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Canes quick hitters -- Hainsey, Boychuk and McDavid

October 13, 2014, 9:15 PM ET [18 Comments]
Matt Karash
Carolina Hurricanes Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
For those asking about my non-blogging over opening weekend, no I didn't give up on the Canes already. I was away for the weekend for a youth group even with no access to a TV and only partly caught up watching the games last night. If it's not too late, I will post my thoughts after 2 games later tonight or early tomorrow.

In the meantime, here are some quick hitters:

---Ron Hainsey. Exactly what is going on is incredibly murky, but here are my thoughts/speculation. I just do not see Ron Hainsey being anywhere near 7th when you slot the Canes defensemen, and unless something is being hidden, he is not hurt. So what is going on? My best guess is that it goes like this:

1-Peters was not overly impressed with Hainsey in the opener; he was on the ice for 3 goals against including the 2 in the 3rd period that put it away.

2-Peters is holding to his earned ice time and also thinks that Ron Hainsey as a big, mobile defensemen has a higher gear that he is not hitting. In holding true to making guys earn ice time, he is trying see if firing him up a big helps him find that higher level.

---Sudden magnitude of the Sabres game Tuesday night. Entering the season, the Tuesday tilt against the Sabres looked like a game that you hoped the team would win. After 2 losses to start the season coupled with Buffalo coming in 0-3 with a real rough outing today, this game suddenly takes on increased importance. Playing against another team clearly staking a claim to the McDavid chase, a loss by the Canes would certainly declare a position on the wrong side of the ledger for NHL points this season.

Is it possible to end a season in 3 games? Not really. But if the Canes lose to Buffalo Tuesday night, especially if it is ugly, it is certainly going to feel that way on Wednesday morning and "Canes for McDavid" murmurs will dial up in volume in a hurry.

---Power play continuation. The most promising thing from briefly scanning recaps and box scores is the power play. The improved performance in preseason has made the leap to the regular.

---Zach Boychuk. I would rank his inability to rise up and seize a spot as 1 of the biggest, if not the biggest disappointment, of training camp. He gets another chance with the forward injuries. Like a cat on about his 8th life, I cannot imagine he has many more coming. It will be interesting to see if he can find a spark.

Twitter=@CarolinaMatt63

Go Canes!
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