a side note, since there are no northeast teams playing in this game, the game should be called a little more evenly from the “men in strips”.

(As a side note: I am not a fan of John Grahame. Yes, he and PL have one a championship back in the "A" with the baby B's. I did think that JG bailed out on some of the saves back in Florida against the Panthers. He did do better against the Islanders but still I think there are better net minders out there and I would have liked for Carolina to have picked one up or better yet, send up Peters from Albany. He is another Wardo in the making.)

Ladd back-Gove back to Albany

The Carolina Hurricanes have activated forward Andrew Ladd from the IR. Ladd was placed on IR shortly after the victory over the Atlanta Thrashers back on Friday October 13th. With the move, David Gove has been sent back to the Albany RiverRats, the new American Hockey League affilate for the Carolina Hurricanes. Gove played 3:16 Saturday night against the host New York Islanders.

Monday Minors Memo

Every Monday I plan to write about the minor league teams here in North Carolina and hope to branch out to both South Carolina and Virginia. I strongly believe in the minor league system as I became accustomed to watching minor league hockey back in West Texas. Here is this weeks Monday Minors Memo.

ECHL, Charlotte Checkers – Well after an off season that saw the Charlotte Checkers purchased by local owner Michael Kahn, they are off to an early unbeaten record. Charlotte opened the season hosting the Wheeling Nailers and lit the lamp ten times in a route of the ECHL affiliate to the Pittsburgh Penguins 10-3 in front of an announces crowd of 9,245. The first hat trick of the season and leading the goal scoring was Dusty Jamison.

Saturday night saw the production of the Checkers cut in half, but the lose of five goals did not hurt Charlotte as they again allowed only three goals to the visiting Wheeling Nailers. With the 5-3 win, the Checkers stand at 2-0-0 in the early ECHL season.

The week ahead for Charlotte:

Thursday October 26th – Charlotte @ Florida Everblades 7:30 P.M.
Saturday October 28th – Charlotte @ Florida Everblades 7:30 PM

SPHL, Fayetteville Fireantz – The lose of head coach Derek Booth came as an unexpected blow in the off season for the Fireantz who entered their 5th season in the lower level minor leagues. Booth directed the Fireantz for two seasons before bolting to the United Hockey League. With a new coach and a new season, the FireAntz are hoping that success comes quickly. Fayetteville closed out its preseason schedule with a lose to the Richmond Renegades.

The week ahead for Fayetteville:

Friday October 27th – Richmond Renegades @ Fayetteville 7:35 PM
Saturday October 28th – Columbus Cottonmouths @ Fayetteville 7:35 PM

Random Thoughts regarding the Canes road trip

For what it is worth, the Carolina Hurricanes roadtrip could be considered a success as they went basically .500 on the road. For what it is worth, some of the officiating (especially in the Saturday night game against the lowly NY Islanders) was a little suspect to say the least. And for what it is worth, the Hurricanes seem to have come together for the most part as a team. Their best game without question was the 5-1 shellacking of the Tampa Bay Lighting.

The line changes that coach Lavolette has come up with seem to be working as well. The ABC line seems to have clicked. And for all the persons complaining regarding the Jack Johnson rights trade to the LA Kings (a team that I do not much care for being from Texas originally; and yes I was one stating that the Canes went to soon for now instead of later) has seemed to turn out not to bad. Belanger and Gleason have carried their own and with all the injuries they are some good pickups instead of having to wait for a player that was NEVER coming to Carolina.