'Canes go for the Cup

Yup, the wifey. I'll be there, I think.

 

I never intended for my post to sound like I was accusing the Wings for being overconfident. Naturally, it was the media who was writing the 'Canes off. As long as it is a good series, and Hasek is denied the Cup, then I'll be a satisfied Sabres fan.

 

How bout' them Canes? Even when the Wings looked terrible they still won. Hate to see the spankin' when the Wings get their heads out of their behinds. Good luck in game three!

 

Well today has been a day for bad news. The least important is the Canes loss. They need to improve on their face-offs, a weak point throughout todays game. The first two periods were fine, especially the defensive play in the first. The normally strong third period was the big upset, not being able to generate any offense. I think the officials need to rethink their way of calling penalties, the amount they are calling both ways is ridiculous. The Wings generated solid goals and they worked the puck well in the third. Raleighwood was great. I'll be back their for game 5. Game 3 is ours.

The real bad news came earlier... Found out my mom has cancer. Its not been a good day.

 

All trash talk aside Natalie...I'm very sorry to hear about your mom.

Hopefully they've found it soon enough to take care of it and she'll be back to her normal self in no time.

I've had to deal with both of my grandparents having cancer...so if you need anyone to talk to or vent your frustration...my e-mailbox is always open.

May the Force be with you and your family Natalie.

 

Natalie,

So sorry to hear about your mom! Please let us know if we can help at all. Rivalries mean nothing when there's real stuff to take care of. As Diana said, we're available.

Regards,
M.

 

My great aunt died last year from cancer. It had spread from her lungs to her stomach. She used to take care of me when I was little till I was 3 while my parents worked. I kinda miss her.

 

Sorry to hear about your mom Natalie... hopefully things will go well for her.

I lost my Uncle to bone cancer last year a few days after Thanksgiving.

Hopefully the friendly rivalry we have going between our cities (Detroit/Raleigh) will cheer you up a bit. This has been, by-far, the most civil ribbing I've ever seen between two groups of sports fans.

Makes me wonder if we Star Wars fans seem to know something more than most people?

Good Luck to the 'canes in game 3... even though the Wings are going to win

 

I wouldn't say they're going to win just yet. The Canes held their own up until the last 5 minutes of the game - when they royally choked. They feed off our energy so if you're lucky enough to be there cheer as loud as you can!

 

Thanks everyone for your support. I feel she will be ok, the immediate surgery is what i'm most concerned about. Once its over I really think her life will be much better, she has been ill for many years.

At the game on Saturday I will be as loud as I possibly can! They really have been doing well at home. If they can just work on their faceoffs I think things can really go their way. Oh well, game 2 was our off game, I still have not seen them play those inspired games we have seen in the past. Maybe they are holding out for those all important home games . We will see two victories. Though all along I have felt this will be a 6 game series, so we can let them win one more . I know the odds aren't with us, but who cares? We've got a great team here.

 

I am very sorry to hear about your mother. I do know how you are feeling. I lost my father to cancer three years ago. I still miss him. Hopefully, the dotors found it soon enough they can do something for it, unfortunately for my father, in his case they did not. Best wishes to you and your mother.

 

Oh, Natalie, I'm so sorry. I'll send you and your family lots of love and prayer. For all the silly trash talk about the games, real life takes priority, and support amongst us Star Wars fans is what I do best. You never mentioned what kind, but tomorrow I'll be running a 5K in the 6th annual NC Triangle Race for the Cure (against breast cancer). I'll be praying for your Mom to get a full recovery. While I'm running tomorrow, I'll think of her.

 

I'm sure my mom will be ok, I will find out more on Monday....I hope everything will work out all right. Your support and prayers are greatly appreciated.

Well finally a home game. We can win tonight. This has been unusual, first time we have had games 3 and 4. Just got back from the eye at crabtree, I don't think they can keep anything stocked, selling out so fast. There were Hurricanes banners everywhere and I saw a ton of people with jerseys on, it was great. Its wonderful they are getting so much support, I even saw a hurricanes flag on an ambulance today, that was unexpected.

 

Detroit 3 Corolina 2. What a game. Could it have gotten any better. You guys are givin' us a good run for Lord Stanley.

GO WINGS

Natalie sorry to hear about your mom. I hope they found it in time to take care of it.

 

Man, what a heartbreaker! Still, they played one heck of a game. Can't wait for Monday.

 

I just got back....I am so frustrated...We put up such a fight, I guess after the last loss we decided not to go down without a fight...What a game, though extremely dissapointing. Had a nice chat with some Detroit fans, but there weren't that many there, nothing like when we playing Toronto. Well I have no doubt we will win the next one, 2 of our past series have been a 2-2 split after the first 4 games, I'm sure we can do that again. I'm holding to a win in 6. We should have had this game with no OT, to bad.

Got to see the Prince Of Wales Trophy today, my dad and I got a picture with it. It is a gorgeous trophy, can't wait to get a scanner to scan up all my hockey pics.

All the young kids that were there tonight were asleep by the end of the game. Deffinatley the longest game I have ever been to.

 

It really was a great game, although I have to admit that I went to bed about 4 minutes before the winning goal.

I am just amazed that the Canes are doing so well against the Wings, the defense is just unbelievable.

At this point I think it is anyones series.

 

...even though triple over-time wasn't needed and hull shouldn't have been credited with a goal, rather a high stick. But you never can tell with these *payed* refs these days. But it was an awesome game.

If it comes down to a 2-2 series, I predict Carolina in 7 games...maybe.

 

Winning game 4 will be imperative. Like I said on the Detroit board...We are good but probably not that good if it came to a loss tomorrow night. But we can do it, and with no OT too. I noticed our faceoffs improved, that was very important as I saw this to be a reason for our lack of success in game 2. I think they should keep Sami Kapanen on the power play but move him down low not at the point. I'm not quite sure what they did on the power plays last night but they were different almost every time, one time there was someone from three different lines on there. But I think its a good idea to have 2 deffensmen out there as well.

Tomorrow they need to watch themselves with the penalties in the beginning, I think they'll let them go later, but in the first 2 periods they need to really behave themselves. Even though they call stuff that isn't blatant and hard to see even on replays. Oh well.

 

"high sticking" or a "High stick", from the the official NHL rules:

A "high stick" is one which is carried above the height of the opponent's shoulders. A player is permitted accidental contact on an opponent if the act is committed as a normal windup or follow through of a shooting motion.

(a) Any contact made by a stick on an opponent above the shoulders is prohibited and a minor shall be imposed subject to section (b) of this Rule.

(b) When a player carries or holds any part of his stick above the shoulders of the opponent so that injury results, the Referee shall:

(i) Assess a double minor penalty for all contact that causes an injury, whether accidental or careless, in the opinion of the Referee.

(ii) Assess a match penalty to a player, who in the opinion of the Referee attempted to injure an opponent. (See Rule 43 - Attempt to Injure.)

(iii) Assess a match penalty to a player, who in the opinion of the Referee deliberately injured an opponent. (See Rule 52 - Deliberate Injury of Opponents.)

(c) An apparent goal scored by an attacking player who strikes the puck with his stick carried above the height of the crossbar of the goal frame shall not be allowed.

I think you are refering to section (C). Upon review (which I have viewed many times), I think you will find that Brett hull's stick was not even close to being above the height of the crossbar. Case closed. Game over.

 

Ahhh, do you still believe?

Lookin' like the Wings will be drinkin' from the cup for the...um, what's that the Tenth time?

Or, are there still some of you that have delusions of grandeur?

 

10th Scooby.

And my man Shanny finally scored tonight! Yeah baby! That's what I'm talkin' about!

 

Crap. Its all crap. I don't think my life will get any more miserable right now. I'll comment about the game when I've cooled down a bit and immersed myself in Star Wars for a while. I've got a few things to say and a bone to pick with Mitch Albom...but not right now, I need a few minutes.

 

Ok the 'Canes game tonight was off. Though the goals were good ones and I really don't think Irbe could have stopped them. Whats happened to our team?? Gotta love them...But they sure no how to make you nervous. Well I am facing reality now, it was a tough loss. Alls I ask now is that they win game 5, that way I can see a game 6, win or lose that is all I am asking for. What a heartbreaker tonight. My dad and I rode all the way home in silence, listening to the radio, hardly believing what we had just seen. Face-offs are good...everything else...well has gone out the window. Our offense is gone and it must return for any success in Game 5. We've pulled off miracles in the past but against the Red Wings, well that is something entirely different.

The inspiration in their step is gone, I really haven't seen it at all in this series. The inspirational play is what got us through the first 3 rounds, without it our team won't do as well against the toughest of opponents.

Has our team gotten the respect we sought? I think we need one more win, a good solid win which will be the ultimate challenge in the Joe Lewis Arena. I've not been listening to ESPN lately so I don't know what they are saying...knowing them probably nothing good, Melrose was met at Game 3 with the goalie chant before the game....Melroooose...Melroooose....You Suck! I don't participate in any degrading chants but hey I know how everyone feels. People like him and Mitch Albom (Detroit Free Press Columnist - been reading it everyday) make me very frustrated. I"m glad I didn't read his first column, even thoguh I've only lived in the south for one year, I think from what I heard it was narrow minded and disrespectful to the extreme.

Albom describes that the Hurricanes are dulling to death the spectators. Do you Detroit Fans stand behind this guy? I think his columns are way out of line. As jestful as they may be, he not only disrespects our team but Detroits as well. I don't even think this guy can call himself a hockey fan. "Did you see all of Game 3, Mr. Commish? Good. That makes you one of eight people" - In other words he didn't bother to stay up and watch it. "Don't be fooled by the hysterical Game 3 crowd at the Entertainment and Sports Arena. It was Saturday night in Raleigh. What was their alternative?" - Um...this is a city, highly educated at that. What is this guys problem thinking everyone down here is a bunch of southern small town hillbillies? Its the research triangle park for crying out loud the center of industry. There is plenty of entertainment to go around...and hockey is getting to be a big thing here as well now, he dosent' need to get sore just because Detroit isn't louder than our arena... This guy likes to make a scapegoat for all of his weaknesses, and in doing so is making a statement from Detroit, does everyone think as this guy does? I sure hope not. I could quote every line and have something to say, as almost anyone down here could. I don't even know where to begin so I will leave it at what I've said so far. Really now, what do you Detroit fans think of this guy? Or am I just being oversensitive?

I knew before long Hasek would draw a penalty on us, I was routing for another diving penalty he took in the Wings/Avs series. His puck handling has much to be said for, but if he can cause a power play, why not I guess. Hes been getting a lot of crap from the fans here because he refuses to take off his helmet during our national anthem. I wouldn't jump down his throat about it, but it is a sign of discourtesy, even if he is not from this country.

This was the first time I have seen fights break out in the stands. In the last few minutes of the game the cops escorted about 6 people out a section over from me, when I looked over one guy had the other in a full nelson, not quite sure how that got started. Not long later there was one across the arena then one a few rows back from me. Not pretty, people need to control their anger, then head to the gym or something, I've got Tae K

 

Being a Wings fan (and living in Michigan)... Personally, Mitch Albom is a moron... He feels the need to slam on others so that he can feel better about himself at their expense. I haven't read his column in years since I've come to realize this.

The 'Canes are one hell of good hockey team and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You've given our Wings a run for our money in every game and even though the odds are in favor of the Wings taking the cup... your team is making us "earn" it.