Aho ignites overtime magic again! Brind'Amour praises resilience and Bussi's stellar performance after another thrilling win.
The Carolina Hurricanes completed their sweep of the LA Kings, with yet another overtime win following a blown multi-goal lead.
Sebastian Aho sealed the win for the Hurricanes, his 18th career overtime goal and 30th career overtime point, and Brandon Bussi picked up his 21st win in his 25th start.
After the game, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour along with Aho and Bussi discussed the game:
Rod Brind'Amour
On the game: I thought we were playing a perfect game, exactly how we wanted to do it. We knew we had to be patient, but I thought we had the better looks. Obviously we were in a good spot, then they got a couple, but I loved the way we just kept playing. Actually, we probably had the better looks after it was 2-2 before we won it. I thought it was a great game by us.
On the team's defensive effort: I thought all of our D did a nice job. They were really flying the zone and we did a nice job of containing that and keeping pucks alive. We created a lot of opportunities from it. So yeah, we had to be on our toes, because that's when they're dangerous. They had a couple where a guy got behind us, once in the first, but overall, I was really pleased by the bounce back game because that was what we needed.
On if it's difficult keeping guys focused through this stretch of the season: Yeah, it's human nature, but you have to assume that's kind of how everyone is right now. We have a job to do and so it's my job to keep them focused and try to keep them pushing to whatever this break is. We have two more games.
On putting pucks on net: That line especially, Jarvy had a kind of 2-on-0 and he passed it up and then Fishy had a good odd-man rush in the second. They were a little bit too unselfish, but got it at the end so we're not going to worry about it.
On Brandon Bussi: We were playing great and that to me is the number. We were getting a free opportunities and then it would go dry, but we weren't giving up much and that, to me, is how you win hockey games. Because we had plenty of opportunities, could have scored three or four more I felt like, but you don't and so you can't give up chances and I felt like we did a good job. Yeah, it's tough for a goalie to stay warm, but he's done a nice job of that all year. In the games where we have shut it down, he's been good when we've needed him.
On the fourth line: You're matching lines a little and they weren't using their guys on their fourth line that much and then we threw them out and gave up a goal, but in general, that line's been effective.
On prepping the team for an afternoon game after having played last night: Just coming up probably two different feels to the games. They win a game and we don't, so there was a little more angst on our end then in theirs and maybe that's what showed tonight.
On Jordan Staal's power play play: When you can snap them back, you can run your plays. That's what we were alluding to early in the year on why we put him out there. We were kind of missing that and you've seen, really since he's been in there, a lot of occasions where that's happened. Why not keep using him because he's been very effective.
On the officiating: Tough call. That's not a penalty. That's why... I don't know how we get to it, but we need to get to it where they can review it quickly, because that's not a penalty. It's 1-0 and the game's over, not over, but we're going really good and that could have flipped the game instantly over something that really shouldn't even be called. You can't blame the officials because it looks like a penalty, but it's not. Would love to get to where we can review these, because we see it in five seconds. It's quick and you can see that that's not what happened. You know the official would say the same thing, but they can't Live, it's too hard to officiate our game. We need to... you guys, need to somehow figure out how to put more pressure on them because we just want to get it right.
Sebastian Aho
On if it felt good to be on the right side of overtime tonight: Just the win overall [felt good]. Yesterday's game was not good enough and we obviously lost the game as well, so it was a good bounce back. It feels good to win this one at home. Just a good bounce back.
On the tightness of the game: Two teams that play pretty disciplined, defensive hockey. There were still a few looks, obviously our line, I think we had a few good looks, so we still had chances to score, but there wasn't much. Neither team really generated much, which I think is kudos to both defenses. You just have to stick with it and we were able to win this one tonight.
On the game-winning goal: I actually liked a couple of other plays before the goal better. We had a couple of looks, but then on the last one, just got a little bit lucky. It's a good thing always to shoot the puck and that was the case on that one too. Just kind of went off of either their stick or skate or something and it kind of changed the direction of it, so I was able to sneak that one in.
On Shayne Gostisbehere's hustle to tag back up after getting tackled in the o-zone: I missed that completely. I didn't see that at all. Me and Jarvy were doing our own thing in the neutral zone. If that's the case though, good on him. Thanks Ghost.
On battling through this stretch of the season: That's the trick, right? Staying in the moment and just kind of taking care of the business day-by-day. I'd say it's almost an exciting time of the year because some guys get to go on a break, but for myself, my goal now is to just focus on the last two games that we have and not try to think too much about what's ahead of us. But obviously it's getting closer and closer and so it's harder to not think about that stuff, but I'm very excited that it's going to be soon, but at the same time, that's the trick. I have to keep my focus and take care of business.
On Anze Kopitar: An unbelievable player, human being. Just an unbelievable career that he's had and obviously he's a winner, a Stanley Cup champion. Just the way he has played the game, he's one of those guys I looked up to a lot growing up and still even. Like, he's such a steady professional and he does so many good things on the ice. Just an honor to compete against a guy like that and I wish him all the best.
Brandon Bussi
On the game: I think that was a great 60+ minute effort by us tonight. I think we did a great job of kind of slowing down what they're good at, taking away a lot of their chances. They were a little opportunistic there at the end of the third, but just overall, a really great game for us.
On if it's difficult to face no shots for long stretches and then all of a sudden have to face a high-danger one off of the rush: My job is to be ready whenever my name is called upon. I think I'd rather have less shots than to be getting 50 a game. I think the team made my job pretty easy tonight.
On if it was difficult to stay engaged with the weird game flow: Honestly, not too much. I felt good the whole team even though it didn't personally go my way there at the end. I felt good, I was ready to make the next save all night.
On giving up two late goals: It's a really good learning experience. Overall, I was pretty happy with my game, honestly. The first goal, I kind of lost sight of the puck and I made a bad decision to kind of throw my leg up and not cover the five-hole. The second goal, I think you just tip your cap. I think that was just a really good play. Obviously I'm doing a lot of learning still and as a goalie, you want to clamp it down late in a game. You don't want to give up two goals to even the score, but overall, our team played great and there was nothing but full confidence that we were going to be able to pull it out. It took a little extra time, but that's kind of how it goes in this league. You find ways to win games no matter what.
On the team's overtime success: It's a lot of skill, but it's also work ethic too. And the ability to win 50/50 puck battles. I don't know how many times it was up for grabs, but at least four or five key moments of a bouncing puck and we came up with it and that leads to that offense and stuff. Obviously I have a lot of confidence in the guys to get the job done.
On Anze Kopitar nearly having a breakaway chance on him: I was ready for it. Maybe next time Jarv will let me have the save. No, I'm kidding. I mean, that's what we were doing all night. Even if we did get caught out of position, the extra effort was there. Our ability to kind of get sticks on pucks in crucial areas, from our D corps to our forwards, the effort was there tonight. It was really fun to be a part of.
On if he allows himself to enjoy all the milestones and records he's reaching/setting: I'm just onto the next day. It feels good to win. We've been doing a lot of it and the goal is to keep on doing it. Whether it's a 6-5 game or a 1-0 game, overtime or not overtime, it feels good to find a way regardless because come crunch time and playoffs, you just have to find a way.
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