Saturday stinker - thoughts on Canes

What’s that smell? For fans of the Carolina Hurricanes, it was a smell that they hope not to smell the rest of the season. The Canes played probably the worst game they have in the past few years – then again I think there were some of the games like this past Saturday played last season. I don’t understand (as there are probably a lot of fans that don’t) how a team can be dominate one night and then lack luster the next.
I can already here some homers stating that Corey Stillman, Bret Hedican and Mike Commodore were all out of the lineup and that David Tanabe hadn’t skated in more than a week nor been in a game since a couple of preseason tilts when in St. Louis. Face it, this is not a time for excuses – it is a time for execution! It doesn’t matter who is in the line up and who isn’t. I mean these guys get paid to play! If the Canes fans want to fall back on the same excuses for this past Saturday’s thrashin’ like most did last season, then why even bother playing the season? Just put the Canes a few games out of the playoffs and let the better teams go after the cup.
Face it! The Canes did little in the offseason. Is this something that is going to catch up with Carolina? Only time will tell. The thing that at the moment gets me is that Rutherford signed David Tanabe to a two year contract and now the N&O is reporting that he is battling Dennis Seidenberg for the seventh defenseman spot. Why should this be? I mean why not carry 8 defensemen? And to sign David Tanabe? No offense, but couldn’t Carolina used there money more wisely?
Now off my soap box and onto tonight’s game:
Both teams currently have a mirror image of each others record standing at 1-1-1. Toronto finally hit the win column with a Saturday overtime victory against the Montreal club that beat Carolina in overtime beginning the season. Both teams come into the game with question marks at some positions. For the Maple Leafs, it is in net. Vesa Toskala – who Toronto picked up in the offseason – so far has taken the reigns of being the number 1 netminder but for how long? As for the Canes, well their questions are going to be who is available. It appears that Mike Commodore might be out for the contest as well as Andrew Ladd. Corey Stillman might be able to finally suit up for a game this season. All in all, Carolina has to simply play like they did against Pittsburgh. If Carolina comes out flat, it will be a long game to watch for Hurricane fans.