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| Carolina Hurricanes vs. Florida Panthers - Peter Koutroumpis, PKS Consulting LLC |
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The Southeast division first-place Carolina Hurricanes host the last-place Florida Panthers at PNC Arena on in Raleigh, N.C. on Tuesday.
The Hurricanes are on a three game winless streak, most recently losing a 2-1 shootout decision to the New York Rangers on Monday night.
Though Carolina reclaimed first place with a game-in-hand due to their tie with the Rangers, they finished the game scoreless since the first period.
Hopefully this trend doesn't continue for too long as it did during the team's two previous games - losses to Washington and Tampa Bay.
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| Gettin' into it in Carolina - Peter Koutroumpis, PKS Consulting LLC |
First Period
- Florida pressures the Carolina defense early and Ellis comes up with a pad save on a wraparound attempt to his right
- Staal crashes the net early, almost beating Florida goalie Jacob Markstrom
- Semin floats a pass across the crease but Staal can't get his stick on it with double coverage
- Fourth line of Westgarth, Hall, and Brent are finishing every check
- Jordan Staal gets a good shot on Markstrom
- After Skinner is hooked, the Hurricanes start on their first power play of the night
- Great shift from Bowman, Dwyer, and Nash with 12 minutes to go
- Still scoreless after 14 minutes of play are done
- Ellis is keeping Carolina in the game as the Panthers currently outshoot the Hurricanes 14-12
- Yes - all lines are getting their legs, but energy of the fourth line is giving the Panthers defense some problems
- Both teams have been taking their share of shots on net - tied 17-17 as the period ends
- A good opening period
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Second Period
- Both teams skate end-to-end for the first six minutes of play - still scoreless
- The compete is there, just not the finish as both have taken two shots apiece on Ellis and Markstrom
- With 8:23 to go, Scottie Upshall takes a four-minute high-sticking penalty for Florida and gives Carolina a big opportunity to take the lead
- Tim Gleason was the recipient of Upshall's stick and he drips blood as a result
- Bobby Sanguinetti has been another 'Canes defenseman with cut issues as a result of getting cut by Upshall's skate in the first period
- Hurricanes have spent first two minutes keeping puck moving around in Florida zone, but with nothing to show for it
- Second round of power play turns out the same - no goals to show - many missed and deflected shots and so the score is still 0-0
- Off-setting penalties to Jay Harrison and Jonathan Huberdeau - good cross-check by Harry, bad dive by Huberdeau
- JStaal takes a tripping penalty and all of a sudden, Carolina is on the PK
- Shots tied 22-22 and Dan Ellis makes a big save on TJ Brennan - playing like rock
- Teams at even-strength as the period ends - still scoreless and with Florida outshooting Carolina 28-22 as a result of recent Panthers PP and final minute of play during which they smothered the Hurricanes
- Hurricanes are now scoreless in four periods during the past two games - not entirely due to lack of effort but....
Third Period:
- Both teams come out with an energetic 90 seconds of play a both ends - can't complain about the pace of play at all - still high
- Hurricanes defense has taken a beating tonight, particularly as a result of Scottie Upshall
- Tim Gleason got 16 stitches to his forehead after a high stick from the Florida forward while an inadvertent skate from him caught Sanguinetti above the lip for 13 stitches - both a back in the game
- Still scoreless with 15 minutes to play - Florida outshooting Carolina 33-25 for the game so far
- Great work by Hurricanes third line of Nash, Jokinen and Nash - keep Panthers hemmed in their zone
- Florida takes a 1-0 lead with 12:21 to go - Tomas Fleischmann scores from Tomas Kopecky after Sanguinetti turns the puck over behind his net
- Florida has continued its relentless pursuit of the puck into the Hurricanes zone and keeps Ellis busy
- Two successive penalties to Carolina and they are faced with playing two men down with 7:45 to play
- Jamie McBain sits for slashing while Jay Harrison's errant clearing attempt went out-of-bounds
- Panthers scores as Marcel Goc's deflects a point shot to put them up ahead 2-0 - Philip Kuba and Brian Campbell get assists on the goal
- At the other end, Sanguinetti gets a clear shot on Markstrom, but can't beat him - 6:44 to play with Carolina still on the PK
- At 6:09, the Panthers score again as Shawn Matthias jams the puck in past Ellis to extend the lead to 3-0 now
- So Florida tough guy Eric Selleck wants to tangle with Kevin Westgarth - three punches later and its over as Selleck is escorted off the ice
- With 2:33 left, Jordan Staal finally beats Markstrom and though too little too late, Carolina trails 3-1 now
- As play has continued, Carolina has pulled Ellis and been working to take advantage of the extra man on the ice to try to claw back into this one - 1:10 to play now
- Florida scores the ENG with 52.4 seconds left to play
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