Thursday, March 15, 2012

In-Game Notes: Carolina Hurricanes vs St. Louis Blues

Ward reaches milestone with 2-0 shutout win over Blues

 
The Carolina Hurricanes won the third period and the game as they earned a hard-fought 2-0 victory over the St. Louis Blues at the team’s newly renamed facility, PNC Arena, in Raleigh, N.C. on Thursday... 
 
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Theodore and Panthers shut out Hurricanes 2-0

 
The Carolina Hurricanes suffered their first loss in regulation during their current road trip as goaltender Jose Theodore’s 2-0 shutout performance denied them any opportunity to earn any points against the Florida Panthers at BankAtlantic Center in..
 
 
In-Game notes:

The Carolina Hurricanes return home to host the St. Louis Blues for the first time after finishing a recent five-game road trip.

The Hurricanes roll out the welcome mat for the Blues at the same time that they unveil their new, but same home ice surface, now known as PNC Arena.

The Blues come into Raleigh with 4-0-1 record in the last five games, including a 4-3 overtime victory over the Chicago Blackhawks while Carolina tries to break a two-game losing streak after suffering a 4-2 loss to the New York Rangers on Tuesday

1st period:

  • Hurricanes start the game off with a strong first minute of play and test St. Louis goaltender Brian Elliott early on
  • St. Louis gets Cam Ward warmed up as he has to make some big stops early on
  • Carolina takes a penalty but the penalty-kill is working early on
  • St. Louis gets a penalty of its own and we're playing four aside
  • 0-0 with 12:52 to go
  • Chad LaRose tries to get around Carlo Colaiacovo but as he does clips him with his stick - gets four minutes for high-sticking
  • Ward makes a big pad save on Jamie Langenbrunner and the Hurricanes dump it down the ice
  • St. Louis tries to gain the zone but the Carolina penalty-kill is working so far
  • Patrick Berglund takes a shot  and then Colaiacovo lets one go as Ward turns away both - less than a minute remaining on LarRose's penalty
  • Not long after LaRose's penalty ends, the Blues Scott Nichol takes a seat and the Hurricanes are on the PP with 5:19 left in the period
  • Justin Faulk gets the first shot on Elliott on the PP but the Blues netminder comes up with a big pad save
  • Second PP unit out for the Hurricanes now - The Finns and LaRose
  • Jay Harrison takes a shot from the point which LaRose gets a stick on but the play is waived off as the whistle blows before the puck crosses over the goal line - 3:19 to go with no score still
  • Hurricanes don't convert on the PP opportunity - currently being outshot 12-11 by the Blues with under two minutes to play
  • Some big hits being handed out by Bryan Allen in the Carolina zone
  • Play continues into the neutral zone  and the horn sounds to end the period
At the end of the period - no score with St. Louis outshooting Carolina 13-12.

2nd period:
  •  Second period starts with a lot of bumping and grinding as the Hurricanes try to slow the Blues break out
  • Hurricanes getting their chances to score on Elliott but can't finish as Nodl gets a great opportunity to open the game's scoring
  • Jeff Skinner cant' get open and is elbowed around the head area by Rowan Polak - no penalty called on the play
  • St. Louis gets a chance but the puck deflects off the post to Ward's left - still 0-0
  • Play continues to be very chippy as neither team is establishing any clear offensive chances
  • Hurricanes miss another opportunity as they have the Blues scrambling around their goal area
  • Ward comes up big with another save as Bryan Allen ties his man up in front of the net
  • Still scoreless with 6:26 left in the period
  • Hurricanes try another trap tactic by not pursuing behind the net and St. Louis obliges by not moving the puck - stalemate hockey at its best
  • Chippy play continues with no calls on either side - a real battle tonight
  • Both sides looking tired after fighting with the puck in the neutral zone
  • Ward comes up with  big glove save as the score is still 0-0 with 2:56 to play
  • With under a minute Jeff Skinner gets hit from behind and then gets knocked down with a high hit in open ice - no call but no one from Carolina enforcing it
  • Hurricanes get penalties on the play  afterwards though
  • Byran Allen sends a 'message' body check to TJ Oshie in open ice  with a few more penalties handed out
At the end of two periods, score still 0-0 

3rd period:

  •  Both teams with players still in the penalty box playing 4-on-4 to start period
  • Carolina killing rest of Staal's penalties as St. Louis trying to set up on PP
  • Big block by Andreas Nodl on point shot w/ less than 30 seconds left to kill penalty
  • Ward doing what he needs to do - stop the puck
  • Penalty killed off successfully
  • Jeff Skinner gets hit up high again and this time St. Louis is called for interference
  • Carolina gets its best opportunity of the game to take the lead
  • No go on the last penalty and Drayson Bowman takes a shot coming down the wing and is elbowed while doing so
  • Another PP for the Hurricanes to try to break the scoreless tie
  • Elliott continues to deny the Hurricanes any chances of scoring - four straight saves on the first round of the PP
  • Carolina riding the momentum it has generated and working much harder
  • Pat Dwyer with the breakaway and he beats Elliott but hits the crossbar and it bounces out 
  • Still 0-0 with 8:13 remaining as both teams recharge during media timeout
  • Play comes down around the Blues net and Chad LaRose comes around with a bouncing puck that ricochets off a Blue defenseman and over Elliott's shoulder - 1-0 Hurricanes at 12:08 in the period
  • As play continues after the play, Roman Polak takes another shot at Skinner from behind with no call following 
  • St. Louis trying hard to even the score and keeping Ward busy
  • Jeff Skinner gets a great pass to score streaking down on Elliott's right but he slows up and take a shot before being ridden out along the boards behind the net by Polak
  • As the Hurricanes pick the puck up in the neutral zone, Staal carries it in and passes Jokinen whose one-time hits Elliott's pads - Carolina still leads 1-0 with 4:36 to play
  •  Skinner brings it in one more time down the wing and looks to pass it to Ruutu 
  • As the puck gets tied up in his skates while two Blue defenders slide by, he kicks it forward and beats Elliott - 2-0 Carolina with 2:28 remaining
  • St. Louis still fighting to score on Ward but he will have nothing to do with it - still 2-0
  • With less than a minute to play Kevin Shattenkirk gets a high-sticking double-minor 
  • As time runs down, Hurricanes win in their new arena
Final score - Carolina 2, St. Louis 0

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