The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Washington Capitals 3-1 Thursday night to take the series in five games and advance to the Eastern Conference Final.
Frederik Andersen was once again an absolute wall for the Canes while Andrei Svechnikov continued his dominant run, netting the game-winner in the waning minutes.
After the game, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour, along with Andersen, Sean Walker, Jordan Staal and Svechnikov spoke with the media in D.C. Here's what they had to say:
Rod Brind'Amour
On the core's calmness no matter the situation: I think we do have guys that have been through this now for many years and together and I think that's important. But we did add a bunch of new guys too and I think they've all come in and really just bought in to what we're trying to do as a group. I think you see it by the results.
On the team defense: Other than tonight, I thought certainly the first four games, we were right on it. Tonight felt not like that, but I looked at the shots and it was the same. I have to give our D a lot of credit. Especially the five guys that played a ton. We threw a kid in there tonight in just a real tough spot and the other guys kind of picked up the slack. But what allows us to do that? I just think it's a high compete level. That's really all I can say about this group. I'm proud of how they prepare and how much they play for each other.
On Alexander Nikishin: Listen, I don't know if there's a tougher spot to throw a kid in, especially when there's such a language barrier. I thought he did alright. We got a little fortunate on the one that was offside because I think he turned that one over after he had it on his tape, but he hung in there and you can see that he's going to be a good player for us. He's got a bright future.
On Andrei Svechnikov leading the way: We say it all the time. I think all year we've been waiting for that Andrei and still, we got through the regular season, but it was like... you know, you watched him every night. Tonight, that goal wasn't even a great goal, but he had a lot of other ones off the bars and the posts. I think that one he deserved it just from his play all series. Any team that's playing now, you have to have your top guys going or you're not still here.
On if he felt Frederik Andersen's save on Pierre-Luc Dubois late in the third period could have been a game-deciding save: Well that one and there were a couple of other ones. But that one in particular... It doesn't get understated, because we always talk about goaltending. It's just so important. I think this is the best he's played since he's been here for us because of that. All of a sudden we have that breakdown and there's the save. He bails us out. That's what great goaltending does for a team. Obviously we hope that continues.
On if he feels this team has bought in more than others in the past: No. I don't think that's the case. I think we've always had that and that's because of the leadership group that we've been able to keep. We've lost a lot of pieces along the way. A lot of good pieces and pieces that we didn't want to lose. Nature of the game, but we were able to keep the guys that are still here. They don't allow for anything else to creep in. So I don't think we're doing anything different or this or that. I think the trick is that those guys have made sure that this is how we want it done and everyone does it.
On the team's depth: I don't know if this team gets maligned or this or that because we don't have an Ovechkin. We don't have the greatest goal scorer of all time or we don't have a MacKinnon or any of these superstar kind of players. We have a little different mix and we think we do have those kinds of players, they just do it a little differently. Obviously every team counts on all their players, but I think we definitely need everyone to contribute and that's what we're getting right now.
On Jordan Staal: You and I talk about it all year or have for how many years now, right? I get to see him everyday and everyday in practice and in every game. I go back seven years ago in this building. Who got the goal that we needed in Game 7? That was Jordan Staal. He's one of the more underrated players in the National Hockey League. Not by us, but I know by everybody else. Maybe a game like that will give him a little bit of spotlight, but I know he doesn't care about any of that. But I know the importance of him.
On the value of playing two short series to get to the ECF: Well you hope it's a value. Obviously we're missing Chatfield tonight and that was a huge guy to have out so hopefully he can recover in however many days that we have here. So there's definitely something to that. Freddie too. We want to give him the rest. He seems to always do well when he has a few days. Hopefully that's something we can use to our advantage.
Frederik Andersen
On the team smothering the Capitals: I think we worked unbelievably hard with our game plan in mind as much as possible. I think that's our game plan every night. To make it hard on the opponent to get into our end. Guys did a hell of a job.
On if he more enjoys these low-scoring games where every save matters so much: I try to not really think about it that way. I just go out there and play the short shift. No matter what the score is, try to make that next save and just trust that we'll continue to push and work for our bounces. We say all the time, we don't really care if it's in the first minute or the last minute. We don't get to choose that, we just have to put our heads down and continue to work.
On his save on Pierre-Luc Dubois in the third period: I think he came with a little bit more speed than my flow backwards, so I just tried to stretch out and make it hard on him to go around me. Obviously felt good to make that save. Again, play the percentages and make sure it's as hard as possible for him to get it up or around me.
On not being fazed: I'd say so. I think we've been doing a good job throughout these playoffs so far, just trusting our game and not really getting too worried or too far away from our game plan even if it's not really going our way for a little bit. Throughout any game, any period, there's going to be those ebbs and flows and different times where you maybe aren't breaking out as easy as you'd like to, but again, just staying with it and trusting that they'll flip a switch and then we can put it on them more.
On how he feels about his own game: I've had a ton of fun. Every time you win, you get to stay and play for a bit, so that's the goal. Continue to just enjoy what we're doing and I'm having a ton of fun with it.
On the experience of the last few playoff runs: I think the coaching staff has done a great job of just instilling the game plan and everyone is buying in. In this type of game, where there's a little less space out there, you want to trust that the game plan you had. Just throughout the year, some guys have been here for so many years and played close to the same way and obviously when you feel confident with that, you're going to be comfortable with those types of situations and the same goes for me and any player individually. You work to build that good foundation and trust it.
Sean Walker
On what he saw leading up to Svechnikov's goal: Obviously we were obviously battling in the D-zone pretty hard there. Burns made a great play to chip it over and I had some room to skate. Jarvis was in a great spot on the breakout. Then it was kind of a 3-on-2. They had a late backchecker kind of with me. [Jarvis] kicked it out to Svech and I thought I was going to have some more time, but it didn't work out like that so I just passed it back and honestly, I don't even know where the puck went in the net still. He made a great play obviously.
On his shot block on Alex Ovechkin right before: Just a reaction. Obviously you shouldn't give a guy like that that much time and space to begin with, so a little bit of a breakdown, but really happy that I got my stick on it. It broke after that play too, so really happy that it didn't break when I was making the pass back to Svech. All-in-all, a good shift for sure.
On the team defense: It's just the buy-in top down. All four lines, all three pairs, we're all playing the same system and that's a really suffocating game. We want to play in the o-zone as much as we can and when you're doing that, you're going to eliminate the amount of shots they have. I think we did that really well all series and that's going to be something that's really important for us going forward.
On feeling comfortable in tight games: Obviously we put ourselves in a great spot so at the end of the day, it was them that had everything to lose. So we just went out there and stuck with it. It might not have been our prettiest game, but again, everyone just played the way we had to get a win tonight.
On getting called upon more the last few games: It's great. Obviously you want to be an important part of the team. I feel like I've been helping out. Obviously we really miss [Jalen Chatfield]. He's a big part of our D-corps back there, so we'll be excited to have him back.
On the feelings of closing out a series: It's an amazing feeling obviously. It's hard to win on the road and especially in the playoffs. The building was really good tonight for them. There was definitely momentum swings here and there, but it was pretty special to come and win like that. We'll have a day off, refocus and get back at it.
On looking ahead to the next round: I think honestly it's the same mindset. We don't care who we're going to play. We're going to end up just doing our systems, our game plan going forward and make them play our game. Regardless of what happens, we'll be watching, but we'll just be preparing ourselves.
On the benefit of two short series: I mean obviously guys are getting banged up at this time of year. It's a hard game so rest is definitely not a bad thing.
On sticking to their game: Again, I think that's just something that is going to be so important for us going forward. No matter what happens with the ebbs and flows, ups and downs, we're just going to have to play our game. Again, there were definitely momentum swings tonight. They were taking it to us there for a little bit, but everyone just hunkered in, stuck with it and then obviously we got lucky... maybe not lucky. We stuck with it and got a goal there at the end.
On Alexander Nikishin: I thought he was great. Obviously, again, with the language barrier that can be tough for a guy like that, but [Dmitry Orlov] and the other Russians that we have did a good job communicating. I thought he was great. Obviously he's a big body, skates well, shoots the puck well. He really ended some plays in the D-zone and in the O-zone, you can see he can get a pretty good shot off. It was good to see.
Jordan Staal
On Andrei Svechnikov: He's just been great. There's no question about it. He's been on it every night. Shooting the puck, being physical and being hard to play against and being the playoff player that we know he is. It's great to see the puck go in for him. He's going to continue to lead our group.
On the team defense: We're a lot of time just on top of guys. Just trying to give them the least amount of room and make them turn the puck over so we have the puck. And then when we have the puck, we try to move it as quickly as we can into their end and grind them out. I thought the guys stuck with it today. I think there were some ebbs and flows to the game, but for the most part, we had a pretty consistent game. In tight games like that, it takes one bounce and tonight, it was this guy over here [Svechnikov] just ripping one on net and got a fortunate bounce. That's kind of the way it goes sometimes. It was a big win.
On the team's depth scoring: It's huge. We've loved the way this team has come together and everyone's playing their roles. Scoring is big in the playoffs and especially with the way we play, always a lot of tight games, so every goal is huge. When everyone is chipping in, it takes pressure off of guys like Svech and it's important to kind of keep doing that.
On the team's comfort level in tight games: We've been playing like that for a long time. I think we've been in the playoffs and those types of games for quite some time and the guys trust our game. I think that's the biggest thing. When you start wavering off of what we want to do, it starts getting squirrely and it starts not looking great, but when you believe in what you're gonna do and that it'll work out, I think it just becomes more calm and more consistent. So eventually, if we continue what we're doing, we're going to win the game and looks like the guys did that tonight.
On his line leading the way: It's obviously a big part of my game, just getting us going and playing the right way. We start a lot on D-zone draw and we just try to move the needle and get it moving forward and start getting it toward their net and just find ways to create some momentum and outchance them and basically play the game that we want to play. I think our line was really good tonight. [Jordan Martinook] was great and [William Carrier] was skating really well. I think our line has to continue to do that if we're going to continue to win.
On Frederik Andersen: When Freddie's in net, he's a stud and he's been a stud his whole career. You guys always talk about his calmness and he's a rock that just makes things look easy. Tonight he made some huge saves and I was on the ice for a few of them. Thank goodness. But he was able to give us a chance and that's all you ask for. He was great all series long. Just steady. He's obviously a huge part of this series win.
Andrei Svechnikov
On if he's reaching a point where his consistency is reaching his potential: Oh, you know, hopefully. But I just try to go out there and enjoy every game. Have fun and try to help my team somehow win games. Hopefully I'll continue doing that, but I'm here and I'm super excited we're going to the next round. It's not going to be easy and we know that.
On preparing for the Eastern Conference Final: I think we've already been in a conference final and we know what's going to happen there, like I said. It's not going to be easy there and we'll see who we're going to play against. But this is the time for us to take a relax a little bit and get ready for the next games.
On Alexander Nikishin: I think he played an awesome game. I was so nervous whenever a Russian guy comes and starts playing, but I tried to give him a couple advices and I think he did a great job. I couldn't imagine just coming from Russia and then playing a playoff game. Must be so hard, but he did a great job and I'm very proud of him.
On his goal: You know, I knew it was a rush opportunity for us and I knew Walksy was up top. I tried to pass to him and he kind of gave it to me back. I probably didn't expect it [to go in] but it was right on my stick and I think at that point, I only had a shot.
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