Gold: Back to the rink
Posted March 7, 2021 12:34 p.m. EST
Updated March 7, 2021 12:46 p.m. EST
Was that the All Star break or the off season?
Sorry, I’m just not used to having two whole days in between games for the Carolina Hurricanes, who last played on Thursday against Detroit and will now skate against the Florida Panthers for the fourth time this season. The Canes crammed 10 games into a 16 day span over the second half of February. But, March is rolling through like a lamb as the Hurricanes won’t have a single back-to-back scenario all month.
The Hurricanes were even able to get in a day off AND a practice, something that hasn’t happened since early February when the team was able to fly home from Chicago in the middle of a 6-game road trip that resumed three days later in Dallas. What the Hurricanes are able to do with the rest is another matter and in the grand scheme of things it’s probably far better mentally than physically.
As for Sunday’s guest, the Panthers are coming off a 2-game sweep in Nashville and arrive at PNC Arena tied with the Lightning atop the Central Division with 34 points. Carolina sits a point behind with 33. This will be the fourth game between the two this season and if history is to be the judge, it will take more than regulation to decide a winner.
In the first meeting, in Raleigh, Florida beat the Canes in overtime on a Jonathan Huberdeau breakaway. The next two were in South Florida with the Hurricanes winning in a shootout and in overtime, both on the stick of Martin Necas. His 5th round shootout goal made a winner of James Reimer and then two nights later, Marty took a feed from Sebastian Aho for his second OT winner of the season.
Petr Mrazek continues to practice as he hopes to return from right thumb surgery. However, he’s not yet ready for active duty and is not expected to be in the line up until next week at the earliest. Of course, when Alex Nedeljkovic is rolling along with a .955 SV% in his last four starts (3-1-0), there’s less urgency to rush Petr’s return. Though James Reimer will get the start as head coach Rod Brind’Amour has employed what amounts to a rotation between his healthy goaltenders since Mrazek’s injury.
If there is one area of criticism for the head coach it’s that he is not easily convinced when it comes to younger players and is more comfortable with what he knows than what might end up being true. Reimer is reliable, steady and tested. To the head coach, that’s hard to top.
The best way to explain this is to use a golf analogy. Reimer is laying up on the par 5, taking bogey off the table but making it more likely you’ll make par (obviously, not in my case, I’d be lucky to make double). Ned is going for the green in two, over water, which could bring a big reward, but it also brings double bogey into the equation.
As a recreational golfer who doesn’t get that many chances to reach a par-5 green in two, I feel like it’s my responsibility to roll the dice and give it a whack when the opportunity arises. So, if the head coach asks for my advice, like a player might ask a caddy, I’m handing him the 3-wood and telling him to give it a go.
In front of Reimer today, Carolina will go with a slightly different line up as Jake Gardiner will draw back in after missing the last five games with an upper body injury. Jake Bean will sit this one out, but I wouldn’t expect him to be out of the line up for very long as the rookie, puck-mover has largely been impressive since jumping into the mix. The last three games haven’t been as impactful which has allowed Brind’Amour to leave Fleury in the line up -- for now, anyway.
Only other change might be Teuvo Teravainen, who will be a game time decision. Turbo returned to action after missing seven straight games with effects of a concussion suffered in the win over Chicago two weeks ago. It’s always tricky with head injuries and it’s important to also note that it took Teravainen a while to get back to his old self following his bout with Covid earlier in the year.
Jonathan Huberdeau and Brett Pesce each have four points in the 3 meetings. Huberdeau has 3 goals and 1 assists while Pesce’s scored once and assisted on three other goals.
Storm Watch with Alec Campbell rolls at 4:30 with opening face off coming just after 5:00. Be sure to subscribe to the Canes Corner Podcast which drops the Morning After every Hurricanes game.