CBC-Sports

Carolina looking for 1st lead of series

April 21, 2009 06:04 PM | Posted by   CBC Sports Staff  

They may not have Jamie Langenbrunner, but the Devils still have plenty of firepower on their top line.

Zach Parise has five points (three goals) in the first three games against Carolina and Travis Zajac scored the overtime winner in Game 3 Sunday night.

“They are clearly playing exceptionally well,” Carolina coach Paul Maurice said Monday. “They have great hands, but I think their work ethic is what they bring every night.”

So, do the Hurricanes start to shadow Parise?

“We need to do a better job. I’m not sure we need a shadow,” Maurice said.

The Hurricanes did not skate Monday. Maurice said it was a routine they got into over the final months of the season and it worked. The team had some meeting and discussed a few areas in which it could improve, such as the power play, which was 0-for-5 in Game 3.

“We need to keep it simple. Get it in there and take some quality shots,” Eric Staal said.

The always-humorous Maurice said of the power play unit: “We gave it to those guys today.”

Mostly, the Hurricanes felt they needed to find a way to prevent Parise and Zajac, along with right winger Brian Rolston, from controlling the tempo.

“I don’t think there is any secret weapon,” Tuomo Ruutu said. “Obviously they’re a great line.”

DOWN, 2-1, HURRICANES NOT READY TO PANIC

Still feeling the sting of an overtime playoff loss at home, the Carolina Hurricanes aren’t panicking.

“We’re not do or die yet, but this is a big game,” Eric Staal said of Tuesday night’s fourth game at RBC Center. “We want to make sure we get it done.”

They were not disheartened by an unfortunate bounce in OT.

"I believe if you play well, you’re going to get the bounces,” Ruutu said.

Coach Paul Maurice said he is considering a change on defence for Game 4, but not at forward.

"We’re certainly not going to make any lineup change in that area,” Maurice said. “We have seven healthy defencemen, so we’ll look at that.”

One thing the Hurricanes would like to change is play with a lead, which they’ve been unable to do.

“That concept is more to their liking, no question,” Maurice said of the Devils. “But I think our record of not having scored the first goal would be among the league’s best.”

One reason why there is no panic: They’ve come back in playoffs past.

“Separate year, separate situation,” Staal said. “But we know we’re not out of it.”

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