Carolina moved within one win of the Stanley Cup Final after a dominant shutout in Montreal. Rod Brind’Amour and his players break down the relentless performance.
The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-0 in Game 4 to move within one win of a berth in the Stanley Cup Final.
The Hurricanes finally found a bit more finish, getting goals by Sebastian Aho, Jordan Staal, Logan Stankoven and Andrei Svechnikov, while continuing to give Montreal absolutely nothing.
After the game, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour along with... spoke with the media in Montreal. Here's what they had to say:
Rod Brind'Amour
On the game: We were solid for the most part. There's obviously certain areas we can be much better at, but I thought it's tough to pick apart that game.
On who passes on the lessons from previous Eastern Conference Final runs: It's the players. They're the ones who are wearing it. I think we can help them on things, but they're the ones that are in it. Everyone is doing it and I give them full credit for that tonight, for sure.
On the opening shift setting a tone for the game: I liked our start. We had a couple of good opportunities. We had a breakaway there. Like, we had some, I thought, 'Oh, this could be good,' and then... I liked that even though we didn't score there, we just kept going. That's really the theme of tonight. I felt like we just were good from start to finish and got the result.
On the smothering of Montreal: I think we're working hard and the guys are in sync, which helps. Like I say, it doesn't always work out, but I liked the way we went about our business tonight. When you play like that, it's obviously what it looks like.
On Shayne Gostisbehere's block leading to offense: Both teams are doing it. At this time of year, everybody is doing that. You had your breakdown, it's gonna happen, and so what's the next thing? We need it from everybody, even your offensive guys. Everyone has to do what you have to do to win. Obviously you don't always get a block that goes for a chance, but that was a huge play in that game.
On being one win away from the Stanley Cup Final: Let's give it a couple hours before we start thinking about that. But I think it's just another game we have to go about our business in. Everybody says that one's the toughest one to get. We've done a nice job of not getting ahead of ourselves and just focusing on the business we have to take care of. That's what we still have to do here.
On if the team needs to avoid overconfidence: There's none of that. We understand. We know how we have to play to go about our business and we have to bring that again next game. I don't think we're an overconfident group, but we are a confident group in what we do. We respect every minute of the playoffs, let me tell ya.
On Frederik Andersen: Freddie's game always looks easy. So regardless of the high-danger chances or whatever, he just never looks like he's diving around in there. It's a very calming goalie. Obviously he played well because nothing got behind him. So that's good, his puck handling was good. There's little things that maybe go unnoticed a little bit that certainly help us.
Sebastian Aho
On facing a hot goaltender: Honestly, for me, I don't really think about who's in net. Obviously he's a good goalie and he's been making big saves for them, but at the same time, it doesn't really affect how you prepare for the game or anything like that. I think you just go out there and try to do your job. If you have a chance to score, you try all you can to put it in.
On K'Andre Miller: Obviously a great defenseman. He kind of does it all. He skates really well, he has really long reach where he can break up plays a lot. He has really good offensive instincts as well. He's been a great player for us, for sure.
On if that's the way they wanted the game to go: Honestly, when you prepare for the game, you're just focusing in on the start, focusing in on your first shift and going from there. Obviously we had some moments in the first period like [Shayne Gostisbehere's] block and a couple of good kills there that kind of gave us momentum and then we were able to score a few goals and kind of take over the game. You don't really think about how the game is going to go. You just have to focus on a good start and go from there and I thought we did a good and solid job overall for the whole game.
On if there's anything more the team could have done better in the past three games: Absolutely. That's just how we approach it. All year and definitely in the playoffs, we watch video every day. We try to find another edge to be better. We're definitely not satisfied. Obviously this was a good win, a good game by us, but at the same time, we're looking to improve everyday. The coaching staff has done an unbelievable job of pushing us and hopefully we can take the next step in the next game.
On if he's thought at all about being one win away from playing in the Stanley Cup Final: I haven't. It's a cliche, but it's one day at a time, one game at a time. And actually, it's within the game, one shift at a time. I think tonight, we did exactly that. There was different kinds of moments in the game that we really needed to focus on and I thought we did a solid job. So I haven't.
Shayne Gostisbehere
On the team's 11-1 run in the playoffs: I think it's just a compliment to the boys, the coaches, the organization as a whole just preparing us. To be honest, it doesn't feel like 11-1. We take it as a one game at a time approach. I know that's cliche, but you're not looking at an overall record. It's just the next game. Obviously Game 1, we didn't have what we needed, but we figured it out fortunately. Obviously the fourth one is the hardest one to win, so it's just going to be more of the same.
On blocked shots: You hear it time and time again from a bunch of guys. We're all pulling on the same side of the rope here. We're all the same players in the sense that we're going to do whatever we can to win. You look at [Sebastian Aho], you look at [Logan Stankoven], they're blocking shots too and especially so the grinders, sort of say, for our team. They do it every night. For me, it was my time. I didn't have a choice and fortunately, it went positively and the other way.
On what the team needs to avoid in Game 5: I don't know if we're going to avoid anything. It's just more of the same. Obviously we know it's working. Just doing our system and not giving guys time and space. As an offensive guy, you want as much time and space as possible. You want to feel the puck every night. And night in and night out, when you're just getting suffocated, it's tough and frustrating, for sure. So for us, I think it's more so just focusing on ourselves and just doing more of the same of what's got us here.
On frustrating the Canadiens: It starts with our forwards. When you see the extended shifts they have, their D is trying to do everything they can to break the puck out and it's just continually turnover after turnover and it's a momentum builder. When you see each shift setting up the next line and they just go out and do the same. It's kind of just sticking a fork in them in the sense that you just keep doing the same thing over and over. Yeah, it can be boring sometimes, but obviously we don't care about that. It's something that we live by. Making it hard on teams. Make them uncomfortable. That's something we live by and we try to do every day.
On if he's thought at all about being one win away from playing in the Stanley Cup Final: Definitely excited, for sure. Definitely having the success that we're having. Like I said, it's hard not to look past it, but we have to take care of business. It's a business-like approach again for us to finish this off if we can. The fourth one is the hardest one. Just more of the same for us.
K'Andre Miller
On dominating play: I think that's obviously something we've talked about from Day 1 of training camp. Bringing that intensity and dictating the pace of play. I think we did a great job of that and just smothering them with our tenacity and work ethic all night. I think we did a really good job of staying on top of the forwards and not giving them many chances or any looks.
On wearing Montreal down as the game went on: I think that's the goal every night, to tire and wear out the opposition. I think that's the Carolina Hurricanes to a T. That's what we're known for and it's been like that since I've been here. I'm just trying to help out and be a part of it.
On if he can see the lessons this team has learned from other ECF runs: Absolutely. Obviously I wasn't part of this group last year, but I got to watch a lot of those games and a lot of those battles and this honestly almost feels like a completely different team. It feels like we really did a 180 and it was a fun couple of months leading up to the playoffs this year. We knew what we had in this locker room and we just wanted to give it all we got.
On being one win away from playing in the Stanley Cup Final: I think we're just sticking with it. I mean, we're doing a lot of good things right now. I don't think we really need to change our game all that much. We're feeling really good in this locker room right now and we have a good thing going.
On if he felt this could happen when he signed with Carolina: Absolutely. That was one thing when I came in, I knew I had a good opportunity to help this team move on to that next level. I've just tried to absorb it, take it all in and learn from these other guys' experience and just try to do my part.
On playing with Carolina now instead of against: It's a lot easier. I remember my first time playing Carolina, I always talk about this, but my first time in Carolina, the first period, I think the shots were 15-2 and I think I went back for 12 breakouts and maybe got out one of them. It's definitely a new perspective to be a part of. Not looking back. It's been fun.
On the shot suppression: I mean, I don't think you can put that all on our defenseman right now. Our forwards are doing an unbelievable job of just smothering. They're working their butts off to get back and put pressure on the opposition and it's making our jobs really easy. Just keeping the play in front of us and transitioning and going right back at them. Just trying to wear them down, knowing that we're going to get our looks and our chances. Just sticking to the game plan.
On what it'll take to close out the series: Don't change anything. I think we've brought that intensity since Game 1 of the playoffs and I don't think anything really needs to change.
Logan Stankoven
On the strong start: The fans here are very passionate, so it's nice to come out and have a great start. But even after the first, you can't be satisfied because there's still lots of hockey left. But we were able to just keep at it.
On Shayne Gostisbehere's block leading to his goal: There's been a lot of guys selling out and just doing those little things. It doesn't always show up on the scoresheet but it's awesome. A guys sacrifices his body for a play like that and then we go down and score. Just about stacking good plays and sure enough, good things will happen.
On the shot suppression: I think it's just kudos to our defense. They've got great sticks and like I said, guys are sacrificing their bodies to block shots. It's nice, but you can't be satisfied with going up 3-1. Still have to play lots of hockey here and find a way to win one more.
On not being satisfied: I didn't think our power play was great, so I don't think it gave us a whole lot of momentum at times. That's another thing you can't be satisfied with. There's always things to get better at and work on. Whether it's individually or as a team or as a unit. There's always video to watch and areas to improve upon.
On the opportunity to close the series out on home ice: Just one shift at a time. They have some very skilled guys over there. Guys with experience. So we're going to have to come ready to go and just take it one shift at a time. We can't get too far ahead of ourselves because they're very much right there in it. We'll have to come ready to play and hopefully be excited for that one.
On if the opening shift set the tone for the game: I think we started well. We talk about starting like that. Just keeping it simple early. Sometimes you have to find the body blows to get to the head. I think when you can stack shifts and set up the other guys for success, good things will continue to happen.
On if he could sense the frustration in the building with the Habs having so few shots: I don't know. I think they're very skilled and they're a team that moves the puck very well. I don't think they're gonna try and waste shots. I think they do a good job of moving the puck and they have some skilled guys that can really shoot if you give them time and space. I think that's what we've done. We haven't given them a lot of time and space to make plays.
Nikolaj Ehlers
On being one win away from the Stanley Cup Final: It feels great. Obviously we played really well tonight, but we have to get one more and it's not going to come easy. They're a great team, so we still have a lot of work to do.
On the first period scoring frenzy: We got some odd-man rushes and we were able to score on those. Getting pucks to the net quickly off of passes.
On if this was the team's most complete game this postseason: It was definitely one of them. I don't remember every single one at this point, to be honest, but it was definitely one of them. We played really well. They're a good team. They're going to get their chances, but at the same time, some of the ones that could have been big chances, we were able to get in front of and that's what is needed in the playoffs. We played really well.
On the team's hot start: Well, it's a big game. It's either 2-2 or 3-1. Every single game throughout a year, but especially the playoffs, you need to be ready from the start. They lost last game and they want to bounce back. But we also want to bounce back if you could say it that way. We wanted to come out just as hard or harder and we were able to do that, I'm proud of the guys.
On quieting the Bell Centre: This crowd is pretty amazing and it's pretty special to play games in Montreal. Even in the regular season, but especially the playoffs. It's great. I love it and you kind of feed off of that as well.
Frederik Andersen
On the team's ability to suppress Montreal: I think they've just come ready to play. The way they put it on them, it can't be really fun to play against. Getting hit and the way they cycle the puck is huge. Obviously it's the way we try to set up chances obviously, but it also prevents a lot from their top guys.
On how he stays locked in: I don't really think about the shot count. Just go through my process. It's a new shift every whistle obviously and you have to reset.
On learning lessons from the previous Eastern Conference Finals: I think we've gotten more comfortable in trusting our system and just knowing that that's enough. That's what has to happen to take care of our game. It's what we've built throughout the year and really set us up with the opportunity to be in this position. I think when we've played well, we have a good chance of winning. That's the key and that has to continue. We've liked our game lately and obviously been rewarded. Just building on that and obviously getting more experience is huge.
On the defensive corps keeping a lot of shots to the outside: We're putting a lot of pride on that effort. It's throughout the entire 200 feet. Just the work ethic and commitment to the game plan is huge. We see it everywhere up and down the ice. Guys are just putting in hard work and smart work too. I think that's even more key.
On staying in the moment: I think we've been very good at keeping our focus on right now. I think throughout the whole playoffs, we've been really good at just turning the page and coming ready to work the next day. That speaks to the leadership on the team, the coaching staff is just really good at dialing us in and making sure that we come prepared to do a job that day. Obviously getting rewarded.
On the adjustment to Carolina's system with them being a shot suppression team: The shot count is useless to me to look at, to be honest. I think you're still out there for the 60 minutes and you still have to focus the same way. You have to just pay attention to your process and I think that's really the key. As a goalie, you learn that stuff and get better at just resetting every shift. It's really a new Blackjack hand. You have to play every night, every few minutes is a new challenge. But your starting point is the same and I think that leads to success for me. Not getting emotional either whether we score, they score. It's all about the next play and I think that's how you stick with it throughout a long series and a long playoffs.
On if it was still a hard adjustment though: Not really. You have those games one every team where you don't see the puck a lot. I had had those before and I've had high shot counts too and I think anything in between. I've seen 10-15 shots all the way up to 60s. Going into the game, you don't know. No one tells you, 'Hey, there's going to be a shot in two minutes, be ready.' You have to be ready for every shot at all times. That's the real skill as a goalie. What you can do to stay present and stay in that moment and just be ready.
Recent Articles
Stay updated with the most interesting Carolina Hurricanes stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.