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| Ward back on the point |
| His No. 2 PP unit offers different look |
| October 7, 2007 |
| Source: By Fluto Shinzawa, Globe Staff |
| GLENDALE, Ariz. - It's been two years since Aaron Ward was stationed at the point on the power play. |
| But he hasn't forgotten any of his old tricks so far this season. Ward and Andrew Ference served as point men on the club's No. 2 power-play unit the first two games, getting the puck up front to Marco Sturm, David Krejci, and Phil Kessel. |
| It's not as potent as the No. 1 power-play unit, which connected for a Patrice Bergeron goal in the second period Friday and another goal by Bergeron in the first period of last night's 3-1 victory over the Coyotes. But the way Ward sees it, their job is simple - move the puck and get shots on net. |
| "It's always a key to have two power plays with different looks," Ward said. "You saw what happened [Friday] on the power-play goal. Those guys just tic-tac-toed the puck around. They had the penalty kill reeling out there. They were so tired that after a while, I think they just gave up. From our end, we're a basic power play with the straightforward philosophy of getting shots and getting guys to the net." |
| Ward, who didn't have a power-play point last season, was featured late in games on Carolina's second unit when the Hurricanes held the lead. To start games, the Hurricanes would go with a one-defenseman formation, but if they got up in the third period, coach Peter Laviolette would place Ward at the point for a defensive presence. |
| "I think they did a great job in the last exhibition game," said coach Claude Julien. "That group is sometimes more of a shooting power play. Phil coming off the half-wall is usually pretty good at stepping into the slot and shooting the puck." |