They scored.  We scored.  They scored.  We scored.  We scored again.  That's how the first 12 minutes went and the score was 3-2 at the end of the first period.

Eric Staal needs to get off his ass and start acting like the stud player we know he is!  Don't let Crosby and Malkin steal the spotlight!  Staal has 6 shots on goal in 2 games now, and has failed to notch a goal in the last 5 games now.  No surprise that the CAnes are 1-4 in that stretch.

I can't really fault Cam Ward for the goals scored tonight - Pittsburgh's goals didn't look particularly cheap to me - maybe one of them.

I really think we played 30 minutes of hockey tonight.  After about the middle of the second period, the Penguins stepped it up and we didn't have much, if any, puck control the rest of the game.

Oh, and our power play sucked.

Both of these games coming up in Raleigh are MUST WINS.

See you there!

GO CANES!

Okay, so I forgot to blog about the end of the last series in my excitement over winning yet another game 7 on the road, and moving on to the third round.  Nice work, Canes!

So here we are in the Eastern Conference Finals for the third time in 7 seasons, playing the only team that was as hot, or hotter, down the stretch run than the Hurricanes.

So what if the Canes lost game 1?  I mean, how many game 1s have we won this season?  New Jersey won game 1... Boston won game 1.

We don't win game 1.  We win game 7.  I'll take a game 7 win over a game 1 win any day of the week.

As for tonight's game 2 - I'd certainly like the Canes to win - if only for selfish reasons.  My beard needs a trim.  I don't like hair growing on my upper cheeks!

Go Canes!

The Carolina Hurricanes haven't shown us much in the last two games that would indicate any ability at all to win Game 7.  But they did show us plenty in Game 2, Game 3, and Game 4 to that end.

It's said that the hardest game to win is an elimination game.  That may be true.  Boston was backed into a corner after losing 3 straight.  For them, it was do or die in game 5.  For us, it was not.   For them, it was do or die in Game 6.  For us - well, there was certainly a little more pressure because nobody wants to go back to Boston (except Boston players and fans)... but it was not do or die.

In game 7 tomorrow night, it's do or die.  For both teams.

I expect we're gonna see a great contest.  Last time Boston faced a game 7, they got blown out by Montreal.  Of course, that was IN Montreal.... Boston came back from trailing 3-1 - just like in this series, before winning games 5 and 6.

But this is not the same.  Boston is a good solid team, and they're gonna be hard to beat in front of the home crowd, with the home-ice right to last line change.

I hope to see it happen though.   I'm not at all ready for hockey season to end.  The playoffs are too much fun!

GO CANES!

So the big discussion lately has been about Scott Walker's "sucker punch" on Aaron Ward in Game 5.  Walker received an instigator penalty, which comes with an automatic suspension when it occurs in the final 5 minutes of the game - subject to review by the NHL office.

He didn’t get the suspension because the intention of the automatic suspension was to prevent a coach from telling a player to go in and beat someone up just because the game is outta hand.

That CLEARLY was not the case here. Ward tried to start a fight with Cullen - a non-fighter. Ward threw an elbow at Cullen’s head, a guy who has a history of concussion problems. Walker reacted to that, defending Cullen, threw a left with his gloves on. Then threw the right.

Ward knew it was coming and didn’t defend himself because Ward is a wanker who only wants to fight guys he can beat up.

It was only a cheap shot because Ward outright refused to defend himself. A sucker punch implies that you’re punching and the recipient didn’t know it was coming… Walker’s right hook was the second punch.

The NHL made the right call here. The one game suspension exists to prevent something.. but not this. Players have to be allowed to react and defend other players.

Boston may have scored first, but Carolina outplayed them for 60 minutes plus last night en-route to their 3-2 overtime win.  Shots on goal were 41-23 - including a 2-1 advantage in regulation (38-19).

And once again, Jussi Jokinen puts the finishing touch on a game-winner.  Samsonov did most of the work for that goal, but thank goodness the NHL values assists nearly as much as goals.  That line did a fine job last night!

We've got a 2-1 series advantage now, and Friday's game is huge!  I hope to see you there!

Check out the highlights...

I don't know about you, but I'm glad John Forslund has enough respect that he's able to do the national play-by-play on Versus for his own team.  I think he's a fine objective broadcaster, and maybe it was just last night because the Cam Ward really was standing on his head, but he sounded just a tiny bit more excited about the saves that Cam was making

The canes looked good, getting the opening goal from Joe Corvo (SCORVO!) with assists from Eric Staal and Erik Cole (Cole's first point of the playoffs)... then a shorty by Matt Cullen, beautifully set up by Chad LaRose, who has probably been one of Carolina's best players in the playoffs so far.  LaRose is definately earning his next contract.  And then the empty-netter by Eric Staal to seal the deal.

CamWard made some great great saves - especially in the third period.  Watch these highlights, and I'll see you at the game on Wednesday!