Staal's game-winner seals a hard-fought victory as Brind'Amour, Jarvis, and Aho dissect the Hurricanes' ninth straight point.
The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Ottawa Senators 4-3 Monday night at Lenovo Center to extend their point streak to nine straight games.
Brandon Bussi made 24 saves, Seth Jarvis scored twice and Jordan Staal netted the game-winner with just over five minutes to go in the game.
After the game, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour along with Staal, Jarvis and Sebastian Aho spoke with the media. Here's what they had to say:
Rod Brind'Amour
On Jordan Staal: Can't say enough about him. Two of the goals directly involved him. Obviously on the power play and then that rush goal. That was a great shot. And then all the other stuff. He's done that for us forever and now adding a few goals here, he's putting a little more attention on his game, but really, nothing's changed.
On the game: It's not typically how a game goes for us. Gotta give Ottawa a lot of credit. They were on their game and it was kind of very similar to the one up there when we played them, to be honest. We were able to be opportunistic and cash in on a couple of really nice plays. Then we obviously had some big saves and that's another way to win as well.
On Brandon Bussi: All game, he made crucial saves at big times. Second period especially, we started getting into a little bit of a track meet there, a couple of bad changes and all of a sudden, odd-man rushes turn into four grade-As in one 10-second span. It was just like boom, boom, boom, boom, over, really, us making a poor decision, but then that's what you need. It's what he's done in pretty much every start for us.
On how he feels about the team's play over the current stretch: Well, we're playing a lot of teams that are... you can see the desperation level and the intensity with which they're playing. So games are really tough. Not that the other ones aren't, but there's another element to that. We're finding ways to win, which is good. You're not always going to dominate the game or whatever, you have to find ways and tonight is kind of what happened.
On one more game before the Olympic break: We've been kind of talking about it for a little while, really the whole month. We know we have a break, but can we stay focused and push through. And it's easier said than done. Everybody's making plans and there's a lot of distractions. But we have to be professional here. We have business to do and we have one more game to focus in on.
On handling the pressure of being one of the top teams: Competitive pressure, whatever you want to call it, is always there for us. It's kind of internal. We have certain standards in the way we want to play and if you do that right, we should be in that conversation. That's where we need to be and where we want to be.
On Nikolaj Ehlers setting up the game-winner: It was hanging onto it in the neutral zone, buying a little time and then catching them with a great pass up the ice. We know that he's one of those players that has a little extra composure element to his game and obviously the skill level, but it's been a great addition.
On the benefit of the upcoming break: Every team pushes hard, but I think we've pushed really hard all year. We demand a lot and guys... it will be good to get refreshed, for sure. I think the whole league needs it, just with the way the schedule has been for every team and with everybody being beat up because of the Olympics, but I think it'll be a welcome break for our guys.
On the top line: That line for the most part has been pretty solid. They've had a few games where they weren't maybe as noticeable, but tonight obviously they made a couple of really nice plays. We need them on the scoresheet. At the end of the day, they play in all the key situations, so if they're not chipping in on a nightly basis or at least fairly nightly, then we're not in great shape. But they've done a nice job.
Jordan Staal
On the game: It was a grind. There wasn't a lot of room and they did a good job of staying on top of guys and not letting you break the puck out clean. They did a lot of forechecking and our D did a good job of continuingly breaking pucks out and getting out of our end. It was a tight game and it just takes one little mistake and we capitalized on it. It was nice to get the win.
On his game-winning goal: Fly obviously made a great pass, a quick up. I saw them changing and I got a good angle so I just closed my eyes and she went in.
On if he really didn't pick a spot: No. Just trying to get it in the net.
On Brandon Bussi: Just... yeah. Not much more can be said. He's been so steady ever since he showed up here. He's steady, but also makes some big saves too in big moments. Tonight was no different. I think there were probably four or five that were huge. Not much more can be said about him. He's been unbelievable.
On approaching the Olympic break: We need one more big game here and that's all we're really focused on. Obviously you want to play well and stack points and continue to take advantage of games here, but we're focused in on the last game here and then we'll take a little breather.
On Seth Jarvis: He was due, I think. Last game he had about 20 chances. It was bound to go in for him. A great power play play there to kind of get him going and then obviously an unbelievable individual effort on the second one. He's so talented with that speed and his hands. He played a great game for us.
On the team's top line: They're just talented and good players. I think the way they think the game and their speed and the way they read off of each other, it just gives more and more chances for them and tonight they went it. It was good to see and hopefully they continue to do that.
Seth Jarvis
On the game: They still got their chances, but that's gonna happen in the NHL. I thought we did a good job of just, kind of when they were getting momentum, flipping it on them. Taking advantage of our opportunities. It was a big win for us.
On Jordan Staal: He's been incredible and a big reason, I think, why our power play is doing as well as it has been. Starting with the puck and letting us run our plays and giving us a chance to score right away, which we did tonight.
On if he feels defenders underestimate his speed off of the rush: I don't know, maybe I look fat out there or something and so they think I'm a little slow. The speed's still in there somewhere. It's nice when you get those opportunities. You kind of just catch them flatfooted and throw it back a little bit.
On Brandon Bussi: He came up huge. Plays like that [his save on Drake Batherson before his second goal], like they're kind of all-in on that rush, so to be able to flip it on them and score and take advantage is huge. You don't get a lot of rush opportunities in the NHL, so when you can capitalize, it's massive.
On the dramatic wins as of late: It just comes from the leadership in our room. I think being able to be in tough games. We went through a tough stretch early on where we were blowing leads and struggling a little bit, so to be able to grind these out and be comfortable in these tight games and trust our process and know that we'll get our chances to score has been huge.
On the Olympics: I think I blew that opportunity already. I think that parts done. I mean, you never know. I'm just trying to play the best hockey I can for the Hurricanes and whether that results in me somehow ending up in the Olympics, that'd be cool, but that's definitely not my focus. I'm focusing on the guys in here and the team in here and winning however we can.
On his line: Everyone's been contributing in different ways. The way Svechy plays with his strength and his power creates a lot of loose pucks for me and Fishy to kind of swoop in and then from there, everyone on our line is talented and we can take advantage and make plays. I think we can get a little bit of open ice and take advantage of it and that's been huge for us, right now.
On the final game before the Olympic break: It's huge. I mean, you don't want to sit on a loss for three weeks or sit on a bad game. So just come in with the mindset of keeping this thing rolling, grinding one more out and then just leaving it all out on the ice because you got three weeks to recoup.
On his telephone celebration following his second goal: I wasn't calling anybody. I don't know what happened. I blacked out a little bit there. Svechy was mad that I blew right by him, so now I gotta make it up to him.
Sebastian Aho
On the game: It was good. Obviously we were able to get a win so that's what matters. Solid game. They played well and so did we. Good win.
On if it felt like a game they needed to win for Brandon Bussi: Yeah, I mean, sure. Our goalie has been really good the whole year. He gives us a chance to win a hockey game every night and that's all you can ask. Bus made some great saves tonight, but yeah, to me, I gotta try to do what I do and let the goalies do their part. I don't let that part affect my game, but yeah, they've been unbelievable all year.
On the final game before the break: One more left obviously. You want to finish on the right note obviously. I talked about it this morning a little bit. Just trying to keep my focus. Obviously a lot of exciting stuff coming up, but just have to take care of the business here first and then enjoy that part. Just trying to keep my focus and do my job.
On the dramatic finishes as of late: I don't know. We'll take the wins any way we can. Sometimes games go like that. Like I said, what we're trying to do here is win hockey games and get some points and get us to the playoffs. As of late, we've done a pretty good job, so let's keep it going.
On his line: I'm playing with two really good players obviously. I like when we skate. We can all skate, battle hard, score goals and make plays. We're just playing good hockey as a line and also trying to not give them too much. Obviously that's the mindset that we have here, not to give them anything and wait for your chances and trust your skill that it will take over eventually. It's been good.
On Jordan Staal: He does a lot of things for us. Of course you want to see everyone score and feel good about their games and obviously he's been scoring some big goals for us as of late, the whole year really. I don't think he really changes how he plays, whether he scores or not, but it's obviously great to see him on the scoresheet. He earns those goals.
On his feelings on soon representing his country in the Olympics: It's hard not to daydream about it. You get asked about it a lot right now and I'm going to go home now and pack and do all the stuff. Obviously you're thinking about that stuff and you're just so excited about it and you're like... I don't know. I don't even know how to describe it, but I'm trying not to think about it too much. Just take care of the business in New York and go from there.
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