Game Thread ..... vs. NY Rangers, 12/21/09

[Canesluver]

I, for one, would like to see a great game and a win, if for no other reason than to see Tortorella's head explode and/or to hear his obscenity-laced post-game interview!! :evil:

Promotions: It's a family night/Harris Teeter night (http://hurricanes.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=45191)*, so there's some special ticket pricing going on. And, don't forgot that means $1 hot dogs!

Puck-drop at 7:00PM

LET'S GO 'CANES!!


*but, now that I read the fine print, it looks like you had to take advantage of the sale-pricing no less than 1 week prior to the game.

[Captain Slack]

Barring any last minute SNAFU's, I'm actually gonna make this one!! My first game in since before Thanksgiving.

Win? Please?

[livinthedream]

Bryan Rodney's been sent back (http://hurricanes.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=510633) to Albany. Thinking that means we get at least one of either Gleas or Wallin back in the lineup tomorrow night.

[Fernando da Silva]

I hope we stop Gaborik. The guy knows how to find the back of the net

[nccanes]

I think this game should be decent crowd wise. The Rangers draw and this is an exchange game. I tried to get some mezz seats exchanged and there were only singles. So yeah, that's only 1 row, but hopefully a good sign that some people will show up (sad to read the Sat game only had 12k).

[VandyCane]

I get to go to this one with some of my co-workers. This was one of those $25 lower level seat nights. I also got to go to Saturday's game thanks to a kind soul. Definitely looking forward to this one tonight! :beer:

[SoCalcaniac]

Yeah, this game should be very well attended. In addition to the exchange dealio, like Vandy said, this is that $25 LL and $10 UL tix deal that they sent out to the STHers. We purchased 8 tix for friends who have family in town for the week. I expect that the Wed game and the day after X-mas will also be well attended just because we usually do well with the holiday games.

Hello Canes, Please find a way to stop Marian Gaborik and his 24 goals from scoring any on us; While Gaborik is one of my most favorite players to watch, I am not interested in seeing him do his thing in my home bldg. Ok? Thanx.

[livinthedream]

Yeah, this game isn't on the 26-game plan but I got the exact same seat I typically get via voucher (down low in Section 122) for $25. Can't beat it.

SoCal just tweeted that Timmay left the ice like he would for a normal pre-game skate, so fingers crossed he's in the lineup tonight! w00t!

Nic's still out there for extra work so sounds like he may be a few days removed from a return.

[KaniacFever]

Was at the RBC earlier to get the nephew from his checking clinic and while the kids were all changing, the Rags bus came. They all had that WTF look on their faces at all us standing around out back.

So they arrive with the WTF look, here's hoping they leave with that same look thinking "how did we just lose to the last placed team in the league" :lol:

[livinthedream]

Confirmed - woo hoo!!!

nhl_canes: Tim Gleason will play tonight, says Maurice.

[Darkwing]

I love $1 hotdog nights. And I hate the Rangers. I'm hoping that Gleason takes out some ovechkin frustration on Avery!

[ncsu1]

I'm doing my best to fill up the lower bowl, exchange night + vouchers = 17 tickets :D

[SoCalcaniac]

EXCELLENT ncsu1! That's great! Let's hope your group gets to see a WIN. :-

There's something fun about the holiday season and the Canes playing hockey at home. I was at the a.m. skate as LTD mentioned, and there was alot going on in the stands (media ) and the ice, (players were very loud and noisy) and LOL at your run in with the Rags bus KF! There seemed to be a little cabin fever or something going on with the Rangers, a bunch of them milling around the tunnels watching, and then a couple coaches in the stands. (no Torts though, lol).

I offered to help some friends out with a ticket exchange and found myself in the longest lines at the box office after practice. HOLY COW, people had their canned goods, got their vouchers and were buying up tickets, which was great to see. What was really encouraging was how excited people were about buying tickets. Considering how bad things have gone with this team as a whole, I find that to be really encouraging. The Canes are relevant and people do care about this team regardless of our horrid record.

KF, any sign of the GQ wannabe Avery while you were out with the kiddos? :lol:

[Deke]

This should probably go in a media thread but Erik Cole called in to the Jim Rome show today, not as an interview but as a fan. He said he has stopped talking to the local media because they have stopped broadcasting the last hour of Rome's show on 620 :lol:

[KaniacFever]

KF, any sign of the GQ wannabe Avery while you were out with the kiddos? :lol:

Yep wearing a toboggan and trying to be low key :laugh:

[cmw00]

Somebody just gave my GF two free tickets to sit in the "Lexus Box"(?) tonight!

Not sure what that means, but free tickets are free tickets!!! :lol:

[nccanes]

I believe you are in the Champions Club my friend!

[cmw00]

I believe you are in the Champions Club my friend!

And what does that mean? I honestly have no clue, I'm usually a cheapest available ticket kinda person :lol:

[nccanes]

Big leather seats and free food I think!

It's the big section in the N End that's above the Deck in the Club level.

I guess it's possibly has a regular box/suite as well, but my guess it's the Lexus Champions Club!

hmmm, the website info on the Champion's club doesn't mention Lexus. Did they drop as its sponsor? If so, then maybe you are "just" in a regular suite. Which is still awesome.

http://hurricanes.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=45743

[Darkwing]

more importantly, lexus club is free booze.

[SoCalcaniac]

Hmm E, I hadn't even noticed it wasn't "Lexus" - We walked past the "VIP Champions club Entrance" when we dropped off toys for the wives collection last week, and the awning still said "Lexus".

cmw- you've got the hook up! it's the nice black leather seats, and vouchers for food and drink as mentioned. Plus that whole Champions club area, is PLUSH. There are pics of the 2006 season all over the place, the big pile up pic of the team on the ice, The Goal #11 scored and #12 jumping in the air celebrating; Cam's save, etc. in the "lounge" area away from the seats. It's quite nice. You'll have a blast.

KF, Avery trying to be low key? He thinks so highly of himself, he probably thinks he needs to fend off the masses. :eyeroll

[cmw00]

Sweet! Looking forward to it! The woman she got them from will also be there with a "date" and the threat against my life has been made to behave but I'm sure I'll still have a good time :lol:

[VandyCane]

I'm very jealous of your seats cmw. I got to do that once and the food was very yummy and so was the booze! :D My only complaint was that most people were there to socialize and not watch the game. Your tickets actually list a seat number but I ended up moving somewhere else within the section to get away from these two women who wouldn't shut up!

[IceSun]

It was a nice 30 seconds of enjoyibg Sergei's goal. Why was Gleason playing goaltender instead of Cam?

[IceSun]

Vinny should have gotten 2 more for his creative stick banging.

Why is Canesvision playing "Fix You" as the music for the intermission montage?

Ahh... And now we need fixing.

[FinFan]

Let's hope "Cam Ward says no!" for the rest of the game and we can get a break. More poor officiating tonight.

Lundquist was amazing tonight, though. Both goalies played great. I hope Eric doesn't say anything about the officials that'll get him in trouble. He was really frustrated there at the end.

[evan]

Another painfully boring losing effort... MO/A.WARD/JR/Brindy/Tripp MUST GO! < / $hyt list> I didn't think the officiating was great, but they let stuff go both ways. It's Tim Peel, what more can you expect? ;)

[SouthernHockeyChick]

yep, we noticed that the "Lexus" moniker was gone from the champions' club a few weeks ago. Don't blame them. I figure folks will be all ocer Staal but I think the few moments before the empty net goal sorta ilustrates much of his situation this game...Staal with the puck, 5 Rangers players on him (one literally), and 5 Canes players standing around watching dis-interestedly. He can't do it all by himself....and his teammates need to quit waiting for him to.

[G-Vegas Caniac]

yep, we noticed that the "Lexus" moniker was gone from the champions' club a few weeks ago. Don't blame them.

I thought "Lexus" was gone before the season started? Or maybe I didn't see it one? It doesn't matter..you're right, I don't blame them either..:lol:

[livinthedream]

for those not in the arena there was a nice big standing ovation for timmy during the forslund focus. that was cool. he ditched his shield after the first period.

and i'm posting in all lowercase again.

[KaniacFever]

Oh well another lose, think I'm getting used to it by now. I did enjoy talking to the 2 rag fans next to me. Hate to say it, but I'd rather have them next to me every game, than the STHs who actually sit there.

I loved Timmy's intermission interview and how he said that shield is coming off. Sure enough, that shield was off :lol:
And the Forslund focus of him was GREAT.

And I know SoCal's ditz plays alot of minutes, but tonight I noticed he plays 2 shifts before actually going off. As Tripp would say "he must have some big lung capacity"

Oh and little bro might have gotten the empty net, but Big Bro layed the smackdown on him. That was awesome.

[SoCalcaniac]

I figure folks will be all ocer Staal but I think the few moments before the empty net goal sorta ilustrates much of his situation this game...Staal with the puck, 5 Rangers players on him (one literally), and 5 Canes players standing around watching dis-interestedly. He can't do it all by himself....and his teammates need to quit waiting for him to.

QFT. Chris Drury shoulda just gave #12 a smooch since he was sitting on his head. :crazy: and everyone was just watching.

I thought we had something going when litle brother Staal took his requisite penalty in our bldg. For some reason, he's always been so focused on smacking big brother around in the past, that he'd get off his game. His game is now on the rise and you see how we blew it when we didn't pick him when we had the chance. I know we have Timmy after all that JJ stuff, but I regret the day we didn't select #18 for the Rangers.

That said, the FF was outstanding. I wore my personalized Gleason #42 jersey, cause I knew he was back, and it was nice to see him recognized.My other highlight was the first int. interview, when Sundheim had to bring Gleason back out of the locker room, and he came out, without his shirt and was putting it back on as he was walking toward Tripp on the bench. :lol:;) I watched the intermission interview on the video board and him complaining about that visor, I knew it was coming off. Tom Rowe was fussing at him when they came out - you could tell he was not pleased he took it off.

Ok, I have an nit pick comment. Mike Maniscalco just runs his damn mouth. There have been stretches for the last 3 aftermaths where he is just talking, and talking and friggin talking. Forslund is there, and you have to remember he's actually there, because he's NOT SAYING ANYTHING because MM can't STFU because he just loves to hear himself talk. ENOUGH you tool box.

I personally didn't like the 1st goal by Cam. Marian Gaborik (or GabOReek if you're our announcer) couldn't have scored an easier 25th goal of the season with that cluster and #12 and #6 trying to corral the puck, Gabroik pounces on it, and the net is empty. I could score that goal.

My Ditz and his 2 minutes shifts. Holy Crap. It's a wowee type thing for me. Unbelieveable.

You gotta "love" this tweet from the NYR twitter page:

Staal drew laughs when he said someone yelled "NO!" when he shot from own end to empty net in final seconds of #Rangers (http://twitter.com/search?q=%23Rangers) win; #NYR (http://twitter.com/search?q=%23NYR)

Staal got last laugh when his shot landed in 'Canes cage! Staal & Dubinsky both plus-3 for #Rangers (http://twitter.com/search?q=%23Rangers); Staal/Rozsival 1-2 in #NYR (http://twitter.com/search?q=%23NYR) ice-time

Just "hilarious" :eyeroll

[SouthernHockeyChick]

Sundheim had to bring Gleason back out of the locker room, and he came out, without his shirt and was putting it back on as he was walking toward Tripp on the bench. :lol:;)

Dammit! When that came on the videoboard I was SO pissed that I missed that whole thing live! I must have been napping.:mad:

[IceSun]

Hard to get any enthusiasm about this lack of effort. At times, I thought Pitkanen looked like the best offensive player on the ice. When Staal got stoned on one of his shots that looked like it was headed in, he just had a disgusted look on his face. Liked the Ruutu hits on Roscival (at least 3), but otherwise a very unphysical game - where the hell was our forecheck tonight. Avery got away with lots of taunting crap (where is our poor injured LaRose, the one player who gets under Avery's skin) and the interference penalty on Staal was a f'ing joke, it should have been a slash on the Rags. I will not even talk about the swallowed whistles in the final 2 minutes including the helmet-removing tackle on our Staal.

Dwyer looked like he really wanted his 3rd goal and scrapped hard tonight. Whitney had some good shots. Sergei's move (burying the wraparound under Avery's stick) was awesome. Too bad it only lasted 30 seconds. It was nice to have Timmy back and get the tribute - couldn't believe the visor was gone already :)

Brindy looked slow as hell again (Walker should have taken the shot & not tried to pass it to him). Sutter had some nice stick work and hustle in parts. Lots of players had a few moments of brilliant play, but in the end we were lethargic on the puck, passing sloppily, not playing physically, and doing way too much chasing. Power play was back to semi-atrocious with only about 30 seconds I would call good among them.

One more step toward the draft pick.

[Caniac4life]

I vote for changing the name from the Aftermath to the Aftercrap. That should cover the majority of the play on the ice and the post game announcer as well as the call-in rednecks.


At least after a 12-pack, I have the sensibility to not call into a radio show... I just post here.

:lol:


SOS, different day.

[livinthedream]

I didn't see a lack of effort. What I saw was an inability to finish. That's just my view though, of course I could be wrong.

On the Flavor of the Game, just past the 3-minute mark, there's a cool shot of Timmy doing the stick tap to acknowledge the crowd during the Forslund Focus.

And he's shirtless again in the post-game interview. Must not like his shirt any more than he liked the face shield.

[cmw00]

I believe you are in the Champions Club my friend!


cmw- you've got the hook up! it's the nice black leather seats, and vouchers for food and drink as mentioned. Plus that whole Champions club area, is PLUSH. There are pics of the 2006 season all over the place, the big pile up pic of the team on the ice, The Goal #11 scored and #12 jumping in the air celebrating; Cam's save, etc. in the "lounge" area away from the seats. It's quite nice. You'll have a blast.


I'm very jealous of your seats cmw. I got to do that once and the food was very yummy and so was the booze! :D My only complaint was that most people were there to socialize and not watch the game. Your tickets actually list a seat number but I ended up moving somewhere else within the section to get away from these two women who wouldn't shut up!

Well the Champion's Club was borderline amazing! Really good food, and REALLY good deserts! Oh yeah, and plenty of free beer and wine!!! I think its the first time I've left after a loss and NOT been dissapointed. I figure this is probably a one time deal for me so I damn sure took full advantage of it :lol: Although the lady says she gets the tickets from time to time (6 total) and was thrilled to "finnaly be able to give some to real hockey fans" as she put it, so not expecting, but keeping my fingers crossed to get to do that again someday! If anybody ever gets the chance DO NOT PASS IT UP!

Back to reality, all I really remember from the game was Rod's "wif", Aaron Ward's stupid breakout attempt from behind his own net, where he missed a standing still Cane by a mile with his pass, turning the puck over and keeping play in our own zone for what seemed like 5 or 6 minutes and then somebody else (forget who will have to watch the DVR tomorrow), trying a breakout while the rangers were changing lines, 3 rangers on the ice counting Lundqvist, and whoever it was passed it right to a Ranger (very Jake Delhome-like, no teammates around), and again keeping play in our zone for what seemed like eternity.

[livinthedream]

Timmay's visor... Now you see it (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jbk-ltd/4205685742/), and now you don't (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jbk-ltd/4204928635/).

I know why he needs to wear it, but I also understand why he doesn't want to. That thing looks monstrous.

[nccanes]

On the Flavor of the Game, just past the 3-minute mark, there's a cool shot of Timmy doing the stick tap to acknowledge the crowd during the Forslund Focus.


I never watch the FOTG anymore, but decided to since you posted this.

I have to say I LMAO at the lady with the "DEL ZOTTO MY MOM KNOWS YOUR MOM" sign. :lol:

[livinthedream]

The FOG was hilarious with the Del Zotto sign moving back and forth with him.

I know them, they're also the owners of the now famous RUUTU letters.

[SoCalcaniac]

I was cracking up in warm-ups when I saw the Del Zotto MMKYM sign, because they showed him skating in the warm ups on the video board, and he sees the sign, and does the "double take" as if to look at the sign holder and like he was trying to commit her to memory so he could call mom and tell her. :lol: There were a few people up at the Deck where we were eating and watching warm ups saying the same thing, and laughing.


The game- There wasn't a lack of effort. LTD's right, there was a lack of (pardon the pun) finish. There was lack of effort back in Oct/November when we lost our season. There wasn't a lack of effort last night.

cmw- I'm so happy for you! Sounds like the CC is even better than I realized! Hub wants to get tix to sit up there "just once to experience it" so sometime during this difficult to deal with season, we're gonna sell our 121's and get tix to sit up there for a game. We're not alcohol drinkers, but we'll enjoy everything else that they offer; and I'm glad that the friend that gave you the tickets got them in the hands of "real hockey fans". Seems like big hockey fans would appreciate the whole experience just that much more. :- and I'm betting you'll be on the list to get the tickets again, so I'll cross fingers for you....

[FinFan]

I would like to know why there were no whistles when Rangers were SITTING ON TOP OF Ruutu and Staal. You could see Eric was so frustrated that the refs had swallowed their whistles. And Rod's whiff was just... I didn't know what to say, other than wtf?! Then when they showed it from a different angle, the puck just slid right along his blade and right to the corner. The captain has really slowed down lately.

Brodeur got the record shut out last night against the Jordan and the Pens. Thank God it wasn't us.

[ButtersSaysNo]

I would like to know why there were no whistles when Rangers were SITTING ON TOP OF Ruutu and Staal. You could see Eric was so frustrated that the refs had swallowed their whistles. And Rod's whiff was just... I didn't know what to say, other than wtf?! Then when they showed it from a different angle, the puck just slid right along his blade and right to the corner. The captain has really slowed down lately.

Brodeur got the record shut out last night against the Jordan and the Pens. Thank God it wasn't us.

Rod whiffed, but he also cleanly stripped the puck from a Ranger as he entered the zone at the other end of the ice, made the breakout pass and got back down to the other end to receive the pass. He may have whiffed, but that was hardly him slowing down. Brindy has played quite well lately, I noticed he has been a lot more physical last few games too.

[FinFan]

I noticed his physicality and the awesome steal, too, but the pass was dead on... I just felt so sorry for Rod. I wish he could get a goal. It might take some of the pressure off.

[ButtersSaysNo]

I noticed his physicality and the awesome steal, too, but the pass was dead on... I just felt so sorry for Rod. I wish he could get a goal. It might take some of the pressure off.

Definitely. I think he was having an Adam Sandler moment in his mind saying to the puck, "why won't you go in the net, don't you want to go home, the net is your home." ;)

[Jay]

I noticed his physicality and the awesome steal, too, but the pass was dead on... I just felt so sorry for Rod. I wish he could get a goal. It might take some of the pressure off.

I thought, from seeing it on TV, that the puck was bouncing.

[nccanes]

I thought, from seeing it on TV, that the puck was bouncing.

Me too. Walker had to lift it a bit to hop over a stick.

[Alicia]

Another painfully boring losing effort... MO/A.WARD/JR/Brindy/Tripp MUST GO! < / $hyt list> I didn't think the officiating was great, but they let stuff go both ways. It's Tim Peel, what more can you expect? ;)Boring...yeah, that's how I saw it.

[rosey12]

I agree with those that have said lack of finish rather than lack of effort. I at least felt like they were trying for most of the game.

Joni...I love the guy but holy cow. Maybe if you didn't take 2 minute shifts you'd be able to hustle to a puck when it goes by you.

I'm still trying to figure out when it became legal to sit on players...I'm pretty sure #12 and #15 would like to know too. Felt sorry for Eric. He's miles from perfect, but it'd be nice to see him get some help sometimes as those 5 on 1's usually never work out for the 1.

[SouthernHockeyChick]

Sounds like the CC is even better than I realized! Hub wants to get tix to sit up there "just once to experience it" so sometime during this difficult to deal with season, we're gonna sell our 121's and get tix to sit up there for a game.

Can you do that now? The first year it opened we inquired about tickets for a game there.....because at that point I was actually stupid enough to consider getting STs there (although it's not like they are that much more than our current seats) but we wanted to see if we liked the view....they told us only STs in that section and there were no single games available. Maybe now that it sits empty almost every night they've wised up.

[SoCalcaniac]

^ SHC, yep, we asked about it to our ticket rep and he said, yes you can buy like regular. They lost so many STHers up there, they've just got to sell what they can I suppose. it's a shame. I remember when we had asked about just going for a single game a couple years back, that it was a no-go, not it's like "yeah sure you can".

[G-Vegas Caniac]

So does the Champions club include all you can eat food and all you can drink beverage? and how much is a ticket there?

[Canesluver]

According to the team's website it's either $180 ("Champions Club") or $200 ("Champions Club Preferred"). I don't know what the extra 20 bucks gets you.

[SouthernHockeyChick]

I think it's all you can eat and then a certain number of drink vouchers (maybe 4?). Plus you get a premier parking pass.

[cmw00]

Thanks SoCal!

If you can work it out, it'd be worth it to you I'm sure. I hate to build something up, then somebody else experience it only to not be as impressed, but I don't think that'll happen. One piece of advice, The "Beef Tip Pasta Stroganoff" (yes it was labeled as something like that on the buffet)looked good, and was decent, but if I had to do it again I'd skip it and save the time and room for more pizza or BBQ, oh or the Tiramisu type desert! :lol:

It was very easy to get up and go to the buffet or drink stations during TV timeouts, I don't think I missed a second of play. I overheard that the deserts line can get backed up. They put it out about five minutes before the start of the third. I lingered around a few minutes early to get near the front of the line, to be back in my seat and almost done with it by the start of the 3rd.

The pizzas were not really what I considered "gourmet pizza" which was a good thing! I consider "gourmet" pizza to be those silly little things, usually with no pizza sauce, and nothing else that is ordinarily found on pizza :lol: The BBQ was really good to. Not the best I ever had, but very good. Didn't bother with any of the salad stuff (why bother with all the meat available :lol:) and they had some good looking roasted potatoes that I never got around to trying either.

Other than alcohol, they had sweat tea, water, lemonade coffee and a full line of pepsi stuff. The waitresses that were working down in the seats, were very quick with the drinks too I thought.

I haven't ate dinner yet, so now thinking about all this I'm about to take a bite out of my key board :lol:

[cmw00]

So does the Champions club include all you can eat food and all you can drink beverage? and how much is a ticket there?

I think it's all you can eat and then a certain number of drink vouchers (maybe 4?). Plus you get a premier parking pass.

SHC is correct as of last night. The waitress that was working our section, brought our group some more drink vouchers after the game. I didn't use all the ones I had though. No brands of beer that I really cared much about, and the house red wines were so so, didn't try the house white.

[brindyfan]

I tried to get seats there for a game for a friend and was told I could not unless I was a STH in the Champions Club. So if anyone finds a way to get them, let me know please.

[goalie33]

How did I forget to post that the obvious highlight was Naitch sounding the hurricane siren IN HIS ROBE!?

[SoCalcaniac]

That was really awesome G33. I was amused and chuckling all at the same time.

BF- we spoke with our ticket rep, and he said we could purchase tix if we wanted to, we're just reg STHers not CC. He told us to let him know which game and we could but the tix; this was just a few weeks ago. You should talk to your rep......

[IceSun]

^^ I thought we had to win...for sure...with Ric Flair sounding the siren with a purple feather boa. What oh what did we do to hockey gods :laugh:

[brindyfan]

BF- we spoke with our ticket rep, and he said we could purchase tix if we wanted to, we're just reg STHers not CC. He told us to let him know which game and we could but the tix; this was just a few weeks ago. You should talk to your rep......

Maybe I asked the wrong question or the wrong rep. I was emailing about a couple of things all at the same time. Thanks for the information.

[nccanes]

Maybe I asked the wrong question or the wrong rep.

I guarantee if you have my rep...you asked the wrong rep. :lol:

[Greensboro Hurricanes]

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