Canesluver
01-15-2004, 06:08 AM
Playoffs start now for Canes
By J.P. GIGLIO, Staff Writer
RALEIGH -- The Carolina Hurricanes have reached the playoffs three months before the rest of the NHL.
With three games in four days against the Southeast Division leaders, the Canes already feel the urgency of April.
"This is the time," Canes defenseman Glen Wesley said. "If we struggle, it's going to be very, very difficult to get back in the race. Obviously, there's a lot of games to go, but we have a great opportunity right in our hands."
The Canes (39 points), who play at Tampa Bay tonight, are eight points behind the division-leading Lightning (47 points) and five behind Atlanta (44). Carolina is at Atlanta on Friday and plays at home against Atlanta on Sunday.
In hockeyspeak, these are "four-point" games for the Canes -- the two you can earn for the win plus the two you take away from your opponent.
"These are by far the most important games we've seen," coach Peter Laviolette said. "It's a chance for us to make up ground. It's that simple. Ultimately, it will be up to us and nobody else."
Recent history is against the Canes stringing together three wins, especially against the Southeast Division. They haven't won three straight games this season and they have a total of three wins in their past 21 division games, dating back to December 2002.
The Canes have the worst record in the NHL against their own division this season (1-5-3-0) and have been atrocious against what used be derided as the "Southleast" since the season of their Stanley Cup run.
In 2001-02, the Canes went 11-3-5-1 against the division to earn 28 out of 40 possible points. They won the Southeast and, eventually, the Eastern Conference.
Since then, they have won only five of 29 division games and taken only 18 of 58 division points.
Compounding the Canes' divisional struggles, the NHL expanded the division schedule this season. The Canes will play each division team six times for a total of 24 games. Last year, the Canes play each team five times for a total of 20 division games.
Goalie Kevin Weekes couldn't pinpoint one reason for the Canes' divisional woes but had one theory.
"I know people always make jokes, but I think we have a good division," said Weekes, who has also played for Lightning and the Florida Panthers. "These are good teams and it's evenly matched."
The meek have finally inherited the Southeast. What was once Washington and Carolina's playground has been turned upside down. Tampa Bay and Atlanta, two perpetual losers, now lead the division, with Carolina and Washington on the bottom.
Tampa Bay has been a case study in the slow build. After one playoff appearance in its first 10 seasons, the Bolts won the division last season and their first-round playoff series.
Tampa Bay, with all-star wing Martin St. Louis and goalie Nikolai Khabibulin, leads the division again and is winning with defense and speed. Tampa Bay has allowed 89 goals this season -- in the East, only New Jersey and Ottawa have allowed fewer.
Atlanta survived a tragic preseason, which began with a one-car accident that claimed the life of popular defenseman Dan Snyder and injured All-Star Dany Heatley.
But the stellar play of winger Ilya Kovalchuk, who could be the league's MVP for the first half of the season, has the Thrashers in the middle of the playoff race, one point behind the New York Rangers for final playoff spot, and in the middle of their best season since joining the league in 1999.
"There are no layups anymore," Laviolette said.
Actually, the Canes need a slam dunk this week.
By J.P. GIGLIO, Staff Writer
RALEIGH -- The Carolina Hurricanes have reached the playoffs three months before the rest of the NHL.
With three games in four days against the Southeast Division leaders, the Canes already feel the urgency of April.
"This is the time," Canes defenseman Glen Wesley said. "If we struggle, it's going to be very, very difficult to get back in the race. Obviously, there's a lot of games to go, but we have a great opportunity right in our hands."
The Canes (39 points), who play at Tampa Bay tonight, are eight points behind the division-leading Lightning (47 points) and five behind Atlanta (44). Carolina is at Atlanta on Friday and plays at home against Atlanta on Sunday.
In hockeyspeak, these are "four-point" games for the Canes -- the two you can earn for the win plus the two you take away from your opponent.
"These are by far the most important games we've seen," coach Peter Laviolette said. "It's a chance for us to make up ground. It's that simple. Ultimately, it will be up to us and nobody else."
Recent history is against the Canes stringing together three wins, especially against the Southeast Division. They haven't won three straight games this season and they have a total of three wins in their past 21 division games, dating back to December 2002.
The Canes have the worst record in the NHL against their own division this season (1-5-3-0) and have been atrocious against what used be derided as the "Southleast" since the season of their Stanley Cup run.
In 2001-02, the Canes went 11-3-5-1 against the division to earn 28 out of 40 possible points. They won the Southeast and, eventually, the Eastern Conference.
Since then, they have won only five of 29 division games and taken only 18 of 58 division points.
Compounding the Canes' divisional struggles, the NHL expanded the division schedule this season. The Canes will play each division team six times for a total of 24 games. Last year, the Canes play each team five times for a total of 20 division games.
Goalie Kevin Weekes couldn't pinpoint one reason for the Canes' divisional woes but had one theory.
"I know people always make jokes, but I think we have a good division," said Weekes, who has also played for Lightning and the Florida Panthers. "These are good teams and it's evenly matched."
The meek have finally inherited the Southeast. What was once Washington and Carolina's playground has been turned upside down. Tampa Bay and Atlanta, two perpetual losers, now lead the division, with Carolina and Washington on the bottom.
Tampa Bay has been a case study in the slow build. After one playoff appearance in its first 10 seasons, the Bolts won the division last season and their first-round playoff series.
Tampa Bay, with all-star wing Martin St. Louis and goalie Nikolai Khabibulin, leads the division again and is winning with defense and speed. Tampa Bay has allowed 89 goals this season -- in the East, only New Jersey and Ottawa have allowed fewer.
Atlanta survived a tragic preseason, which began with a one-car accident that claimed the life of popular defenseman Dan Snyder and injured All-Star Dany Heatley.
But the stellar play of winger Ilya Kovalchuk, who could be the league's MVP for the first half of the season, has the Thrashers in the middle of the playoff race, one point behind the New York Rangers for final playoff spot, and in the middle of their best season since joining the league in 1999.
"There are no layups anymore," Laviolette said.
Actually, the Canes need a slam dunk this week.