1) There were eight NHL teams scouting the game on Sunday afternoon. The Blue Jackets, Rangers, Oilers and Capitals, to name a few. That doesn't incude some management from the Canes as well. Players should always be aware - someone is watching.
2) The part which should be highlighted regarding the line brawl on Saturday night during the third period between Charlotte and Milwaukee was goaltender John Muse trying to stop Michael Liambas from taking further liberties against Rasmus Rissanen. Muse attempted to restrain Liambas and not start a fight with anyone. Muse unselfishly put himself in harm's way to protect his defenseman and that is highly laudable.
3) Speaking of line brawls: Brendan Shanahan tells a great story about the 1997 battle at Joe Louis Arena where Detroit decimated the Colorado Avalanche in one of the greatest hockey brawls of all time. If you recall, Darren McCarty forced Claude Lemieux to turtle like a coward, Shanahan beat up Adam Foote and Mike Vernon blodied Patrick Roy. Shanahan says after the game, the entire Wings team gathered in the tiny video room and watched the whole thing over again. He said that was the night they truly became a team.
5) Some consider Marty Brodeur to be one of the greatest goalies ever. I am not one of them. In fact, I have said for years that he will go down as the most overrated goalie to ever play. After sitting out this season until December, the St. Louis Blues signed him to a one-year contract. Fans will now have a front row seat to watch him play in the very late stage of his career. The corollary of that means St. Louis will lose more games.
6) Last night, with about 10 seconds left, Norfolk thought they ended the game on a long shot past Muse. But, the linesman called it off because it went in during a delayed offside. You may remember that the year Norfolk won the Calder Cup, they scored an overtime game winner on a delayed offside that no one caught.
7) Rickard Rakell was sent down by Anaheim before the game along with Jesse Blacker. Neither players' hockey gear made their flight. It actually showed up on the next flight into Charlotte. On a similar note, Rakell didn't show up until overtime when he decided to actually try. He went on to score the overtime winner with less than eight seconds left.
8) Since Chris Terry arrived, the team won back-to-back games for the first time all season and took points in three straight games. That's not a coincidence.
9) Like last night, the majority of AHL overtime goals have come in the last minute of play. Also, even though it's pretty close, more goals have been scored at 4-on-4 than 3-on-3.
10) I think it's fair to say at this point that the best acquisition during the season has to be A.J. Jenks. You would think they have to be looking at signing him to an AHL contract.
