Hurricanes coach and players dissect a dominant first period, missed opportunities, and costly lapses after another loss to the Blues.
The Carolina Hurricanes were swept in their season series with the St. Louis Blues, losing 3-1 Thursday night at Lenovo Center.
The Hurricanes had a dominant opening period, but with only a lone goal from Mark Jankowski to show for it, it proved to be a missed opportunity.
After the game, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour along with Jordan Staal and Jankowski spoke with the media. Here's what they had to say:
Rod Brind'Amour
On the first period: We didn't score. Probably our best period of the year and we were up by one. Then you're just letting a team hang around and you know they're going to come back a little bit. There wasn't much after that. We just didn't generate a ton. Obviously [Jordan Binnington] made a couple of really big saves and that was the difference.
On if the second periods have been hurting the team: I think it's because we're comparing it to the first periods and they've been so good. It's not like we're getting outplayed, it's just hard to maintain [that level] and so that's why you do have to cash in a little more when you do play well. We just haven't really been able to do that.
On if the the team took its foot off of the gas: Probably a little. We had a great first and probably thought it was gonna be the same. But you have to remember how you got to that. We were really on our game. Then we tried to do a few different little things, not the same game plan maybe. Then they had their little... I wouldn't even call it a push. They capitalized. You let someone hang around and you see what happened at the end. We're all over it, Chatty has it and then the puck just flips over his stick. That's what happens.
On going to the second power play for the second power play opportunity: We have to start using those other guys more. Didn't really love the first one. Didn't execute on anything really. So tried the other group. Had a couple looks, but it wasn't enough.
On the fourth line: They were our best line, but that's generally not a good thing because they don't play that much. We have to get more out of our top guys. They didn't do much tonight. Probably should have used those guys more than I did.
Jordan Staal
On the game: We lost some momentum and let them back in it. We had some chances to get up and get going and we didn't. Obviously I was a little late on that last one and they snuck one in and that was the game. We had a couple of lapses defensively. Our line wasn't great. We had one line going, for sure, but obviously have to be better if we wanted to win tonight.
On if there was a moment he can point to where the game sort of flipped: There wasn't really like a moment in the game. Just looked like we were okay with just kind of staying where we were and just let them get back into it.
On if the game is an easy one to flush given the chance disparity: Obviously you're always trying to learn and get better. You have to win in different ways and games like those, where you have the puck a lot and get chances, you still have to find ways to win. We're always trying to learn and get better and we'll have to do that for the next game and continue to build toward the end of the season here.
Mark Jankowski
On the game: We came out of the gates hot, had a good start, but the last few games, our second periods, we've kind of had a lull. We can't have that. We have to play a full 60. Every game in the NHL is a battle, so every night we have to bring it for 60 minutes or that's going to happen.
On if the team felt like it could take its foot off the gas after a dominant first: We shouldn't. Good teams know you have to play a full 60. One period isn't gonna cut it. We had a really good first and then we just let our foot of of the gas, which we can't do. We're a good team and when we play our game, you could see in the first period, we suffocate teams. We kind of let them back into it and a bounce goes here or there and it's in the net.
On his goal: I just picked it off in the neutral zone and was going in on a 2-on-1 there. Saw their D jump me, so I luckily got around him and I was initially looking for Will backdoor, but their backchecker was on him, so I just took it to the net and just tried to get it in any way I could.
On if he avoided hitting his face into the crossbar: I didn't have enough time to stop, but I had enough time to get my hands up. I was eating the crossbar if I didn't do that.
On his scoring touch come spring time: Yeah, yeah. Obviously weather is getting nicer, it's a good time to be in Raleigh and the playoffs are getting closer. We have to finish strong here and put ourselves in a good position to start the playoffs strong.
On what it will take to clean up the second periods: It's just the mindset. When we come in here after a good first, we have to be able to just stick to the game plan and not think it's going to be an easy night or anything like that. It's all in our mindset, because we know how to play. We proved that in the first. So that's the biggest thing.
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