Personal observations @ Isles/Hurr game

Living in Raleigh, we had tickets to the New Years Eve game.
As it was, we were located just behind the goal line (off to
the side) of the visitors goal (1st/3rd periods) - about 12
rows off the ice. BIG difference from watching on CenterIce.

First period seemed to be played mostly in the Islanders' end.
Dubie made several outstanding saves - arm/should type. Carolina
had a few good chances, but the defense helped cover those -
and a misfire by Brin d'Amor at an open net kept the score 0-0
at the end of the first period.

The second period started, and I for one, was impressed with
the rocket like shot of MAB. On the first power play, I saw the
puck go to the point (a little to the left of my seat) and the
next thing I knew it was in the net! I did see him wind up, but
couldn't follow the puck - now I understand why goalies don't move
much on his shot - can't stop what you can't see. Considering
the problems MAB was having playing defensively (somehow almost
lost his footing skating backwards, wound up with arms flailing
and the Hurricane getting past him), I now understand better why
he's on the ice during a PP.

About a minute later, on their 2nd powerplay, Billy Guerin walked
in from the point into the slot and launched another blistering shot
that went past the goalie. Another one where Grahame (Hurricane
goalie) didn't react. At this point my wife is asking me "the
Islanders' only average two goals a night, right?" hopeful that the
Hurricanes are still in the game. Then Federtanko scored, making
it 3-0 and my wife was giving up.

The Hurricanes replaced Grahame with Ward (their normal starting
goalie) and my 11yr old son perked up - figured that the Canes would
start playing better. They did as they put a rebound past Dubie to
make the score 3-1. Another Carolina penalty, another *blast* by
MAB and the score was 4-1.

From then on, there were opportunites on both ends, but Dubie looked
as comfortable in net as he has in a long time - I guess it's much
easier to play with a big lead - and Carolina looked unorganized.

Two things that surprised me during the game:

1) we counted 8 broken sticks. I was under the impression that the
composite sticks were supposed to be longer lasting than the old wood
two piece ones. Sure didn't look like that to me.
2) Joe Vasicek would skate over to a teammate before the draw and
that was the teammate that would wind up *with* the puck after it
was dropped. I didn't realize that Vasicek had that much control.

jerry
--
// Jerry Heyman | "Software is the difference between
// Amiga Forever :-) | hardware and reality"
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