“PAY ATTENTION.”
We’re so fixated on Man Mountain Matt Rempe’s alleged return tomorrow night in Boston that we’ve forgotten that there’s a pennant race on in the Metro Division.
The Hurricanes sit two points behind the New York Rangers in the Metropolitan Division
The Hurricanes sit two points behind the New York Rangers in the Metropolitan Division
© James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
The temptation is to dismiss the Hurricane warning for two reasons:
1. They play in Raleigh, where I nearly froze to death doing a tv game from the beloved PNC Arena.
2. Coach Rod Brind’Amour does not have either Jonathan Quick nor Igor Shesterkin in goal.
Naturally the focus at TD Garden tomorrow night has to be on the Big, Bad (Trent Frederic) Bruins, but it’s Carolina that is so close to the Rangers exhaust pipe.
With both the B’s and the C’s in mind, lemme record a few lessons that can be learned from the Tuesday night loss to Winnipeg:
Matt Rempe HAS to play against the Canes. If not, Peter Laviolette will get less warm love from The Maven. And that’s a promise.
Vinnie Trocheck is now a better center than Mika Zibanejad and V.T. is not pulling in the $ equivalent of Fort Knox.
Let’s not fool ourselves, folks; if this homestretch is basic training for theplayoffs, Mika and The Breadman have to show me that they’re up for it and not napping in Snoresville.
As for the Canes, they may appear not too hot in goal but Fred Andersen is back looking sharp, and so is the backup who nobody wants to know because they need three tries to spell his name. PYOTR KOCHETKOV from Penza, Russia has a 2.36 GA and .913 save percentage. This is one young Comrade who could be trouble.
Sorry, it’s time to PAY ATTENTION and, suddenly, I’m focusing on Trent Frederic because I suspect that he just might invite The Remper to dance.
Of course that may not happen if Lavvy benches “The People’s Choice” once more.
