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Canes Game Preview #5: @Wpg: Week to make a stand

October 21, 2014, 10:29 AM ET [7 Comments]
Matt Karash
Carolina Hurricanes Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Heading into Tuesday's tilt in Winnipeg, the Canes are the only team in the NHL who have yet to win a game. I wrote a blog about a week ago in which I refused to mail in an entire NHL season based on preseason projections and a couple losses to start the season. I am still in that boat. But at some point, the Canes need to string together a couple wins to justify my clinging to hope. Could this be the week? There are positives. The Canes should get Jeff Skinner and possibly Andrej Sekera back in the lineup tonight. (Yes. I realize that Eric Staal is still out along with Jordan long-term and now also Nathan Gerbe, but this is the positive spin.) And while the games are all on the road, the schedule is somewhat favorable featuring a Winnipeg team that comes in with 4 straight losses, Calgary who is playing decent at 4-3 and Edmonton who finally won last night on their 6th try.

Is a 2-1 week too much to ask to support my unwillingness to give up hope too early in the season? I don't think so.

Here is what I am watching tonight:

1) Anton Khudobin. I was surprised that as of this morning Khudobin was not officially named the starter for tonight based on his stellar outing last Thursday. Best guess is that it probably just Peters working through things methodically, involving his coaching staff and having no reason to reach early conclusions. Khudobin was real good Thursday. Here is hoping that he can find a 2013-14ish hot streak and help the Canes win a couple on the path back to .500 before it gets too far away.

2) Alexander Semin. It's time. He needs to break out of his funk.

3) Fire and intensity. Former Canes bench boss laid into his Jets team after their last loss. Best guess is that they will come out with some spark. The Canes should be ready and must match this especially early.

4) Jeff Skinner. Last year, he returned after a layoff and seemed to be ready to go out of the gate. Here is hoping for the same this time around.

The Canes rode a real safe, sound and buttoned-down formula to an OTL point last Thursday. I think the goal for Tuesday would be to play a similarly sound offensive game but to open things up just a little bit to generate more offense.

What is the formula for the Canes 1st win tonight?

--Just a whole bunch more Khudobin stealing stuff?

--The Swedish score sheet breakout by Rask/Lindholm driven by the addition of Jeff Skinner to their line? The duo has been sound defensively but too quiet offensively.

--An Alexander Semin sighting?

--Jeff Skinner?

Twitter=@CarolinaMatt63

Go Canes!
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