Canes in tough for 4th spot

[HURRICANE'S ROCK]

Looking at the upcoming schedule for the Canes/Hat/Ice/Broncos, the Canes probably have the toughest road ahead to get 4th spot. To begin with they are 4 points out of 4th place at present and all the teams have virtually the same number of games remaining. (Koot actually has a game in hand and if they win that we are in 7th place in reality). Also there are 3 other teams they are fighting with and not just one team they need to catch. That alone makes it near impossible to get to #4. S.C is hot as of late and the Ice and the Hat are playing about as good as the Canes are so no team is sliding badly. Add in the following info and I will state here and now the CANES ARE NOT GOING TO FINISH FOURTH.

TEAM ..... HOME ....AWAY .... EASY GAMES
HAT ............ 9 ...... 3 .............. 4
ICE ............. 5 ...... 9 .............. 5
S.C.............. 7 ...... 5 .............. 6
CANES.......... 4 ...... 8 .............. 3

When you look at these numbers the Tigers have to be the heavy favorite for 4th place. They also currently have more points than any of the other 3 teams and have 9 out 12 games at home. The Tigers are a very good 19-6-1-1 at home. Those are strong numbers indeed. The Canes are gonna be in very tough to get 4th or even 5th, which is the least we need to get to avoid one of the top 3 teams. All of which are very good.

We have 2 games remaining with the Hat and Kootenay and one with S.C. We need to win all 5 of those in regulation time to have any shot at 4th or 5th. Probably not gonna happen as 2 games are at home and 3 of them on the road.

Having a good look at this I am thinking we are probably gonna be 6th and even more realistically 7th place when all is said and done and be out of the playoffs in the first round. Not exactly the kind of year we were supposed to have. That is unless we finally play to our potential and win about 10 of our 12 remainng games, which seems less and less likely.

[Bocephus]

Looking at the upcoming schedule for the Canes/Hat/Ice/Broncos, the Canes probably have the toughest road ahead to get 4th spot. To begin with they are 4 points out of 4th place at present and all the teams have virtually the same number of games remaining. Also there are 3 other teams they are fighting with and not say just one team they need to catch. That alone makes it near impossible to get to #4. Add in the following info and I will state here and now the CANES ARE NOT GOING TO FINISH FOURTH.

TEAM ..... HOME ....AWAY .... EASY GAMES
HAT ............ 9 ...... 3 .............. 4
Of these four teams which ones are climbing and which ones are sinking?

[Link Dog]

Broncos total for easy games should be zero. Excluding the last game against PA, we find a way to make winning against "easy" teams look hard.

[HURRICANE'S ROCK]

Broncos total for easy games should be zero. Excluding the last game against PA, we find a way to make winning against "easy" teams look hard.

Sounds like the Canes. We beat Red Deer 3-0 with an empty netter. They however outshot us 23 - 21 and we were at home............... with our long fantasized about FULL LINEUP! On paper we should have outshot them like 45 - 20.

[Link Dog]

I guess as a season ticket holder, a person should be happy about the 2 for 1 deal, although it would just be nice to know in advance which team is going to show up, the good or the bad.

[localguy]

we will be tied with the Hat, so it's not to far fetched. And I for one, do not think that there will be too many high-jinx in either of these games, they are too important. Do I think we will be in fourth? No, but it's not that unrealistic for it to happen. I am pretty disappointed with this weekend's play as well. We are playing defensive hockey, when we have 4-5 guys (Boychuck, King, Ashton, Beach, Sceviour) capable of putting up 30 goals each. We should be putting in way more goals than we are. We should playing much more of an offensive game with the line up we have. And seriously, what is the deal with Sutter all over the place? Is he the coach or is it Dyck? What a mess, if the board is going to put Sutter behind the bench then do it, otherwise get him out of there and let the coach be the coach. It has to be stressful to the players and the coach, not knowing who is manning the ship. What a nightmare, first round ousting here we come.

[Bocephus]

we will be tied with the Hat, so it's not to far fetched. And I for one, do not think that there will be too many high-jinx in either of these games, they are too important. Do I think we will be in fourth? No, but it's not that unrealistic for it to happen. I am pretty disappointed with this weekend's play as well. We are playing defensive hockey, when we have 4-5 guys (Boychuck, King, Ashton, Beach, Sceviour) capable of putting up 30 goals each. We should be putting in way more goals than we are. We should playing much more of an offensive game with the line up we have. And seriously, what is the deal with Sutter all over the place? Is he the coach or is it Dyck? What a mess, if the board is going to put Sutter behind the bench then do it, otherwise get him out of there and let the coach be the coach. It has to be stressful to the players and the coach, not knowing who is manning the ship. What a nightmare, first round ousting here we come.
I completely disagree.
I have been waiting all year for them to play some friggin defense. Have you forgot what was responsible for last years success? Defense!
Once we become consistantly defensivley aware then the offense will come. Give it time.

[localguy]

I completely disagree.
I have been waiting all year for them to play some friggin defense. Have you forgot what was responsible for last years success? Defense!
Once we become consistantly defensivley aware then the offense will come. Give it time.

With the talent we have the other team should not be touching the puck very often. It should be in the offensive zone way more than it is in ours. Obviously we need good defense, and to be responsible in our own end, but we should be playing a puck possession game. We are spending way too much time in our own end against teams that have no business being there as much as they are. We should be out shooting teams regularly, and taking way less penalties. These two factors are indicative of a team that is not in possession of the puck enough, or in the offensive zone enough. Time is something we are running out of, too many what ifs, wait and sees, coulda, woulda, shoulda, etc.

[LHF]

Instead of shooting the puck into the corner all the time, why not shoot it at the net, it just might go in, or they might be able to pick up on a rebound.

Go Canes... clrkth

[Bocephus]

With the talent we have the other team should not be touching the puck very often. It should be in the offensive zone way more than it is in ours. Obviously we need good defense, and to be responsible in our own end, but we should be playing a puck possession game. We are spending way too much time in our own end against teams that have no business being there as much as they are. We should be out shooting teams regularly, and taking way less penalties. These two factors are indicative of a team that is not in possession of the puck enough, or in the offensive zone enough. Time is something we are running out of, too many what ifs, wait and sees, coulda, woulda, shoulda, etc.
I agree that the team has plenty of areas for improvement.
I really can't say alot more than that since I have only been to the EC maybe 4 times since November and watched a handful on the web.
The team performing like pretenders for the better part of the year has really soured me. I find I just don't have the enthusiasm to head across town anymore to really watch them. I have actually even checked out the Pronghorns schedule and the Y's Men schedule as an alternative.

[caniac # 2]

Instead of shooting the puck into the corner all the time, why not shoot it at the net, it just might go in, or they might be able to pick up on a rebound.

Go Canes... clrkth

AND MAYBE THE SHOT'S ON NET WILL BE IN OUR FAVOR INSTEAD OF THE OPPOSING TEAM ......... I AGREE AS SILLY AS IT SOUNDS, NOTHING AGAINST YOU LHF,MORE THE TEAM OR COACHES AND THE LACK OF DESIRE OUT ON THE ICE.

[Big Torro]

Instead of shooting the puck into the corner all the time, why not shoot it at the net, it just might go in, or they might be able to pick up on a rebound.

Go Canes... clrkth

Could not agree more. Med Hat is here Friday and half our goals against them last month came when we put the puck on the net from the point, our forwards were causing traffic in front and finishing loose pucks.

[Derek Sutton]

And seriously, what is the deal with Sutter all over the place? Is he the coach or is it Dyck? What a mess, if the board is going to put Sutter behind the bench then do it, otherwise get him out of there and let the coach be the coach. It has to be stressful to the players and the coach, not knowing who is manning the ship. What a nightmare, first round ousting here we come.
Is he really around or is this rumors? this has been going around since before Dycks suspension. Wasn't Rich Sutter helping last year beofre playoffs? It would be quite the coaching debut for him on Friday, the same night him and the clan are inducted into the whatever it is.

[caniac # 2]

Is he really around or is this rumors? this has been going around since before Dycks suspension. Wasn't Rich Sutter helping last year beofre playoffs? It would be quite the coaching debut for him on Friday, the same night him and the clan are inducted into the whatever it is.

HE IS AROUND, THERE WAS A PHOTO OF HIM ON THE ICE IN PRACTICE IN THE HERALD JUST AFTER WE GOT BRODY SUTTER FROM SASKATOON.

AND LAST YEAR I THINK IS WAS JASON RUFF WHO WAS HELPING US OUT AROUND PLAYOFF TIME OR EVEN ALL YEAR ( I THINK )