Canes' Lose to Blades..Get Ready to Hit the Road

Not exactly the way the Hurricanes wanted to end off a home stand before heading out on the road for the next 3 weesk. Lethbridge lost 3-2 to a much improved Saskatoon team last night. Much of our post-game show was full of calls and e-mails down right furious with the officiating in last night's game. Now I'm the first to admit I rarely, if ever criticize officials, but I agree to an extent the fans had a point or two last night. Even head coach Michael Dyck came out on the bench at the beginning of the 3rd to speak with the head referee Matt Kirk, I would suspect about a few calls or non-calls. As frustrated as the Canes' were about not getting some of those calls, it's important, as difficult as it may seem to bite your lip and let it slide. Zach Boychuk's unsportsmanlike penalty in the 3rd led to what turned out to be the game winner by Saskatoon. Again, I'm not on the ice and it's easy for me to say that sitting in a broadcast booth. I'm sure it's a bit different in the 'heat of the moment'. There's no doubt given the calls and emails the fans in Lethbridge weren't happy, but at the same time we also received some fan comments about people wanting to see a better effort from the Hurricanes. People want to see the Hurricanes shoot the puck more, get more fired up out on the ice, etc. Maybe heading out on the road now is just what Lethbridge needs. It's time for some team bonding. Let's not forget, there are 11 new faces on this team and as Dick eluded to on the broadcast last night, it'll be a chance for some of these new players to really get to know the returning ones. It was a mid-October road trip last year that turned the tide for the Hurricanes. I'm not suggesting that's going to happen again, but it might. This is a good thing for the 8 and 6 Canes' right now just to get out of town and play their game. On the road, you don't have to be fancy, you don't have to put on a show, just simply play your game. Again, this Lethbridge team has all the potential in the world, it just hasn't come fully together yet. As coach Dyck said on the pre-game show last night, some of the guys kind of want things to be where they were late last year. We'll that'll come, it takes time and when it does come together, watch out!
The team leaves late tonight and will travel all night and set up shop in Kelowna for the week. The first game of this BC trip is in Chilliwack Wednesday night. The pre-game show at 7:30 and the face off at 8 Alberta time.
Tonight, though Hurricanes GM Roy Stasiuk will join Dick and I on "Hurricanes This Week" from 7 to 8 on CJOC. Your chance to call in or email and ask questions for the whole hour.
I'll be blogging daily during the road swing.