Hurricanes
Hintz and Lea: Canes hope to settle in and play better on the power play against the Rangers
Kacy Hintz and Chris Lea analyze what the Canes need to do better after the 4-3 loss to the Rangers on Sunday night.
Welcome back to Sports Extra. I'm Chris Lee and let's welcome back in Wr Os Casey Hints right now. She's at Madison Square Garden, of course, the most famous arena in the world. And unfortunately, the Carolina Hurricanes couldn't come away with the game one win and one of the big reasons why five power play opportunities, no goals coming from those power play opportunities. Casey. Oh for five, what went wrong for the Carolina Hurricanes when it came down to special teams, Chris, those are the most famous words that we've been talking about for the last couple of years with this team, but this year felt different, right? The Keynes Power play has actually been the one of the best in the entire league. In fact, it was second in the regular season at 28%. You had guys like Seth Jarvis, he had 13 goals on the power play, 20 power play points. And then you bring in a guy like Jake Genzel, he's supposed to also kind of help get it over the hump. But tonight there was definitely some good looks in there, but they just can't find a way to bury one. Some of the things to me felt like they were maybe passing up some shots or giving up shots and maybe it was just some of that first game jitters kind of settling into a new series. That's kind of the way Sebastian aho alluded to me when I asked that question. He said, you know, it's kind of just that first game of the first series, especially on the road, but that is something that obviously they have to work on because, you know, like I said, passing up those shots, giving up shots. I mean, that's the only way to score is if you're going to put pucks on net and sometimes it's those gritty goals that will get you. But you also got to get some traffic in front of Igor Shurkin. I think we saw that problem. A couple of years ago, Keynes were unable to do that again. You got to stack the box, you got to get traffic in front of Igor Sh Durkin and get some bucks on nets. Obviously, it sounds simple and, but, you know, that's just kind of the way you look at it, especially on a power play that's been good all season. Maybe the cane should take uh a book from or a piece of the Rangers game, right? Because the Rangers did an amazing job. I looked up in the first period where they had seven shots on goal and had three goals at that point. Freddie Anderson had an amazing season or amazing series last series against the Islanders. We talked about him missing 49 games due to that blood clotting issue came back looking like an all star and today everything kind of dropped off. What went wrong for Freddie Anderson? Well, I think you have to look at first of all, that first goal from Mika Sabana JT. I mean, that's just beauty all the way around. You can't fault him on that one. And then along with the same two power play goals. And actually, if you go back to that first goal, it was a breakdown thanks to Tavo Tara Vain. And that doesn't happen that whole play, then doesn't happen. It doesn't get by Freddie Anderson, I don't think, but the two power play goals, you also, you know, can't really fault him on. I think the only one you really look at that he wasn't able to get was that fourth goal. And when you see that Marty Naches makes it, you know, a one goal game late. That could have been a difference there. I don't think Freddie Anderson is really a big issue here and I don't think it's time to maybe look at fatigue or anything because I think he's been looking like he's been moving better than he has actually the last couple of years. So I think that, you know, a day's off rest here. I don't think that, you know, they've gone with that rotation with Pyotr Koch gov this season and we saw that, you know, even, it doesn't matter how long Pyotr had sat, it didn't take him long to get into the game and get into a game rhythm. So I don't think that they would be hesitant to put him in whatsoever, but I just don't think that Freddie Anderson was, you know, the issue here tonight. Ok. So Freddie Anderson is not the issue, but we do have an issue with special teams. What other adjustments other than special teams do the Keynes have to make for game two on Tuesday. Well, I think you got to look at the start right. That first couple of minutes felt chaotic. Yes. Right. Like, you know, of course, you spot the Rangers a goal so you're already down one nothing, but then you get that one back, but then you take a couple of penalties and there goes all the momentum. But Sebastian Ao said, you know, it all comes down to our start and they like to wear teams down, but you can't do that when you're constantly picking things up in the third period because just like we've seen throughout the entire first round, we saw it again tonight that they finally got to their game in the third and then they score a goal and they're within one and it's kind of a whole new game. So I think really the start will be the big issue here. And even Rod Bren Andore said, of course, the biggest difference is the special teams. We're not just talking about the Hurricanes power play, but the Cannes penalty kill has got to be better because you take away those two goals and Chris, it's a completely different game. All right, we have to see what happens on Tuesday for game two. Casey. You will be there. Thank you so much for joining us right here on Sports Extra.