Coming off NHL COVID-19 protocol list, Canes players need time to get back in shape
Five observations from the Carolina Hurricanes’ 6-4 loss Thursday to the Chicago Blackhawks:
▪ Patrick Kane is beginning to age (aren’t we all) but the Chicago star still has some of the best hands and instincts in the game. His play around the Carolina net in the third period was “Kaner” at his best.
Kane got off a quick shot, knocked down the puck with his stick behind the net and in one motion popped it back toward the Blackhawks’ Pius Suter as the Canes’ Sebastian Aho and Brady Skjei closed in on him. Suter gloved the puck down in front of the crease for a shot and didn’t score but an unchecked Alex DeBrincat was there to clean it up for a 5-4 lead.
Early in the period, Kane used his speed to drive to the net with Jaccob Slavin hounding him. He one-handed a shot toward goalie James Reimer, the puck bouncing back, off Slavin’s skate and through Reimer’s pads as the goalie and defenseman collided.
▪ One can only hope Canes forward Martin Necas was shaken up but did not suffer a concussion after a late-game hit from the Hawks’ Calvin de Haan, a former Canes defenseman. Nothing wrong with the hit. But Necas smacked the boards hard, then banged the ice pretty hard as he fell.
Hours before the game, Necas was on a media call discussing the thumb injury and surgery for goalie Petr Mrazek, his good friend and fellow Czech. He said he hoped Mrazek could get back soon. The same now can be said for Necas, off to a good start this season.
▪ Hard to say for sure but the four players who recently came off the NHL COVID protocol list after being in quarantine all looked a bit gassed Thursday night. Slavin, Teuvo Teravainen, Warren Foegele and Jordan Martinook will all need more time to get in game shape and will have to do it on the fly.
Brind’Amour must now work forward Jesper Fast, the last to come off the list, back into the mix. The coach faces something of a Catch-22 with holding practices -- the Canes had one Wednesday between games. With guys coming back, the Canes needed to practice and Brind’Amour wanted to get his players out of the hotel. Then again, they need their legs for the games. Every team will face that dilemma in this condensed 56-game season and especially those with multiple players coming off the COVID list (New Jersey, Minnesota, Buffalo).
▪ It has been said often before: Andrei Svechnikov is getting better every time out. Special player. It’s hard keeping your eyes off No. 37 when the power forward is on the ice.
Safe to say the guys in the other jerseys on the ice keep their eyes on him. So does the opposing goalie, who doesn’t want to have a puck zing past his ear on a lacrosse shot and look bad.
▪ Before the season, after the new NHL divisions and schedules were announced, Canes defenseman Dougie Hamilton was asked what eight games against Columbus will be like. His answer: “Eight games against Columbus.”
What also could have been said: eight grinding, brutally tough games against a former Metro Division rival. Hamilton broke a leg in one of the Columbus games last season. The Canes go into Columbus for back-to-back games Sunday and Monday and it won’t be like the speed games against Chicago.
Hurricanes at Blue Jackets
When: Sunday, 3 p.m.
Where: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
TV: FSCR
