Brind'Amour calls the effort "embarrassing," Staal admits they were outworked. Key players candidly dissect the Hurricanes' flat performance against the Sharks.
The Carolina Hurricanes were flat out embarrassed by the San Jose Sharks Sunday night as they fell 4-1 for their third loss in their last six games.
The Hurricanes didn't come ready to play and couldn't find any semblance of a game until the third period and by then, it was too late.
After the game, Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour along with captain Jordan Staal and defenseman Sean Walker spoke with the media. Here's what they had to say:
Rod Brind'Amour
On the game: We were mentally just not prepared. They were hungry. It was an embarrassing effort, really, for two periods. Then it was like, 'Oh, we better get playing,' and we did. A great third period as far as doing it right, it's just that we were down two and they hunkered in. Got a few good opportunities, but we were not sharp.
On the team not sticking with their game plan and style of play: We never got to it. In the third, it was like, 'Okay, we better get to it,' and it looked a little better, but we seem to keep having these lulls and I get it. There's a lot of games. I don't think this stretch of seven home games is ideal for that either. We just have gotten into a little bit of a rut here. But no excuses. They had a good game. Give them credit. They played really hard and they capitalized. We got behind the 8-ball there.
On Pyotr Kochetkov: He was fine. Played good. I don't blame him at all. He made some good saves. He didn't have a ton of work, but there were a couple, obviously, early that you can't give up.
On how to address the issues moving forward: It's not changes. This is the National Hockey League. You have to be prepared every night. Whether there's four games a week or whatever with what this stretch is. Everybody has to go through it. I just felt like we were not sharp. And when the other team is sharp, you're gonna get behind and now you're just chasing it and it's hard to come back.
On the power play: It was alright. The power play... we needed one in the third and had one good look, Svech missed the net. It was nice that we got a power play goal, but they also got one so there was no advantage there for us tonight.
On the decision to play Mike Reilly: I felt like Reils had been playing really well, no reason for him to be sitting out. Just back-to-back games, three in four. Trying to get some guys in there that are fresh and sometimes it's good for the young guys to just take a breather. [Nystrom] had been playing fine. Nothing against that. Just have extra bodies.
Jordan Staal
On the game: I don't think we were very good, obviously. I thought for the first two periods, they were the better team and they did kind of what we do. Be hard to play against, be above guys. They kind of stuck it to us and we obviously had a good third, but when they sit back, you kind of have a few more chances and it looks good, but for the most part, we got outworked in those first two periods. It wasn't pretty.
On if fatigue was a factor at all: You can make that excuse, but it's the NHL. We get paid to go and we weren't going. It wasn't good enough all throughout the lineup, to a man.
On his power play goal: Everyone here on the team wants to be on the power play. It's a privilege and an honor and I want to contribute throughout the lineup and all that stuff. I was able to get out there and get one, which was nice. Power play has to be huge for us going down the stretch if we want to make a push for the playoffs.
On having a couple of duds on the homestand: It has been frustrating. It's been kind of a little more 50/50 hockey and kind of just hoping for an easy game. Not really willing to grind it out and give them nothing and play our style. We have a good thing rolling for a bit, and then we don't. And then we do and then we don't. It's starting to get a little frustrating. Tonight was a game that we should have been ready for. We should have been ready for a hard game and we were not.
Sean Walker
On the game: The first two periods obviously weren't great. I don't think we got to our game plan very well. Turning pucks over against a team like that that's hungry and has skill, they're going to make you pay. That's pretty much what it was. The third was a little bit better, we got to what we do best. We have to make sure we're bringing that on Tuesday.
On if the condensed schedule is weighing on the team at all: You know what, everyone is doing it. So I don't think the schedule is really an excuse for the effort tonight. It's going to be like that the rest of the year, so you do what you can to get recovery and show up every night ready to work.
On the team once again lacking a spark: When we get away from our game plan, it's a tough night of hockey. They stuck to their game plan, got it in on us and made us defend a lot. That definitely takes away your spark. So we just need to get back to our game plan and most nights that works for us.
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