This will probably be a bit long, but here it goes.

First the Wild game on Thursday. It was scary going into the arena knowing we were going to face a Northwest team, which is the division we’ve had problems with all season. We came out barreling though which was very important on the 2nd game of the back to back. Scored a couple of goals, then let them tie it, but quickly got that third one and held them there.

The biggest thing of note was near the end of the game. Wade Brookbank (our enforcer that we called up earlier this season from the AHL) left the game after injuring his leg. As soon as he was gone, Aaron Voros went at Eric Staal and hit him headfirst into the boards. Canes fans are especially sensitive to these types of hits, because it was basically the same hit that left us without Erik Cole for months in 2006. Well, apparently Erik though so too because he came flying across the ice and just started walloping on Voros…in case some of you don’t know, Erik Cole is not much of a fighter, but Staaly and him are roommates on the road and I could see the fire in his eyes from my seats. Voros was given a 5 minute boarding major and a 5 minute fighting major…now please someone tell me…aren’t boarding majors automatic game ejections?

The even more amazing thing was the penalties we got. Aside from Walker getting booted we also lost Cole because he got 5 minute major for fighting, 2 minute instigator, 2 minute unsportsmanlike, and 10 minute misconduct. And then we find out the next day, he is pretty much the only one the NHL considered suspending!?!?!?

It’s all good…well worth it for them taking a run at our All-Star.

Side note here: I met Tuomo Ruutu at the mall here in Raleigh on Friday. Just wished him luck and told him to beat the Sabres for us! Then I saw Andrew Peters, and wondered why he was out shopping in Hollister alone….when I found out he was a scratch today, my question was answered. Haha.

Oh the game tonight. Playing the Sabres is always exciting for both fan bases. Ever since the 2006 ECFs we just really don’t like eachother. The teams know that, and the Canes say that they go try and win those specifically for the fans. Tonight was no different for the SRO crowd. Canes go up quickly 2-0 headed into the 1st intermission. 2nd period starts and Sabres score, but a minute later we get our 2 goal lead back. In the 2nd, Stafford gets it to 3-2.

Let me take the time to mention here that Miller was AMAZING to watch. I told a Sabre fan behind me this, and that the rest of the team gave 1/2 as much effort as he does, they would be crushing us. He deserves a better fate than how I think the Buffalo Sabres will be ending their season.

3rd period comes..and as we guessed…it was the longest period ever. At the 10 minute mark, Lydman uses Wallin’s skate to get a goal past Ward to tie it. Go figure. OT…you think this stuff was scripted the way this game went. OT is scary and I hate it even more when I have to stay sitting because the people behind me decide it is not important enough to stand for. Losers.

Wait, Canes get a lucky break…..Spacek takes a hooking penalty. Now the building goes crazy. The Canes are nearly unstoppable with 4 on 3 powerplays in OT. After knocking puck after puck to the front of the net, Scott Walker picks up some trash that Staal got to the net and puts it in past Miller. In his best Alex Ovechkin impression, Scotty throws his hands in the air and slams full speed into the glass as his was of thanking the fans.

We’ve stuck with this team through some hard times this season and we’ve been rewarded with some amazing hockey lately.

-The Canes are 10-2-1 since the Corvo/Eaves for Stillman/Commodore trade. Brilliance.

- Sergei Samsonov has 23 (I think?) points for the Hurricanes since we picked him up from re-entry waivers.

- We are 8 games above .500, with 79 points and 7 points over the next closest team in the SE.

We go on the road to Chi-town on Wednesday, Buffalo on Friday, and then home again for a matinee against the Senators. It’s a week we are referring to as “Family Reunions” (Ruutu and Samsonov were both brought in from Chicago. Ladd, Craig Adams, and Kevyn Adams are now in Chicago. And the obvious Senators as well as Gerber.)

Should be an interesting week!