For anyone checking in here the past week and not finding anything, I apologize. I hit 1 of those perfect storms of too much going on with the usual shuttle bus weekend schedule last week, company in town, too many projects for work all busy at the same time and then a nasty cold to boot. I keep watching the same as the rest of the die-hards, but have not found the time to write. The company and the cold are gone and the work stuff should ease up a tiny bit, so hopefully I will be back at a regular pace from here on.
The Canes game on Saturday night set up as another chance to try to claw back to the edge of the playoff chase. With a win in regulation, the team could have pulled within 5 points of Columbus with 8 games to go. But anyone hoping to ride this game into prolonged hope for the 2013-14 season were disappointed. In terms of outcome and even how it happened, the game very much reminded me of the March 7 matchup versus the Rangers. That game saw the Canes looking at a big gap but with a chance at home to make up 2 points real quickly. And just like tonight, that game saw the Canes unable to convert late blowing 2 1-goal leads in the 3rd period.
The Canes actually played a decent game. The shot totals favored Columbus throughout, but the Canes did a good job of forcing the Blue Jackets to the outside, defending the front of the net even when they got hemmed in. At the other end, the Canes made a concerted effort to get bodies and pucks to the front of the net and probably had the better of scoring chances and near misses. As is often the case in close games, a couple mistakes were the difference. Skinner's assist on a point blank goal for the Jackets inexplicably sending a puck from the boards to a Columbus' stick in front of the net immediately negated his own scoring play. And as good as Khudobin has been all season, Saturday was not his best allowing a soft goal from a bad angle when he misplayed the angle to the post and getting beat from Johansen for the game-winner in overtime. Khudobin was very good battling through the usual traffic from Columbus' big bodies and you cannot completely hang this game on him, he did leave room to be better which is uncommon of late.
There were positives:
--Andrei Loktionov. I really like his game. He arrived billed as another undersized skill player who had not really hit stride in the NHL. The Canes have a recent history littered with exactly this kind of player being unable to contribute at the NHL level. And in an ideal world, the Canes would have received a bigger player back for Ruutu. But my evaluation of his overall game goes like this:
1) He is better defensively than I expected. He reads situations well and generally goes to the right place. I have been especially impressed with his ability to provide passing outlets to help the blue line move the puck from the defensive zone.
2) He is as advertised in terms of playmaking ability. If there is a specific offensive skill set (other than the size and around the crease scoring ability) that the Canes lack I think playmaking would be it. Semin does it from the wing, but Jordan and Eric Staal are both more shoot first as are most of the top 6 type wings. If he can hold his own defensively and create scoring chances just maybe he stays in the top 6 bookended by 2 bigger forwards like his current arrangement between EStaal and Tlusty.
3) Per #1, I have been impressed with his hockey IQ. He is not the 1-gear, offense-only skill player that I originally envisioned. If he makes it at the NHL level, it will be because of his offensive ability but a little like Alexander Semin he also reads situations pretty well.
--Riley Nash. He had a very good game. He won a puck from 2 Jackets on the forecheck while the Canes were changing and quickly got the puck to front for Skinner's eventual goal. His compete level was good past that against a big physical team, and he looked comfortable carrying the puck. I have long said that the Canes need more offensively in that 3rd-line center slot, but just maybe he is gradually working toward proving me wrong. I really like him as a player. Even if he does not prove me wrong offensively, just maybe he is growing into a good skating, 2-way option for the 4th-line center slot.
--Eric Staal. His up and down run in March (he looked completely disinterested vs. Isles on Tue) has been disappointing, but looking only at Saturday night, I think his game was what it needs to be on a night where he does not score. He stayed off the frustration penalty list, competed and continued to push offensively even when good chances did not yield a goal.
Next up is a game in Ottawa on Monday before what looks like 2 good spring tailgating opportunities. Not sure if anyone except for the every game die-hards tried to make it work today with the dicey weather, but the early forecast for Thursday and next Saturday are for spring/summer-like tailgating conditions. It is spring break for traditional calendar for Wake County schools. I am blocking off my work calendar past 4pm Thursday with the intention of spending my playoff tailgate money as best I can.
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