Carolina pushed Philadelphia to the brink with a dominant 4-1 victory. Rod Brind’Amour and his veteran leaders break down the special teams' dominance and resilient goaltending.
The Carolina Hurricanes have pushed the Philadelphia Flyers to the edge thanks to a 4-1 win in Game 3.
Jordan Staal, Jalen Chatfield, Andrei Svechnikov and Nikolaj Ehlers all scored for the Hurricanes, while Frederik Andersen made 18 saves.
After the game, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour, along with Staal, Svechnikov, Chatfield, Jordan Martinook and Shayne Gostisbehere spoke with the media in Philadelphia. Here's what they had to say:
Rod Brind'Amour
On the team's penalty kill: It's been good. Certainly in the playoffs here. I think it's just sacrifice. Guys are obviously working extremely hard and I think we've been in sync. And we have good players. They know what they're doing out there. That helps.
On Jordan Staal's impact: It's every night. Everybody always looks at the scoresheet to judge people for the most part, but that's not how he impacts us on a nightly basis. He does sometimes and tonight he did, but he does everything for this team. It's nice that he gets on the scoresheet and we can talk about him, but it's pretty much every night.
On his bench minor penalty: I was a little... usually you get a warning. I didn't get a warning. I was a little frustrated on that sequence because of what happened. They had the original and then I don't know how we came out with just one out of that. That was what the frustration was. We killed it and that's the key. If we don't, we're talking about different situations. So guys bailed me out there. Appreciate it.
On Taylor Hall setting a physical tone: Well, he's had a couple of hits, but his overall game has been solid. I don't really like to say one thing or another because his game has really rounded overall now too. Tonight was not the prettiest of games for anyone, but I thought... it's kind of been our calling card all year. Whatever way the game goes, we've been able to adapt to it and figure it out. That says a lot about the group.
On if he liked better what he was seeing from the top power play unit: At times I thought we were okay and at times, meh. But you have to give the other team credit. Everyone talks about the power play, well there's a reason. They have a good penalty kill too and they were doing a good job. Obviously that was a big turning point though to get those. Special teams was huge tonight for us.
On keeping the foot on the gas for Game 4: It starts in the room with your leadership. We're all going to say the right things as coaches and try to get them prepared, but they have to come ready to go. We've been able to do that all year, so I would anticipate that we're gonna give it our best, because we're going to need to. We know that. That's the thing. The guys understand that. We're not going to win unless we put our best foot forward.
On Frederik Andersen: It's the timely saves. They had their start which was great and they did hit the post there and there were some things that went our way, but then he made some real big saves to just keep it to where we could at least get some semblance of a game going. That's kind of what he's done here all playoffs.
Jordan Staal
On being able to establish their game early: It took a little bit of the life out of the building, which is always nice. I thought our start was good. We probably had a few too many turnovers and Freddie bailed us out, but then we kind of built the game from there.
On being the tone setter for the team: It's just the game that we've built as a whole. I'm obviously a part of it, but it's just being physical, making it hard on them and playing in their end and just doing that over and over and over again until they break. It's been obviously a great start to the series. We've played the way we've wanted to play. It's part of our whole identity as a group and we want to continue to build on that.
On finding different ways to win: You have to find different ways to win in this league. There has been a lot of different guys that have stepped up. That just kind of goes to show the depth of our team and how it's been built. Obviously Freddie, from the start, has been steady in the playoffs and has given us a great chance to win every night. There's been certain guys every other game stepping up and making plays and helping us win. It's been a great start, but still a long road ahead.
On the shorthanded goal: We talk about that off of faceoffs. Obviously they're a great faceoff team and been struggling kind of to win them, but we knew it was gonna be a mucky one and the way we played it, we want to keep pressure on them. So Marty came over the top and was caught kind of in between and everyone was kind of in between and Marty made a great second effort to poke it by him. I was kind of heading out to Drysdale and I saw it go by him and I got fortunate enough to take off. Then obviously Chatty got on his motor and the bench was yelling at me, telling me it was two. I didn't see him, but the bench let me know. The rest was Chatty finishing off a great shot.
On the timing of it: It doesn't hurt. Shorthanded goals are massive, especially in the playoffs. It hurts the other way, I know that. Shorthanded goals are big and it was a big momentum swing.
On frustrating the Flyers: Obviously you want to win games and play hard and give them nothing. They're trying to find ways to get going and we want to frustrate them as much as we can. We're definitely taking pride in that.
On if he was trying to go through Trevor Zegras' legs on the pass across to Chatfield: I don't know what I was doing. But I saw it go through and it went right into Chatty's wheelhouse. What a shot. It was cool.
On the approach Game 4: It's the same way as we've been approaching every game since the start of playoffs. It's a brand new challenge. The fourth one is always the hardest one to win. No one wants to go home. It's going to be another brand new challenge, a brand new start and we're gonna have to find ways to win a game. It might look a little different then the first three, but we have to find a way to get a win and get that fourth one.
Andrei Svechnikov
On if he can feel a weight lifted now that he's scored: I mean, I wouldn't say it's like lifting up, you know, but obviously it gives you a little bit of confidence and it feels a little bit lighter on the ice and all those stuff. But especially scoring on the power play. We got two goals today and that's big for our unit. Just have to continue working, watching video and hopefully we're gonna do that [again] next game.
On his power play goal: Even a couple of power plays before, Fly made me a good pass and I was in the same spot shooting and with kind of an empty net to be honest. If I only would hit the net, but obviously Fishy made a great two passes there and obviously you do have to be a little bit patient and focus a bit more on the puck and try to shoot as quick as you can.
Jalen Chatfield
On special teams: We know at this time of year especially that that can win you games and be the difference. Any time the power play gets out there, they're looking to score and the PK is nonnegotiable. Whether it's a bad penalty or not, we're looking to kill it and do it the right way.
On finding different ways to win: That's just hockey, I think. I think every game is going to be different, but your mentality is to come ready to play because that's a good team over there and we know that. We can't step off the gas. Each game, we're prepared even more and ready to get better and play better.
On his shorthanded goal: I honestly just saw a lot of open space and so I jumped up. It was an unbelievable pass. I just had to shoot the puck, that's it.
On Jordan Staal: Since I've been here, since Day 1, he's been a great leader. He's huge for us.
On the 5v3 penalty kill: When we step over the boards, no matter if it's 5v3, 5v4, bad call or not, we're looking to kill it and we have no excuses. We're holding each other accountable and everyday we're watching video and getting better. Working on the small details that maybe not the average person would see. It could be two feet that way, a stick position that way and I think we've dialed that in a lot and I think that's been huge and showing off.
On Frederik Andersen: Unbelievable. To have goaltending like that, it can win you games and you need goaltending like that. He's been nothing short of excellent and we know he's gonna keep going like that and we have to play hard in front of him to do our best job.
On his offensive game: Our mentality, if you see a lane, get it on net. My job isn't to be the flashiest guy on the blueline. It's putting pucks on net and keeping it simple. And when I get a lane, just try to rip it on net.
On the mindset for Game 4: Just be locked in. Have a good recovery day tonight and tomorrow and be really focused, because even tonight, they started off hard. We have to be ready to step on the gas full throttle and play for each other and have our best game of the series.
Jordan Martinook
On the shorthanded goal: We obviously scrambled off the faceoff and then I just kind of saw a loose puck and whenever you're on the kill, you're trying to outwork the power play and I laid out and got it out and then just saw Jordo and Chatty going on a 2-on-1. Incredible pass and an unbelievable shot. Those are two world class plays by those guys. I feel like our kill has been good and so it's nice to get rewarded out there.
On setting up Nikolaj Ehlers for the breakaway goal: I feel like every team in the league does that high flip out of the d-zone and I know Fly likes to get lost, so I guessed right which side he was on. I kind of had seen him coming and I just whacked at it. It was nice to hit him in stride there.
On Jordan Staal: It's just a pleasure to watch him. Obviously I've been riding shotgun for a few years now and to see the impact he can have on games is pretty special. I feel like he's just getting better the older he gets which is fun to see. Prepares better than anybody, wants it more than anyone. Obviously a huge game by him tonight. He sets the tone for our team. He did that tonight, for sure.
On getting offensive contributions throughout the lineup now: I guess tonight we were, but for a while there it was Stanky's line, which has been incredible, as we've talked and noted. Those three guys have been carrying the load for us and I think it's nice when other guys can step up and take some weight off of their shoulders. We're a four line, six defensemen, two goalie hockey team. For us to have success, everybody has to be around it and be in the game. It was a team effort tonight.
On Andrei Svechnikov: I think whenever you score, you gain confidence. We've talked about it before. I think Svechy, when he's at his best, he's skating and shooting and obviously he's a big power forward. When he can move his feet and get that shot off... I think the first period, he had two or three really good looks and I think whenever you're getting chances, that even gain confidence off of those. And then for him to score that power play goal, that was big for us.
On staying composed: Obviously the second, I think the emotions just took over. We've been in games like this before. I think you get into the intermission and everybody takes a deep breath and you try and defuse a couple of situations with the refs and then you go our and play. I felt like our third period was textbook. It was exactly what we wanted to do playing with the lead and kind of dictate the play.
On the approach for Game 4: Just the same approach that it's been. We've been taking it one game at a time and every game is so different. We just have to be ready for their best and show what we can do in a close out game.
Shayne Gostisbehere
On special teams: Our penalty kill has been doing it all playoffs, all season too. Compliment to them. Again, it feels like they're doing it every night. Probably have to stay out of the box a little more, make it a little easier on them, but anything that's thrown at them, they're handling it well. It's a compliment to them. They're doing really well. It was also nice to contribute on the power play tonight and get us some big goals. Without those, it's a 2-1 game, a little closer game. It's nice when they click at the right time.
On finally getting on the scoresheet: It's just important to get the win and go up 3-0. Contributing obviously helps too. Getting some big goals at timely times. For us, it's a big step.
On the key to the first power play goal: Sticking with it. They play a specific system, so it's just about making them skate a little more and get a little more tired. I think for us, just sticking with it and taking what they give us. Not forcing anything. We know when the seams are going to be available. We don't have to fit it through or anything. Just back to basics. When you're struggling a little bit, just put pucks on the net and get some good bounces.
On Jordan Staal: He's a big part. He wins those faceoffs and gets us going. I think he won two quick ones tonight and we got some quick one-timers. That's stress on them immediately. He's such a big part of our team. He's our captain for a reason. He does it up and down the ice. He's a 200-foot player and it's nice to see him get rewarded on the power play.
On the Svechnikov power play goal: When it's 4-on-3, you know that obviously there's going to be a 2-on-1 somewhere and they were taking me away, so obviously Svech at the goal line is going to be open. We missed it at the beginning, but we reset, recouped and took what they gave us and that was there again.
On not being afraid to fight outside of his weight class: I guess they aren't either. Stanks... I was just trying to help Stanky out. Happens, I guess. It is what it is.
On the approach to Game 4: Same motto. It's one game at a time. You know that they're going to give us their best. Just like last series, you gotta answer the bell and finish it off. The fourth one is always the hardest one to win.
On his tussle with Rasmus Ristolainen: I just went down there because I saw Stanks with two massive guys on him and I just went to help. Just a scrum. Happens. Just trying to help Stanks.
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