The Caps and the 'Canes are the first NHL teams to face this year, at 7:00 PM. Will the game be radio broadcast? We've waited for this for so long!
HURRICANES HOCKEY IS BACK, AND BETTER THAN EVER!
2002 first-round draft pick Cam Ward should see plenty of action in goal tonight for the Hurricanes.
Hurricanes players get in some last-minute instruction during Friday's pre-game skate at the RBC Center.
DAVE POND
RALEIGH, N.C. (Sept. 16, 2005) -- After three days of training camp practices, the Carolina Hurricanes will return to the ice tonight for the first time in 17 months, taking on division rival Washington at 7 p.m. in the first of four consecutive exhibitions at the RBC Center.
Fans, who have flocked to the team's open practices (schedule), and players alike can't wait for tonight's puck drop against the Capitals.
"I'm ecstatic to be playing NHL hockey again," Hurricanes winger Jesse Boulerice said after the team's Friday morning pre-skate. "It's been really nice to have had the fans support us right from the start of training camp like this. Hopefully we'll have a good turnout tonight and a large number of fans will be at the game."
Rules changes abound in the 2005 version of the NHL, in hopes of creating an even more exciting brand of hockey.
Fans, don't leave early - all exhibition games will conclude with both teams participating in a shootout, regardless of the game's score. This will allow players, coaches and officials alike the chance to familiarize themselves with the new NHL tie-breaker.
"I think that the shootout is a great idea to get rid of all the ties we have, and it's going to be really exciting for the fans at the same time," Boulerice said. "I think that the shootout - as well as all the other rules changes that the NHL has put in - is going to really change the game tremendously for the fans - there will be more goals, and it's going to be more exciting hockey.
"I think it's really going to make our sport rise up to the top," he said.
All group and individual ticket sales from tonight's game against the Capitals will benefit the American Red Cross to aid Hurricane Katrina victims. Tonight's matchup is only part of the Hurricanes' effort to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina.
2005 Training Camp Guide sales from the Hurricanes' team scrimmage on Sept. 17th at the RecZone will benefit the American Red Cross, while the ARC and the Food Bank of North Carolina will be accepting cash donations for Hurricane Katrina victims at the Sixth Annual Caniac Carnival, to be held Sunday from 10 a.m. -3 p.m. prior to the Hurricanes' matchup with the Florida Panthers.
Monies collected by the American Red Cross and Food Bank will be used for fuel and drivers to deliver food to hurricane victims in the region. Other items of need include paper goods, bleach and disinfectants, high-protein snacks, ready-to-eat foods, diapers and baby formula.
Both admission and parking to Sunday's 3 p.m. exhibition against Gary Roberts, Sean Hill, Martin Gelinas and the rest of the Panthers is absolutely free to all fans. Tickets may be picked up at the Caniac Carnival, beginning at 10 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis.
All eight Washington Capitals preseason games will be broadcast online via the team’s official website, WashingtonCaps.com. This will be the second year in which fans are able to listen to the games online. The preseason schedule begins Friday, Sept. 16, as the Capitals play the Carolina Hurricanes at the RBC Center in Raleigh, N.C.
Network54 was down during the game for maintenance. I listened to it until the end. The final score was 6-0 Carolina.
Up front, the Hurricanes were missing Whitney (injured), Vasicek and Cole, while the Caps were missing Cassels (out for two weeks), Ovechkin (who will make his debut next Wednesday at home), Zubrus, Semin, Sykora, Aulin, Willsie, Bradley and Peat. In defense, we were playing without Eminger, Majesky, Morrisonn, Biron... We were basically playing our 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th lines; the 'Canes were only missing one of their top two lines. No wonder we had a more defensive configuration. I expected a defeat, but it would have been good to score one or two goals.
Our lineup was:
Pettinger Klepis Fehr Clymer Halpern Clark Kane Sutherby Mink Gomez Gordon Fussey
Witt Green Zinger Fortin Heward Schultz
Ouellet, then Cassivi
This message has been edited by marc_mehdi on Sep 17, 2005 10:19 AM This message has been edited by marc_mehdi on Sep 17, 2005 9:35 AM
WARD, POWER PLAY UNIT DECIMATE CAPITALS By David Droschak CarolinaHurricanes.com
Eric Staal scored one of four Hurricanes power play goals in the 6-0 victory over Washington.
It was only an exhibition game, and it was only against a Washington team that didn't do much in the free agent market this off season and is predicted to finish last in the Southeast Division. But this one still had to feel pretty darn good to the Carolina Hurricanes.
There were plenty of power play chances and goals, crisp puck movement, neutral zone speed, nearly flawless defense, good goaltending and an enthusiastic crowd back at the RBC Center to cheer the return of hockey and a 6-0 Carolina victory.
Cam Ward stopped 24 shots to shut out the Capitals.
"I thought the fans were great," coach Peter Laviolette said of the 12,106 who showed up Friday night to watch hockey here for the first time since April 2004. "We've got to win games and we've got to give them a reason to get up out of their seats. They are good fans, but we've got to do our job on the ice and the guys did it tonight."
There was also plenty of discipline from Laviolette's team. While Washington began a parade to the penalty box 19 seconds into the game that didn't ever seem to end, the Canes stuck to their game plan and appeared well-schooled by Laviolette on the new rules and how closely the officials will be calling clutching and grabbing this season.
The Capitals finished with 14 minor penalties as the Canes cashed in four power play goals. Meanwhile, Carolina was called for just four penalties.
"Our guys did a really good job of keeping their sticks on the ice and checking low and coming up with pucks," Laviolette said. "We've been warned and it's our own fault if we don't change. So it was really good to see our guys be so disciplined in that area."
Carolina was dead last on the power play overall and dead last at home in 2003-04, but was 4-for-14 on this night and could have had a few more on a pair of besieged Washington goalies.
The only power play work done so far in the first four days of camp was during Friday morning's pre-game skate, so Laviolette had to be more than pleased with his extra-man attack.
"We're a team that is going to use our speed and our speed is going to get us power plays and our power play is going to get us goals. That's our motto this year," said Justin Williams, who scored a short-handed goal and was all over the ice most of the night.
"Look at how smart we were tonight,' added Williams. "We followed the rules and we played a full game."
One player who fit in nicely on the power play was Mike Zigomanis, who made it 3-0 early in the second period with a shot-side goal. He then added an assist less than nine minutes later on another man-advantage goal by the Hurricanes.
Zigomanis was not slated to participate in the post-game shootout exhibition, but Laviolette added him after his outstanding game and he scored as Carolina won the shootout, too.
"On the power play he was real calm and patient, he skated hard, played smart defense, he's a good faceoff man. He had a lot of positives tonight," Laviolette said of Zigomanis, who is one of a handful of players fighting for a few spots up front.
And how did the rookie Cam Ward look in goal? Comfortable, confident and in control. He received the first standing ovation of the season when he robbed Matt Pettinger from point-blank range with 5:55 left in the second, using great anticipation to slide over to his left to stone the Washington left winger.
The 20-year-old Ward found out just hours before the game he would be starting the first exhibition game because Martin Gerber had a sore back.
"Cam was remarkable," Williams said. "He was square to the puck. I'm no goalie coach but I would have to say he played unbelievable."
Ward said he was a little nervous, but settled down after stopping Washington's first breakaway attempt moments into the game.
"When you get an opportunity like I did today, and to take advantage and to have it go the way it did is definitely a confidence booster," Ward said. "I'm very excited. This is a big step for me. It's not done for me though. You've got to hold your self accountable and keep playing like I today every night."
This message has been edited by marc_mehdi on Sep 17, 2005 9:56 AM
Actually, it was probably better than it sounds. It seems we had many scoring opportunities, but Cam Ward was awesome, according to the Canes fans: they all said that he had a first-class game.
We ran into a hot goalie once again, LOL! Good old Caps hockey.
If we had so many scoring chances with our B-team, that should be better when we have Ovechkin, Cassels, Zubrus, Semin, Sykora, Aulin, Willsie and maybe Bradley in the lineup. We were missing our top two lines and we had many good scoring chances! With our 4th-liners and AHLers!
I still expect a loss at Buffalo tonight (7:30 pm), since we'll play again without most of the forwards I just named, but hopefully we'll score a few goals.
This message has been edited by marc_mehdi on Sep 17, 2005 3:40 PM
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