Posted by Tristan Cockcroft, ESPN.com
Only one game was on the docket last night ... yet the
Carolina Hurricanes treated us to enough goals for two (maybe more!) in their 7-1 win.
That's what you get when you load up your power play with five forwards, bucking traditional thinking that says you toss one or two defensemen at the points, preferably one with either a cannon of a shot or the ability to make plays, in order to protect yourself against any possibility of a short-handed goal by your opponent.
You read that right. The Hurricanes, in an experiment by coach Peter Laviolette (or perhaps in an imitation of the Buffalo Sabres' similar experiment) to breathe some life into the offense, are employing five forwards on the man advantage. Center Matt Cullen mans one point, winger Jeff Hamilton, signed from the Blackhawks as a free agent, is on the other. Don't assume the point men aren't expected to get involved, either; Cullen had a goal and an assist on the power play, while Hamilton added a goal of his own.
Not that Cullen or Hamilton seem like much from a fantasy perspective. Cullen set career highs with 25 goals and 49 points two seasons ago for the Hurricanes, left for the New York Rangers last year and notched 16/41 numbers for them, then returned this summer. Journeyman Hamilton had 18/39 stats for the Chicago Blackhawks last year, and he's 30. Still, roles like these bear watching, so don't toss these two aside without a second thought. It wouldn't be shocking if each sets a new career high in points.
By the way, up front on that power play: A mix of Rod Brind'Amour, Erik Cole, Eric Staal and Cory Stillman. Tell me that's not going to be tough for a defense to fend!
You can ask Vesa Toskala all about that, in fact. Somehow, the Leafs left him in there to get obliterated for all 60 minutes and all seven goals. That leaves him with an ugly 4.29 goals-against average and .865 save percentage, numbers that'll take weeks -- or consecutive shutouts -- to drop. Toskala's terrible play extends back into the preseason, though, so don't bank on the shutouts. Sure, he has probably not fully adjusted to his new team and new role -- he's a full-timer for the first time in his career -- but he won't get tons of time to hold off a challenge for his job from Andrew Raycroft, either.
In the other net, by the way, Cam Ward picked up his second consecutive victory and dropped his goals-against average to 1.66 while elevating his save percentage to .951 in the process. Call it a two-game hot streak if you like, but I look back deep into the preseason and see many strong efforts from him there, too. Ward's sophomore slump seems a distant memory, and he's getting better offensive support; I'm thinking he's a solid No. 2, if not more.
Parting Shots: Kudos to Mats Sundin for tying Darryl Sittler's Toronto Maple Leafs club record for points (916), giving him a share with Sittler for both that and the franchise goals record (389). People get spoiled by the astonishing numbers of guys like Gretzky, Howe and Lemieux, but the Leafs are an "Original Six" team, dating back 90 years. Sundin's is a pretty remarkable accomplishment on a team that's been around so long.
Also, kudos to Jason Blake, skating his first game since going public Monday with the news that he has chronic myelogenous leukemia, and Cory Stillman, who made his season debut after a car accident shortly before the opener. Blake skated a little more than 17 minutes and looked strong in checking defenseman Tim Gleason in the first period. Stillman notched a power-play goal and added two assists, and don't forget, he's in the mix on that loaded first-team power-play unit.
Tristan H. Cockcroft covers fantasy sports for ESPN.com. You can e-mail him here.
