Ehlers' hat trick and Bussi's record-setting win highlight a chaotic 6-4 victory, with the team acknowledging they "got away with it tonight."
The Carolina Hurricanes got back in the win column Wednesday night with a 6-4 win over the Vancouver Canucks.
Nikolaj Ehlers netted his second hat trick of the season and Brandon Bussi set yet another NHL record, becoming the fastest goaltender to 25 career wins.
After the game, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour along with Ehlers and Bussi spoke with the media in Vancouver. Here's what they had to say:
Rod Brind'Amour
On the game: We started out really well and then we kind of put ourselves in holes a few times and they were able to capitalize. Then we got ahead and just thought we were gonna cruise through at the end and so it made it interesting, but we got two points out of it.
On Nikolaj Ehlers: A couple of his goals were great individual efforts. Same on Fishy's goal. Good play by the D to transition up and then obviously ha da good finish there. But I don't know. It's one of those games where I thought we were in control early and then we just let off the gas. Give them credit, they fought back.
On if that's just human nature when facing the 32nd place team: I don't know. I just think the game should have been over and we just kind of took the foot off the gas and they made a couple of nice plays. You take penalties, give a 5-on-3, these are things you certainly don't want to be doing if you want to win consistently. We got away with it tonight.
On moving forward: Again, we know what game we have to play and it's just being consistent with it and not taking those breathers. We had a retaliation that cost us a penalty which led to the 5-on-3 and then we had a 2-on-1 on that rush. Like, it's just little things that we have to make sure doesn't keep happening.
Nikolaj Ehlers
On the game: I don't think we loved that game tonight. Gave up way too many big chances and made Bussi work for it tonight. Just didn't play 100% our way and the way we need to play. I thought we came out really good and then they kind of took over and after that, there was a lot of back and forth. So we have some things to clean up.
On generating off of the rush: Yeah, when we play the right way and get pucks deep, we're going to get the looks. We just didn't do that enough today. I think there was a lot of bringing the pucks back and turnovers and that created chances for them and not for us.
On if he was just trying to put the puck on net on his second goal since it was a new netminder in goal: Yeah, I mean obviously I don't know, but I would think it's pretty tough coming in during a game when you've just been sitting and not thinking that you're gonna play. I think every team thinks that you just shoot a lot and try to make him scramble a little bit.
Brandon Bussi
On the game: I think there was a lot of really, really good and there was some breakdowns. I think I could have been a little better tonight so that game didn't get to 5-4 and we're hanging on in the last minute there, but i think I loved our sacrifice, our ability to buy in. I think we created a lot of offense and for the most part, we prevented them from getting chances. So just a few little things.
On his game: In this league, you just have to find ways to win games. I think I got better, but it was good enough tonight. The team was really good in front of me offensively. Putting up six is really nice and we'll take the positives out of it.
On not seeing many shots for the first 10 minutes: I just have to stay with the mindset of being ready for the next shot. That's not really a reason for that first period, the way it happened. I felt good the whole way, some bounces went off our guys, it's whatever, and some I think I could have. Things could have went a little differently, but I'll look at the video and move on to the next one, so not too worried. Proud of the guys for the effort and it was a good win.
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