Disappointing

Another blown third period lead and the Canes find themselves out of the playoff picture. It was truly a tale of two halves as the Canes were in control up until they actually took the lead. Ottawa absolutely dominated the latter half of the game, piling up an impressive shot count, battering the Canes into submission. Once they took the lead late in the third, I never got the impression that the Canes were going to tie it up. I hoped, but it never looked like a hope with anything to back it up.

You have to give credit to Ottawa for doing what they needed to do, but the Canes let them do it and the only ones to blame are in the mirror. No real action from the Canes at the trading deadline today, so this is what they've got to work with. The teams around them, fighting for spots, made some serious moves. Most notably the Islanders, who with a win tonight supplanted the Canes for the final playoff spot. The guys need to find that fire, that killer instinct, that they had all of last season.

The best player on the ice for the Canes tonight was, strangely, Josef Vasicek. He seemed to play with a purpose and determination that the rest of the team lacked at times. I don't know why he seems to bring intensity when the rest of the team does not, but it's always something I noticed of him over the years. That's the primary reason he led the team in points several years back.