Hurricanes Achilles Heel…

Ando · Guru

Hurricanes Achilles Heel…

Figaro · Guru

Thought you'd point out the logical lack of goaltending. Guess not. Gerber is stone cold and that's what we need to prey on. 20 goals against in last 5 games and almost 4 per game in last 7. He's like Emery when it come to the end of the season - both lost a tonne. Carolina, if I'm not mistaken, has lost 5 straight to end the season. Colder than Montreal. Both team have to get it going and whoever can rev it up first will have a huge advantage.

24 Rings · Guru

Bottom line is the 'Canes are untested in the playoffs. When is that last time a team finished high in the standings after missing the playoffs and then proceeded to go deep into the playoffs? It doesn't happen. Usually it is a lower seeded team that comes out of nowhere that suprises people (Calgary, Anaheim, Florida, Buffalo etc.). How Staal is a minus player is beyond me. He must be awful on defense - maybe that is something they can exploit on the transition?

They have never faced Huet and 3 of those beatings were during the disgusting slump of 2006.

24 Rings · Guru

Montreal tied for second in the league with six shorthanded goals allowed. Carolina tied for 24th with 13 shorthanded goals allowed.

Higgy and Pleks take note.

Nil d · Guru

Ando wrote:

Canes PP sports 5 guys with 10+ PP goals versus the Habs 1 guy having 10+ PP goals (think about that...five PP players as productive as our best PP scorer).

Those stats are very strange when you consider the Habs are 5th in the league on the PP, while Carolina is only 21st.

Ando · Guru

Excellent point Nil'd!

...the Canes get more PP chances...and convert less percentage wise than the Habs...but just for more goals! Weird though!?!?!?

And-o just doesn't see many weaknesses.

Goaltending...maybe. Defensive scoring...maybe.

On the other hand, HUGELY powerful team upfront!!!

...maybe they are slower...but that certainly hasn't been the case all year!!!

plouf · Guru

Ando wrote:

Excellent point Nil'd!

...the Canes get more PP chances...and convert less percentage wise than the Habs...but just for more goals! Weird though!?!?!?

And-o just doesn't see many weaknesses.

Goaltending...maybe. Defensive scoring...maybe.

On the other hand, HUGELY powerful team upfront!!!

...maybe they are slower...but that certainly hasn't been the case all year!!!

I was looking at the Hurricanes lineup yesterday, ...it ain't gonna be pretty. If we win, and I think we can, it will be by frustrating them and by getting lucky on our few chances. Sounds like a recipe for the trap, unfortunately.

There are some guys on that team who are potentially prone to meltdowns, maybe(?)...

Is Begin back? I think he's CRUCIAL. So is Huet getting hot again.

heet_150 · Guru

plouf wrote:

I was looking at the Hurricanes lineup yesterday, ...it ain't gonna be pretty. If we win, and I think we can, it will be by frustrating them and by getting lucky on our few chances. Sounds like a recipe for the trap, unfortunately. There are some guys on that team who are potentially prone to meltdowns, maybe(?)... Is Begin back? I think he's CRUCIAL. So is Huet getting hot again.

Part of me agrees that the Habs will have to play the trap and wait for their opportunities, and part of me thinks they will have to run and gun on Gerber. In either case, it will require full 60 minutes from everyone. With so many weapons on the 'Canes, one or two bad shifts will cost them the game.

Go HABS Go!

JohnM · Guru

I think someone (AB, perhaps) else mentioned this in another post but I will mention it again, the Habs need to stay out of the box. If they can play 5 on 5 they should be ok. If they get in penalty trouble this series could be over in a hurry. It's harder to do than we think because Carolina is so fast.

heet_150 · Guru

JohnM wrote:

I think someone (AB, perhaps) else mentioned this in another post but I will mention it again, the Habs need to stay out of the box. If they can play 5 on 5 they should be ok. If they get in penalty trouble this series could be over in a hurry. It's harder to do than we think because Carolina is so fast.

But weren't the Habs supposed to be that fast this year?? Weren't they the ones that were supposed to give other teams fits?

-- Edited by heet_150 at 16:17, 2006-04-21

Ando · Guru

The Habs (especially Kovalev and Ribeiro) need to avoid giving up odd-man rushes by sailing the puck over the net high-and-wide!!!

I tell ya...the Canes might not have the speed or the goaltending...but their counterattack will bury the Habs if given the chance!

...And-o is afraid of Carolina's depth upfront!!! Look at the talent, grit and durability of their forwards!!! Only Cole has been out for any great length of time! They are balanced and physical. The Habs defense will need every forward to backcheck like crazy!