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GDT: Canes @ Islanders 3/19 7:30

A

andyt

Canes Moderator
Staff member
The Canes close out the season series against the Isles.

After a successful trip through Ontario, the Canes return to the US and try to even the series against the Islanders. They’ve not played well against them this year, needing a 4 goal comeback to win in November before losing a pair of 5-4 games, the first of which featured the Canes outshooting the Isles 43-16. Guentzel got his first on Sunday, Kuzy scored again, extended both of their scoring streaks to 3 games and Orlov had a 4 point night. His 2nd goal was assisted by Svech and Kuzy marking the first time in franchise history a goal was scored and assisted by all Russians. Andersen improved to 4-0 since his return, with a 1.26 GAA and .949 save %. If the rotation holds, we should see Kochetkov in goal, but I wouldn’t mind seeing Martin tonight.

The Isles are struggling, losers of 4 straight after a new coach bounce. They’re 6-3-1 in their last 10 and 10-8-4 since Patrick Roy took over. They’re coming off a 5-2 loss to the Rangers on Sunday, a game that was tied at 2 with 6 minutes left in the 2nd. They’re 4th in the Wild Card, 2 points behind the Caps, 1 behind the reeling Red Wings. The Isles have 4 - 20 goal scorers, led by Bo Horvat and Brock Nelson with 29. Kyle Palmieri has 21, Mathew Barzal has 20. Noah Dobson leads with 57 assists. Barzal averages better than a point per game, Dobson is just under. In goal, Ilya Sorokin has taken a huge step backward, at 3.03 GAA, he’s 0.70 worse than last season. His save % of .909 is better than NHL average, but lower than last season’s .924. He’s backed up by Semyon Varlamov who is at 2.86/.910 in 20 games. The Isles are 20th in goals per game, 22nd in goals against. Their PP is 15th but the PK is bad, DFL at 71.8%

Black jerseys tonight. National TV on ESPN+ with Bob Wichusen and Kevin Weekes on the call.
 
Sorokin has had 3 rough starts in a row but bad form hasn't stopped him from playing well against Carolina in the past. But yeah, that bounce they got from Roy simply playing his better players more is a thing of the past and now they have to figure something else out.
 
BTW, this will be a good test of Carolina's newfound willingness to stretch the zone on exit passes. A little of that will go a long way to helping to break down the Islanders' trap.
 
Not sure what air was in the islanders wheels to start the game but at this point it feels like they are using square concrete blocks.
 
NoMich said:
Bo Horvath inside his head tonight, "fuck man, that could've been me."
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He wanted a big market. He got one. I'm still not the biggest fan of Horvat and his game will cause him to pretty much always be over-paid, but his skill set would have been an easy fit for what the Canes do. But until Lou finally leaves, he and Barzal are kind of doomed to be the skilled mayo on a gravel sandwich
 
jeffbear said:
He wanted a big market. He got one. I'm still not the biggest fan of Horvat and his game will cause him to pretty much always be over-paid, but his skill set would have been an easy fit for what the Canes do. But until Lou finally leaves, he and Barzal are kind of doomed to be the skilled mayo on a gravel sandwich
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He’s still stuck in the mid-90s/early aughts Devils mindset.
 
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