stormTRacker Podcast
...stormTRacker Podcast is your home for in-depth analysis of the Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Wolves & Hurricanes' prospects around the globe. Host, Tom Ray, gives his insightful perspective & is joined by Hurricanes' "Insiders" Erin Manning, Katie Bartlett, Nick Bass (Canes Prospects) & Andrew Rinaldi (Chicago Wolves), as well as special guests, to cover all the top stories for your Carolina Hurricanes. Tom is also active on "X" connecting with Hurricanes' fans on a regular basis. (@stormTRacker24)
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stormTRacker Podcast
Can Carolina's Balanced Attack Defeat Washington's Star Power?
The Carolina Hurricanes are showcasing championship potential after dispatching the New Jersey Devils in five games to reach the second round of the NHL playoffs for an impressive seventh consecutive year. Now, they face a formidable opponent in the Washington Capitals, who dominated Eastern Conference standings throughout the regular season.
This episode, featuring stormTRacker "Insiders", Erin Manning & Katie Bartlett, dives deep into what made the Hurricanes successful against New Jersey and what challenges lie ahead against the Capitals.
• Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov elevate their play with Aho tallying eight points in five games and Svechnikov scoring five goals against the Devils
• Jacob Slavin continues to anchor the defense while contributing offensively with a goal and two assists
• Special teams shine with a perfect penalty kill and power play operating at 31.6% efficiency in the first round
• Goaltending will be critical with Frederik Andersen's health status a key factor against Capitals' standout Logan Thompson
• Washington's offensive defensemen Jakob Chychrun and John Carlson present a different challenge than New Jersey's blueline
• The coaching battle between Rod Brind'Amour and Spencer Carbery could be decisive in a series expected to go six or seven games
• Starting strong on the road in Washington will be crucial for the Hurricanes who have struggled away from home
Support the podcast by liking, commenting, and subscribing to stay updated on all our analysis throughout the Hurricanes' playoff run.
Well how about those Carolina Hurricanes. The Canes have now made it to the second round of the NHL playoffs for the seventh straight year. After knocking off the New Jersey Devils in five games, the Canes are firing in all cylinders as they head into the second round versus the Washington Capitals. The Caps, who led Eastern Conference standings virtually all year, are going to be a handful. So join me to discuss what happened in the Devils series, some of the highlights of that series and what we can expect as we head into the Caps series. Storm Tracker Insiders, aaron Manning and Katie Burlett Ladies. Katie Burlett Ladies yes, okay. So a great series against the Devils. Nice to knock them out in five. Lots of things that were to the good For sure on the individual side, some great performances.
Speaker 3:Erin thoughts. Well, we definitely saw some of the players that we talked about needing to step up and have big games. They stepped up and had big games. Sebastian Ajo, you know, is in many ways a leader on this team that goes beyond the letter he wears on his chest, you know, and he had eight points in the five games and you know a lot of that was recent production. So you know, he had a couple of points in the first few games and then, you know, these last two were when, you know, both he and Andrei Shachakov really stepped up and started producing. And that's something that I know that Rod Brindamore had alluded to in one of his pressers. That you know, yes, the team was playing well, but he needed to see more on the score sheet. And if you know Rod Brindlemore, you know how rare it is for him to say anything like that. He's usually the one saying, as long as they're getting chances, it's good, but no, not in a short series, you have to have production. It has to be on the score sheet. So we know that, for for Sp Spech in particular, his goal scoring has been fantastic. He's had five goals and an assist in these games. So you know we're seeing the Andrei Spechnikov.
Speaker 3:I think a lot of us wanted to see all season and genuinely think that this was just, you know, kind of one of those things where we might end up looking back on this whole time period as a whole and say maybe the reason he wasn't having the greatest regular season was because he was really concerned about getting to the playoffs and being this player, because this is his time. Like he said, this is his time, this is when he can be at his most impactful. So it's really great to see that coming along. And then you know Jacob Slavin. What can we not say about you know, Slavin? Happy birthday, Jacob Slavin.
Speaker 3:As we record this, but it is his birthday on Thursday and May 1st. So, as we record, so he had an incredible series, and here again we talk about leadership series, and here again we talk about leadership. He had a goal and two assists. One of the things the Canes have been really lacking in the regular season was production from the blue line. So there's another sign, another you can check off another box of things we needed to see. Well, there it is. And then the two rookies on the team, Jackson Blake and Logan Stankoven, and I know a lot of people think well, Stankoven's not really a rookie. He did this last year well, okay, but he still counts as a rookie because of the number of games played, and they both had productive seasons as well, or series as well, rather, and it was nice to see Blake get his very first NHL playoff goal at a very timely moment and an important one it was really, really needed him to do it.
Speaker 3:So all to the good and looking forward to seeing more from those guys.
Speaker 1:Well, interesting. Just before I pass to you, katie, a couple of thoughts for me. One is that Svechnikov, it was always stated that he and Ajo just could not play together. I think maybe that's changed and you realize that. I mean they Svets really took off when he was moved up onto that line with Blake and with Sebastian Ajo. And one other thing on Jacob Slavin. And right, you are on Slavin. He had three minutes and 28 seconds per game on the penalty kill and you know the penalty kill was, to use the term, was perfect. So, katie, thoughts on some of those players as well.
Speaker 2:I think Aaron hit all of the main points. It was nice to see them get better as the series went along, but definitely going to need to have them continue and maintain that level of production going into the cap series. I don't think we want to be, waiting until games four and five for them to be picking up their production at that point. So we definitely need to keep the ball rolling as far as as far as they're concerned, but all three of those players have been absolutely spectacular, yeah.
Speaker 1:Now talking about special teams, I just mentioned that the PK, the penalty kill, was perfect in the series, which is really something, and I thought they were just outstanding. The power play fourth overall for the power play during the playoffs at 31.6%. Now this is quite a difference for the Hurricanes at 31.6% Now this is quite a difference for the hurricane. You remember we've had some laughs as some of the month's numbers were low, single digit. So we're really excited to see this. What were your thoughts on the power play and the penalty kill, katie?
Speaker 2:Let's go ahead and start with the penalty kill, because it was dynamite. Not only did the Canes kill off all I believe it was 15 power plays that the Devils had, they also got a shorthanded goal on one of them. So the Canes outscored the Devils on their own power plays, which was nice. But it was just so impressive Because very rarely did you feel like the devils were truly a threat on the power, on their power play, when the canes were on the penalty kill.
Speaker 2:Because the canes were so good at denying zone entries, winning face-offs, keeping them to the perimeter only giving them the first shot.
Speaker 2:They'd be on the rebound and clearing it out quickly or the goaltenders would be smothering the puck. There just weren't a lot of opportunities for the Devils to get any kind of momentum rolling on their power play. And I think that's what makes the Canes penalty kill so special is that you might get a look, but that's all you're going to get. You're not going to get second and third chances after you get that look, and it will be absolutely essential to continue a high level of success on the penalty kill moving forward as far as the power play is concerned, obviously a lot better than what we had seen and a lot of it goes back to what we've talked about before, in that the power play now is a lot more dynamic, especially on that first unit. Um, one or two of their goals came with the, with the second unit, and that was usually a halls. That one was for sure a hall stankovin connection I don't know if it was more than that.
Speaker 2:But um, but beyond, beyond that, one or two goals from the second unit. That first unit has looked really dynamic. They're making the defense move their feet, get out of position, create lanes, having to challenge the puck carrier which opens up somebody else somewhere on the ice. And there was no better demonstration of that than the game five goals that Ajo scored on the power play. The one was a five on three which they had to have. You don't win games if you get a five on three for that long and fail to score on it. And the Canes just got look after, look after, look, because they were moving around and making New Jersey have to follow them and finally got that pass across from Jarvis to Ajo and he was able I mean, he had so much space in that net to fire that hook into.
Speaker 3:It was fantastic.
Speaker 2:Fantastic. Yes, we need Ajo to be shooting from that circle a whole lot more often, because he has scored a ton of goals, particularly power play goals, from that circle, so that has been great. And then, of course, the five-on-four that they scored on when they had the double high-sticking penalty called when KK got bloodied up there. Yeah poor guy.
Speaker 2:It was very, very similar, just instead of Jarvis, to Ajo. It was Ghost Ajo, but again they were moving it around ghosted, that little eye-head fake that he had done earlier in the season to just make that defender hesitate a little bit longer, that heartbeat longer, so that Ajo had that lane and he was able to fire an almost identical shot into the net past Markstrom to win the game. So they need to keep that up, they need to not be stubborn, they need to keep the movement going and make the penalty killers move so that they can have lanes and space and opportunity.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I mean, one of the things that I was impressed on the penalty kill side was that it was really by committee. We even saw Mark Jankowski and Eric Robinson out doing excellent work on the PK and so, again, giving some of the other players a chance to get a break. And in fact, I think Jordan Stahl was in the penalty box on one or two occasions and they jumped in and got it done, which was fantastic. And on the power play side, one thing that I've been noticing and I don't know if you've been seeing this as well, but at the start of the year I thought that Shane Gossespierre was just, he was on fire, like he really commanded the ice and he was the guy that was the quarterback. He was going to make everything happen out there and you could see it and it was happening. He was directing traffic, so to speak, and it's taken him a while to get back to that. You know, he got injured Then he was kind of off his game, but he's back there now and I was watching him the other day and he was just driving that power play he really and they wanted to get him the puck because he was the man that was going to make it happen and again he's seen the ice so well. So I think you know with him back, you know on fire as he can be, and then you've got a new shooter which we've seen evolve over time was Sebastian Ajo. He's opening up on that right side and the Canes have struggled since Marty Natchez left. He used to do that frequently, as you know for the Canes, and then they didn't really have anyone that could do that get over in that spot and just drive it home. And we've been seeing Ajo more and more getting into that spot. And we do have, of course, seth Jarvis on the other side. But I think Ajo right now he's really got his mojo when that puck gets over to him and he can open up so good exciting stuff on the power play and the PK and they're going to be critical, as we know, heading into this next series.
Speaker 1:You know you look at the lineup and what we're dealing with and one of the areas I wanted to head in and talk about the goalies for a minute. You know we've got some challenges with our goalies. We'll talk about that. The Caps goalie, logan Thompson, is getting all kinds of accolades these days. Kevin Weeks on the NHL Network did the top 10 goalies of the year and he was number two. So you know that he's in the voting for top goalie as well. He had an outstanding season and his career save percentage is 9-1-2. So this guy, he's the real deal. Logan Thompson what are we thinking about on the goalie side, erin, you want to kick that off?
Speaker 3:Well, I think that you know, when you look at the two different goaltenders you're trying to compare, you know, between the series and who's going to come out on top, and I think a lot of us feel right now like the key to that is going to be Freddie Anderson, and you know whether he can start game one and whether he can, you know, play the series or as much of it as possible. Piotr has to. I think he deserves credit, piotr Kaczekow, for coming in and taking over a game and then closing that one out and then being able to handle the business in game five. But there's a shakiness there. We all see that a little bit. So you know, as far as if it comes down to Thompson versus Kachetkov, that's a different goaltending battle, I think, than if it's Thompson versus Anderson.
Speaker 3:So, but I do think that when Freddie Anderson is healthy and playing, you know, like we know, he can play, I don't think that, I don't think I would not necessarily give Thompson the edge, because there's, you know, there's something to be said for when a goalie is having a career year, you just you don't necessarily know how long that's going to continue. You know, if it's, he's obviously performing better than he has. So is that going to go all the way through, or is that going to have some wrinkles here and there? So we'll have to see how that goes.
Speaker 1:Katie.
Speaker 2:Yeah, pretty much agree with what Aaron had to say. One of the keys, of course, is that both Anderson and Thompson were knocked out of games due to injury in the first round, and so a lot of what's going to be key is of keeping other players away from him, keeping his eyesight clear, trying to make sure he doesn't get bumped into or fallen on top of or whatever, because if he comes back from this I don't know that it would take a whole lot for that injury to become a whole lot more serious and keep him out even longer. So they need to put in a lot of work to protect their goalie longer. So they need to put in a lot of work to protect their goalie, and I'm sure Washington will be feeling the same about Thompson. But it would be really good to challenge Thompson and to aggravate him.
Speaker 2:You think about the way that Svetch got in Markstrom's head in the New Jersey series, and so it'd be really good to see him do something similar where he's just in front of the net and being annoying and, you know, not no attempt to injure anything like that, but just frustrating Thompson to the point to where it puts him off his game, just enough that the Canes are able to get production. And the other thing is too, is the Canes and the Canadians have two different offensive systems, and so it'll be interesting to see how Thompson holds up under the Canes' high possession game plan and that sort of thing, because he will have long stretches in which he has to really be dialed in or the Canes will take advantage of him.
Speaker 1:Yeah, one of the things about both Thompson and Lindgren is that they are right right hand glove guys, which is very rare in the NHL, as we know, and that can be kind of a confusing thing for I think the forwards as well as they're coming in because they're used to goalies having their the glove on their left hand. So I think the other side of it back to what you were saying, katie I think the Canes are going to be trying to get in front of the net as much as possible, to try to get in front of the eyes of Logan Thompson, to create some chaos in front of the net, and that's when they're most successful. And that's going to be very key because when we talk about the defensive core, we need them to start bringing some offense as well, and one of the ways they can do that, of course, is if they can get some folks in front of the net shaking things up a little bit, they're going to be able to get those pucks in and get rebounds, or they're going to go in off somebody else. We've seen a lot of goals going in off players on their own team. It's kind of crazy the opposing team's defenseman or somebody pushing in front of the net and the puck goes in off them. So that's going to be something that the Canes will have to do.
Speaker 1:But let's talk about the defensive cores We've got. You know, the Canes defensive core has been outstanding. I mean, the top six have done a great job. We know we're up against a bit of a different defensive team with the Caps. They bring a lot of offense. Katie, what are your thoughts on the D side?
Speaker 2:Well, it's been the same six we've rolled with for most of the year and they were very solid against the Devils and want to see that same kind of play continue.
Speaker 2:I think the key for them is going to be how they play in their zone and do their zone exits. The few times that they did find themselves in trouble in that series was when they had failed clears or just barely got it out, only for New Jersey to turn it right back into the zone for another attack chance. So yeah, I definitely think that short amounts of time. Don't let the Caps set up in the in their O zone for long periods of time. Don't let Ovi spend a lot of time just sitting in his office waiting for that puck to get to him. They need to be pressuring the offense for the Capitals and getting the pucks turned over and getting the pucks safely out. Don't try to be the superhero. Just play smart and play solid and play strong in your own zone. I think that's just a recipe for success with the way that the Canes like to play.
Speaker 1:For sure, and one of the things that I'm seeing on NHL Edge that was interesting is that when you compare the zone time of the two teams, I think it comes into play. There is that the Hurricanes' offensive zone time this season was 45.1% of the time versus 42.3% for the Caps. In the neutral zone time, 19.2% for the Canes, 16.8% for the Caps, and then more so in the defensive zone, 35.6% for the Canes, 40.9% for the Cavs. So basically, what they're saying is that the Canes are doing a great job of staying out of their own zone and spending time in the mid zone and also the neutral zone and in the offensive zone of the opposition. I think that's key and those are going to be key elements for the Canes, because they'll throw, as we know, they'll throw everything at this opposing team, and that's one of the things they talked a lot about in the broadcast was that you know the Canes are just coming at you all the time. That's just the way they play. They're going to just keep coming, keep coming. And the challenges that we saw with the Devils, they just couldn't deal with it. I mean it was like relentless right and it's amazing. The scores weren't a lot higher. But if you look at those kind of metrics and you sit back and you say, okay, the Canes are, you know, the defensive core of the Canes is a solid defensive unit, not as strong offensively.
Speaker 1:If you look at the Capitals, gosh, they've got Jacob Chikrin. He had 20 goals and 27 assists this year. Chikrin is dangerous every time he's on the ice in the offensive zone. He's very dangerous. He's not as good in his own zone but he is dangerous in the O zone for sure. And again, john Carlson he's been with the Caps for a long, long time. He's been one of their key guys on that blue and he had another great year. He had 51 points. So this guy, he's still got it in the tank for sure.
Speaker 1:And those two guys drive a lot of offense from the defensive core. That's between them, almost 100 points. So you know we've got to be smart with that. The Canes not so much. I mean we do have Goss to spare. He had a nice year 45 points but after that it falls off quite a bit. And I think it's going to be key for the Canes to get their defensive back into the offensive side of things and try to get up in that O zone and make things happen. And again, the defensive core is going to be huge. Any more thoughts on that?
Speaker 3:Erin. Well, I think you covered it pretty much as far as that goes. I think that the structure that the Canes use, you know, for defense, for team defense, allows our defensive players to enter the offensive zone and to get deep on, you know, any occasion where there's good scoring chances. This gives them the opportunity not just to score themselves but also to support the scoring. I think that you know I would like to see some slight alterations. I mean, I think we all would just a little bit.
Speaker 3:I think that the biggest thing I would love to see from the Canes defense in this series is when the defense is taking, when a defenseman is taking a point shot from near the blue line.
Speaker 3:You know, I would really like them to be shooting for the rebound. You know, it feels like too often we have some shots that are obviously intended to go right on net and then they miss or they go wide or they go over With the cluster. Like you said, each of these series has featured a lot of shot blocking, a lot of guys gathered in front of the net. You get that shot through just a little bit less velocity, a little bit different angle. You get it to the feet of one of your guys and you might have a goal out of it. So if I want to see them make any kind of an adjustment, that would be. The adjustment I would want to see them make is to just be really selecting their shots to try to get rebounds and not just trying to get the puck in the net, because you know in the playoffs how often does a point shot from a defenseman beat the goaltender?
Speaker 1:It rarely happens, only if they're screened and they can't see it.
Speaker 3:If they're screened but the screen has enough holes in it to shoot through. That's the biggest problem, I know. Right now the screens are more like mosquito netting and it's a little bit harder to get those shots to actually go. So that's what I'd love to see. But beyond that, I think the Canes stack up very well on defense, even if the offensive contribution hasn't been as good. Ultimately, the job is to keep their pucks out of our net, so I think they can do that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I think so, and I think, defensively, the group has been rock solid. I've been very impressed with even the work of Shane Gossespierre, along with Sean Walker. They've been rock solid defensively and I think that's fantastic because that gives the Canes an ability to play these groups in any situation, and we know that in Washington the Caps are going to try to get favorable matchups. They're going to try to do that, and so the Canes are going to have to be on their toes for sure. Yeah, so defensive core good match. I think we're going to be right there, really pleased with some of the work of Burns on the offensive side lately. He's getting that puck, he's firing it. One of these is going to go in, I think, and that'll be exciting for us. But again, I think that's crucial as well.
Speaker 1:So let's talk about the forward line. So I mean, there are some really great things coming out of this series with the Devils and a couple of things that we think might need a little bit of attention. So we look at the stall line. Let's talk a little bit about that for a minute. And Seth Jarvis Not quite where we thought they would be. Any thoughts on that, erin?
Speaker 3:Well, I think for Jordan Stahl you know he doesn't have a point Did he record a point yet? No, I don't think he did. He has not recorded a point yet he has no points yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so I think that that had confused me. That question came up on X, People were talking about it and I had thought that he had one, but I believe there was a goal that was awarded initially to one player and then they came out and said no, actually it was, and that removed Jordan from the assist stream, so to speak. So that's, I think, where we were getting a little bit confused. But, yeah, it's unusual to see Jordan Stahl have such a quiet game.
Speaker 3:It's not the fact that he didn't put up any points, because we all know that that's not his primary role, especially when he's playing these heavy defensive matchups, but to me, I just feel like there's a lot more that he usually does that we weren't really seeing from him, and you know he did just recently return from injury. I know that's a difficult situation for players sometimes, Certainly watching the New Jersey Devils some of the press availabilities today, finding out just how injured some of their players were by the end of round one. You know that's always a potential factor, but I would like to see, especially since they're starting, like you said, the two games on the road. I think we're going to need Jordan Stahl to be his absolute best self, and so I'm hoping to see that.
Speaker 1:Now, Katie, you had taken a look at some game score comparisons and some numbers out there that didn't show us favorably for Jarvis and for Stahl. What do we think they need to be doing to kind of get back on track?
Speaker 2:well for stall, the main thing that impacted his um, his scores on some of those hockey stack cards were face-off losses and a penalty taken. So okay, again, you know, if that refers back to what aaron was talking about, if he's just still fighting that injury a little bit, he's probably not as quick on the dot and he's not as quick on his feet. Um, I know a lot of people don't think of Stahl as a particularly fast skater, but that's just because he's not super explosive. But once he gets up there he can move decently or at least effectively enough to provide the coverage that he normally does on all of the other I mean, if you think about some of the speedy guys that he has to cover on the other teams game in and game out, he can't be, a slow poke to to manage that.
Speaker 2:So, but this game is played at such a high level that just even being off your your skills by a fraction can make all the difference in your level of effectiveness, and so that's probably what's affecting him, and so I'm glad that the Canes took care of business in game five and that we're not looking at a game six tomorrow night, because the more time that he can get to rest and to heal and to get back to his normal self will be fantastic. We definitely need that. I don't know that there's as much of a stats issue that shows with. As far as Jarvis' play is concerned, he has definitely been a lot more successful on the power play and on the penalty kill than he has been five on five. So that's the main area that I want to see improvement from Jarvis, and I know it's hard.
Speaker 2:He started off the playoff series on the top line and then got pushed back down to the Stahl-Martin line when they needed to shuffle things up a little bit, and that's when Svec got moved up to that top line and exploded for all of the production that he has gotten recently, and so I don't know that jarvis really cares as much about his stats as he does, just contributing what he needs to contribute on the line that he's on.
Speaker 2:And he wasn't as successful on that five on five up with ajo to start the series. But he did provide a lot of good, hard defensive work with stall and martin Martinuk on that third line and perhaps with some of Stahl's troubles. That's why Jarvis got put down. There was because they wanted just someone that had just that little extra step or that little extra comfortability in doing the defensive work, because while Stankhoven was solid, you know that Jarvis is going to be able to do it just a little bit better, for no other reason than familiarity. So, jarvis, like I said, it'd be great to see some more five-on-five from him. Of course, if he's playing on the stall line it's not as realistic, but if he's still producing on the power play and the penalty kill and providing good defense, I'm not worried about Jarvis.
Speaker 1:He'll be fine. Yeah, I mean that becomes an interesting situation because, as we look at the Capitals lineup, they have two outstanding lines. Their two top lines are incredibly strong offensively. Of course you've got Ovechkin, stroman and Alexey Protas. Those guys they had 103 goals this year so they can really put the puck in the net. And then you've got Pierre-Luc Dubois, who's re-energized his career, for sure, and he's had an outstanding season alongside Wilson and McMichael. Those guys are dangerous every time they're on the ice and they had 80 goals. So you've got a couple of lines that you've got to really be sharp on.
Speaker 1:And of course, stahl's line is going to get a lot of the heavy lifting, certainly at home and, to what extent they can, on the road. With these guys. One of the big things we look at with these two teams, I think, is that the Canes have a little bit of a different approach. As we know, they do it by committee and so they've really been getting some great work from their top line. You know we've talked a lot about, you know Ajo's been getting it done, svets has been getting it done and certainly Jackson Blake has been a bit of a revelation on that top line. But the bigger thing, I think too for the Canes, is their balance and Erin how about telling us a little bit about how you see this forward group?
Speaker 3:Well, I don't think that. The Canes you know, some people often point to the Canes top line or Ajo, just in general, as the top center and say, well, the Canes just have Ajo. You know, everybody else is more or less interchangeable. Everybody else is more or less doing the same job. It's not the same as being a one-line team, because you know, we've seen that, in fact I just saw that with the Montreal Canadiens. You know, the Habs right now really are a one-line team and that made it a little bit easier for the Capitals to shut them down. But the reason the Canes don't, to me, fall into that same category is because you have one top line and then you have three lines that you could consider almost equal to a third line on every other team. That's not great if you're just looking at the second line, which then we have that discussion, of which one even is the second line, because I think by ice time it's still Jordan Stahl's line, it still is and it still has been. So is Jordan Stahl a 2C? Is he the 2C on this team? I think you could make the strong case that he's the closest thing they have to a 2C and he operates a lot like how those of my Habs friends will remember, like how Philip Deneau used to operate in Montreal. He was a shutdown center. Deneau played the second line center from the time that Nick Suzuki started playing the 1C. So that's not a bad way to construct a team. No, because then your fourth line is also more like a third line and they get some really great matchups and they can feast on those, and that helps a lot too. And it also means when you're on the road, which is what we're going to be seeing. To start with, you don't have one line that's easy to expose. You don't have one line that is so weak defensively that that's the line the other team is trying to throw their big guns out against. So it's a different construction. I don't know that it's going to stay that way.
Speaker 3:There's a lot of speculation about whether the Canes are going to finally go out and get a real 2C. Yes, but right now it works, and it's worked for seven years of getting into the playoffs and seven years of winning the first round in the playoffs. So whether they need to take that step to get beyond the first round is still an open question and it will be until we're done. So we'll see what happens. But I don't think that they're as weak in that sense as people think. It's not a question of oh, we don't have someone to match up exactly against this line and we don't have someone. That's not really how Rod Rendemore has ever seen it. His famous repeated comment is that he doesn't number his lines, and apart from the fact that the Ajo line is clearly the first line I think that's true I don't think there is a straight matchup where you can say well, this is the second line and this is the third line. You really don't have that.
Speaker 2:Any thoughts? Katie, I completely agree. One thing I'll highlight is from the last game. I really liked the fact that Hall and Stankoven were on a line together. They have connected nicely on the second power play, were on a line together. They have connected nicely on the second power play, either there or on the bump-up shift afterwards, because the other members of other lines have played time and I really like the chemistry they've developed. So I hope that that line gets another shot at things, most likely with KK at the center, because if they can build on that chemistry and really get going, then perhaps we would have a little bit more of a so-called second line production, like Aaron referred to, and if the Canes can start layering their production from their forward lines, it's going to make them even more potent and difficult to deal with as far as the Caps are concerned.
Speaker 2:And then my final thought and it's just real quick is I love the fourth line with Jankowski Carrier Robinson. Jankowski had that great work effort that he put into the forecheck that led to Jackson-Blake's goal during a line change. And that line is big, it's fast, it's heavy, it's not afraid to get into the dirty areas and so, whether they get on the score sheet or not, you'd love it if they did, but as a I mean so-called fourth line, if that's like aaron said, are they really the fourth line? But as a so-called fourth line, anyone knows um line.
Speaker 2:That's not their role. Their role is to keep puck possession. Their role is to tire other teams' lines out. Hopefully it's the top line. They're getting in, they're grinding, they're keeping the puck away from them and their role is to give the big guns a bit of a breather. So when they come out they're fresh and ready to go and hopefully have already started tilting the ice in their own favor. So yeah, lots to love about the Canes' forward lines and their balance and their effort and the way they sync together when they exchange from shift to shift.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and you know you talk about matchups and that's what we're going to see the Caps trying to get those top two lines out there. You know you talk about matchups and that's what we're going to see the Caps trying to get those top two lines out there. But it's not going to be easy for them because obviously you know Stahl's line, we know what they can do defensively. Ajo's line they're excellent when they're out against a top line. And then I'm intrigued by this number two line, as we call it right now, or whatever it is, with Kokuniemi, hall and Stankoven. Look, hall just signed a new deal, three years. He's happy as anything to be a Hurricane. He's going to be putting everything he's got into this and I think that's great. And he's a guy that can make a difference when he gets going. We know what kind of player he can be. And Logan Stankoven, this guy, he is an incredibly talented player. He's doing a lot with the puck. He's confident, he's getting great shots. He loves to get into the dirty areas. I mean, he's the kind of guy that you know he can make things happen. And I'm seeing some very positive signs from Kokaniemi. He's laying on the body You've talked about that before Aaron, when he gets into these playoffs and starts playing heavy. And he's a guy that he's starting to feel and act the part Like. He's starting to realize, look, I've got a key role in this hockey club. I'm not on the fourth line, I'm not sitting on the bench, I don't have to look and see if the hook's coming out. You know he's able to get out there and play his game and he's a guy that can play.
Speaker 1:We know that he's got the talent. He's shown it before and he's starting to get real comfort with his line mates. He's starting to feel really good about you know, in particular, taylor Hall. He talked about him yesterday on a piece that he did an interview and he's starting to really feel good about. You know what they're able to get done. And back to that fourth line. Come on these guys. If Eric Robinson could get a touch he would score a lot of goals. He gets a lot of great opportunities. He's making things happen out there and one guy that's got more to give and it's going to come. You know he missed a huge part of the season and that's William Carrier. But we know when the heavy hockey starts to happen in playoffs.
Speaker 1:That's when he really starts to shine. So I think that line's got more to give as well. And don't forget the Canes have Jack Rostelevic sitting waiting to come in, and you know, if he comes in he's going to have a lot of energy as well. So the Canes forward crew, I think, is in the best shape that we've seen it in a playoff. I mean, how many times have we gone in? There have been injuries and gosh who knows what. So I'm excited about that. We know they've got some big weapons. They've got OV and some others. We've got to watch them and particularly on the power play, ovechkin has feasted on the Canes for years, so we've got to make sure that, as you said before, stay out of the box and keep an eye on.
Speaker 1:Ovechkin for sure. Okay, so forward crew, they're different. They're big scorers, they have an offense, They've got a machine that can really go and the Canes are going to have to be all over their man-on-man. Taylor Hall was saying something yesterday, but he's still trying to figure out the defensive side in his own zone and we know it's tricky, this whole context of how the Canes play. But if they get it right and, more importantly, if they start playing Canes hockey, which we know is usually in the offensive zone and heavy on the forecheck, making things happen out there, everything changes. So I think that part of it is going to be interesting and again, lots of promise with the Canes forward crew this time out.
Speaker 1:Let's talk about some general things just for a minute here. You know both of these teams have strengths, as we know they are. You know, in some cases you know the Caps are higher scoring team than the Canes. The Canes are a better penalty kill team. The Caps are better on the power play through the regular season, but mostly these teams are pretty well matched and they play a very similar game. One of the things that we've talked a little bit about is the coaches, and this is going to be an interesting battle. You've got, of course, Rod Brindamore, who's seventh year in a row taking a team to the second round, but you've got Spencer Carberry, who's seventh year in a row taking a team to the second round. But you've got Spencer Carberry who's kind of looked upon as the darling this year. The coaching staff uh, coaching, uh group what are we thinking about this coaching matchup?
Speaker 2:it will be very interesting to see how the two of them go together, because they have obviously both produced success this season and Brynden Moore has the history of success with his current team, but they're obviously doing something right because of how well both teams have played up until now, and so it's really going to be a chess match between the two of them.
Speaker 2:You know home and away and you know which lines do you send out and which situations.
Speaker 2:You know how do you try and make, make your line changes on the fly, get the matchups you want, set your team up to where you feel like you can take advantage of the other team in a particular spot in the game, and so it's those little decisions that, if this, if this series ends up being as tight as we think it's going to be, it could come down to a few of those decisions in the game that will tilt in the favor of one team or another.
Speaker 2:So it will be very key, and I mean lots of respect for Carberry, because last year's Capitals team looks nothing like this year's Capitals team. I mean they lucked their way into the playoffs last year, yeah, um, with that crazy finish at the end of the year where, um that I think they got it by default, uh, and got, then got swept out of the first round. So this team is powerful, this team is hungry, and you really have to start with the coach as far as how that turnaround happened. So we'll see. We'll see if Brenda Moore can draw on his bag of experience to help overcome the the magic charms of Carberry that he is sprinkled on top of the caps this year.
Speaker 1:I think she covered it, and the only.
Speaker 3:thing that I would add here is that, on top of the caps this year, karen, I think she covered it and the only thing that I would add here is that I think that when it comes to coaching battles, you know, to me it's always fun to watch how they make those decisions and what's going into them and the level of instinct that you have and that can be can be good or bad. I mean, the more experienced coaches have a tendency, I think, sometimes to default to things that have worked in the past and not to have that creative flash of insight that says you know what that hasn't been working, let's try something else. So that's you know. I hope that we will see that from from both sides, where they're willing to kind of tweak things and give things a little bit of an interesting look here and there.
Speaker 3:I think that Carberry definitely needs to be praised a lot for what he's managed to accomplish, because you think about, this is a team that you know still has a lot of veteran players and and a lot of them are drifting towards that wrong side of 35-ish not quite that old but to get veterans to buy in is harder, I think, than to get kids to buy in, and that is a team that has cobbled together some interesting pieces from other teams, that they made some judicious trades, so I think that the GM also needs to be congratulated.
Speaker 3:And then just a final thought, going back to Katie's point. Right now, a lot of people are talking about a coaching decision that was made in the Kings Oilers series to challenge a goal and how that went badly. Yes, I think that this is something that you know, these little tiny things, like Katie said, they can add up over the course of the game and turn a victory into a defeat or vice versa. So it is going to be really fun to see how these two match up, as you know, going head to head against each other.
Speaker 2:And one thing I want to add that Aaron made me think of with some of the adjustments is one of the key adjustments that Brendamore made in that Devil series was his line tweaks. He didn't go full Blendamore and just put it all into a mixer and see what the mixer spits out.
Speaker 3:No, first line Martin Nook.
Speaker 2:No first line, thank goodness. No first line. Martin Nook, although the way that Martin no martin was against the devil beginning of the series, that would have been a temptation right. I mean, he was right in those first couple games, absolutely. But you know, just just moving spetch up to that top line yes, that was a big it was.
Speaker 2:it was big, but he had to wait for the right time. I don't know that it would have been that successful if he had started off right, because that's what's happened before and has had a certain level of success before. But no, I trust my rookie, I trust what Blake brings to that line. What he brings to that line is important. I'm going to leave him up there with the change and then I'm going to pull Jarvis and use Jarvis wherever, and I'm part of that. Jarvis, like we, like I mentioned before, he's kind of a fix-it-all player. You can put him anywhere.
Speaker 2:But so you know that is a decision that had to be made. You know when to bring Jankowski in. So Rod seems to be making the decisions and they're working out in the Canes' favor. They have helped the Canes and not hurt the Canes. And I didn't watch the Capitals series. Maybe, erin, you'd have a little insight. I don't know if Carberry was ever in a position where he felt like he needed to tweak his lineup and, you know, maybe he is put in that position with the Canes series if he hasn't.
Speaker 3:I think that is something that's really interesting, because I don't think there was ever really a point that the Habs did manage to win a game at the Bell Center. I think that that was kind of looked at as well. That was bound to happen. You know, they're not going to have that crowd and that energy and not win at least one. So they did, and but the only there were no, if I wasn't paying a lot of attention to what their lines were doing, but I don't think there was any really big alterations going on because they were losing. They had missed some people. They had a couple of people that were out in that game, so those guys returned and then everything went back to normal.
Speaker 3:So, yeah, that's a good point because, apart from having to adjust around injuries which is something you have to do, everybody has to do anyway I don't think there was a time when they felt like a line was just being so shut down that they couldn't adjust, you know. So that is something that the Canes will have the opportunity to do. I would like it if they had the opportunity to force some of those decisions in these first two games, because being on the road, it's a lot harder to be in the position where you have to force the home team to adapt. So it would be very interesting to me if they could get that going. I know that's going to be the big challenge, so we'll see.
Speaker 1:Well, I mean, one of the things that I'm excited about with the Hurricanes in this playoff run is they've got depth, and you know there are going to be players dinged up. There are going to be situations where they're going to need to reach into that depth. And we've already talked about Jack Roslevic. He scored over 20 goals this year and we know that he's a guy that knows the system. He can come in, he can make a difference. And how about Alexander Nikitian? Every day he gets closer to being ready and when he's called upon, that's going to be a lot of fun because he's going to bring a completely different kind of player into the lineup and that'll be fun to see what he can do. So I think the Canes are in great shape. They're going to be, you know for sure. They're going to have to call on that depth and in previous years they just haven't had it and I think this is going to be a big difference for them. So, again, it's going to be an interesting situation and one of the biggest challenges.
Speaker 1:We've talked a lot about this in the past. You know heading into the opposing rink more often than you'd like. The Canes, of course, are deadly. At home. They have not been particularly effective on the road and, as well, the Capitals have done very well at home. So you're going into a very, very hostile situation and you're going to have to go in and try to win one of these first two games. What are we thinking about this kickoff in Washington and how that might affect the series, katie?
Speaker 2:Like you said, it's just very important. The Canes aren't going to get last change, so the game plan is going to have to be to take the pace to the Capitals, make the Capitals make tough decisions. So I don't want to see them be reactive, I want to see them be proactive. I want to see them really push in the offensive zone to maintain that puck position, pucks on net. I mean all the cliches, but the cliches that work because they're so effective, especially when the Canes are playing the way that they're able to play. You think back to that game four in New Jersey and just how well, when they had it turned on that, they were able to prevent New Jersey from getting anything sustained going for any amount of time.
Speaker 2:As soon as New Jersey brought the puck into their, into the Canes, and the Canes would get it off of their sticks. Go fight for it in the corners, come out of the corners with it and send it right back down the ice for another rush attempt or dumping in and heavy forecheck, just like the canes like to do so. I think that's the key for the canes on the road is take the pace and make the, make the put the caps back on their heels and make them react to us, rather than the other way around.
Speaker 3:Agreed, agreed 100 and the other way around Agreed, agreed, 100%. And the other thing I think that is absolutely critical and this may actually be easier for them on the road than it has been at home is that they absolutely positively must start on time. They have to be ready to go when the puck drops, whoever wins the faceoff, regardless. You know, if it doesn't go the Canes way, they have to go chase it down and get it, because they've had trouble against the Capitals before in faceoffs. It doesn't matter, you have to go get that puck anyway.
Speaker 3:I think that in a weird sense, you know, normally I would be thinking well, this isn't good. They have to start two games on the road and the Capitals have home ice advantage. But because we've seen them have those weak starts at home a little bit too often of the most recent games, I think that that's just something that, for whatever reason, it just seems to have been a problem this year to have that lackadaisical attitude and be, you know, thinking that everything's going to go easily, and you don't necessarily think that on the road. You think that at home more often than you think that on the road. So the other thing is they had home ice advantage in this first series, which meant they didn't have to win one of the two road games. But they did, and I think that's important, because I think that that's where you get that sense of OK.
Speaker 3:No, it's not impossible for the Kings to win a road game. They just did it. They can do it again. Maybe they'll surprise everyone and win both of these. I mean, stranger things have happened, especially the way the playoffs have been going. You never know, but I think that it should be more than doable for them to win one.
Speaker 1:So I'm hoping to see that One of the biggest things that the Canes have done is they've been able to come back in some of these games and we don't want to make a habit of that. I mean, coming back from 3-0, okay, that's fine with the Devils, but I don't think I'd try that with the Caps. So I think you know, starting on time is critical. I think getting to their game quickly is critical. The Canes can set the tone. We know that. That's really what they're good at. When they're out playing their game. They can really create a lot of havoc out there. So let's see how that goes.
Speaker 1:But I think this situation is a little bit different for them. We talked a lot about it during the season. You know how important was home ice going to be, because the Canes, of course, have been incredible at home and they've just got to take some of that. You know that home ice magic and do it on the road as well. So, as we look at the series now, are there going to be some X factors? Are there going to be some players, some situations that we think could make a difference in this series? Katie, what are you thinking?
Speaker 2:Oh, we've already touched on mine. I think it's the coaching job. I think all those little adjustments that have to happen both in-game and between games are going to be so key. If this series is as close as we think it's going to be, then the difference in the games and even in the series can hinge in some of those decisions. The right decision will make the series be shorter, the wrong decision could make the series go longer or even be the difference in winning or losing the series. So I'll be very interested to see the adjustments that Brendan Moore and Carberry make, because they're two very good coaches and it's going to be quite the chess match between them.
Speaker 2:Yeah for sure, erin.
Speaker 3:Well, for me I know we touched on this briefly it comes back to discipline. On the one hand, they cannot take unnecessary penalties. It is the second round, the whistles start to go away a little bit more, so I think that there may be less frequent calls of the kind that we really call ticky-tacky or not, you know really 100% one way or the other. But that doesn't mean that they can play an undisciplined game. They're going to have to watch out for those stick infractions and the things that will be called. So make sure that that's paid attention to. But the other thing I know a lot of people are talking about is physicality. The Canes have a reputation for being physically soft. They're not anymore, but they still have that reputation. And the Capitals of course have the reputation, you know, exact opposite, that they're bruisers that they're going to beat you up and take your lunch money.
Speaker 3:You know that's, you know. I think that that's what a lot of people expect to see in this game. So the Canes are going to have to be able to do both sides of the physicality coin. They're going to have to dish it out, meaning that they're not going to be pulling their punches. They can't shy away from those hard hits and those checks. They can't let the Capitals push them around. They're going to have to be able to dish it out.
Speaker 3:At the same time, though, they have to be able to take it, because that is where this war of attrition comes in on the physicality side. When you've got someone of you know Tom Wilson's coming at you, or you know any of these guys, and you start hesitating or trying to get rid of the puck too quickly because you don't want that hit, that's when things can get a little dodgy. So I mean kudos to the Kings. This year, they have not been that team that shies away from contact. I think that their physicality as a group has improved, and some of that has been because of the new players that have come in.
Speaker 3:So and I mean I know that we have Dmitry Orlov on- the defensive side, who is very well known for his ability to deliver some pretty bruising hits on his own regard. So you know, stay balanced. If you take it and dish it out, don't sit back on either side and don't let them rattle you away from the puck. That's pretty much it.
Speaker 1:Well and rightfully so, and you know, one of the things that we like about this Canes team this year is they've got size. They are not a small group. They can throw all four lines can go out, and there's some people out there who can, you know, lay the body on and make some things happen from a kind of a physicality perspective.
Speaker 1:So I'm excited about that. I think that's a big change. You know, we for so many years we had a group of, you know, smaller players that you know just got pushed around and you just couldn't fight back. And I think the Canes have made special moves. Certainly, Eric Tolsky has tried to get some players in that can make a difference, and bringing in Jankowski and Hall, they're both heavy players, they go out and they're in the mix and they can also get into these physical type battles as well. So all good stuff, Okay, so we've talked a lot about the different parts of the teams. Where do we sit on this? Who do we think is going to win the series and how do we think it's going to play out? Erin, let's start with you.
Speaker 3:Well, I think we have kind of a group consensus. I think we all think that the Canes are going to win this and we're not just saying that as homers and fans. The statistical odds right now favor the Canes and I think that surprises some people who haven't been paying attention to. You know both teams, all series, you know all season. Rather, you might look at the Caps and say, well, they're number one, you know they'll this in the Metro. But the Canes have some advantages and some weapons that I think are going to match up really well. So the Canes and I personally think it's going to take six games. We would all love it to be done in five. We would all love the Canes to be as dominant as they were against New Jersey.
Speaker 2:I don't think that's realistic. How about you, katie? Yeah, I definitely think it'll be a 4-2 Canes victory, provided that the Canes have Anderson for all, if not the majority, or at least the majority of the games, if not all of the games. He just is on a different level with his steadiness and the way that Kochakov has been recently. I still think the Canes have a good chance to get it done if Kochakov's in net. But it'll be a lot harder, especially if he is jittery early. But he did. I mean. The encouraging thing is he did settle into both the game that he came into in game four and the game that he started in game five. So perhaps having those under his belt will be a blessing in disguise that if the Canes do need to call on him at any point that he will lose those butterflies a little bit faster or just have them gone before the game even starts.
Speaker 2:But with with Freddie and net, I feel pretty comfortable that the Canes can can pull out a 4-2 victory. And a lot of that has to do with the fact that the Washington Capitals were one of the top two teams, if not the top team, when it came to PDO, with their combination save percentage and shooting percentage. And in the playoffs that's just generally not sustainable because the quality of competition that you're going up against is so much higher. And so if the Capitals aren't capitalizing on those high PBO levels, then it opens up avenues for the Canes to really take advantage of them and to get to their game, play their game and come out victorious in this series.
Speaker 1:Yeah, get to their game, play their game and come out victorious in this series. Yeah, and you know, goaltending is so critical in any of these series and I think you hit the nail on the head with that one. My X factor really is going to be goaltending. Freddie is going to be critical. To make this happen, he's got to beat Logan Thompson, and that's the critical point. And I'm not sure what we can expect from Piotr if he has to come in. He struggled for an extended period now, so we're asking him to really get his game back on track in a hurry.
Speaker 1:So again, I think the Canes are going to win this series. I think it could go the limit. It might go to seven games. Think the Canes are going to win this series. I think it could go the limit. It might go to seven games. Hopefully it's six or less.
Speaker 1:But I think it's going to be a long, hard series and you know, I think the Canes can do it. But this one isn't going to be easy. So we'll have some fun watching it, for sure, and keep our fingers crossed as these games go along. Anyway, we're going to be following this right through all the playoffs. It's great that we've got a round under our belt. We know we've got at least four more games to go and hopefully a whole bunch more, and we'll be back to continue to bring the latest information and thoughts that we have on the Canes to to our Canes fans and and those of you that are listening or watching.
Speaker 1:For those of you who are listening or watching, we'd like to thank you very much for joining us today. As always, aaron, katie and I are delighted that you've spent the time with us and if you liked this episode, please press the like button. If you have comments for us or anything to say about the canes or the caps or this series in general, please leave those in the comment section down below. And, of course, if you want to be alerted of future episodes of Storm Tracker and get a chance to follow Aaron and Katie as they tell us what's going to happen in this series and beyond, please subscribe and hit the bell button and we'll make sure you're aware as soon as those are available. In any case, thank you so much for joining us today. We look forward to getting together with you real soon, right here on Star Trek.
