The Carolina Hurricanes have come out of the holiday break hot and have now scored five goals in back-to-back games.
Tonight, the Canes defeated the Montreal Canadiens 5-3 at PNC Arena. Jesper Fast scored twice and Andrei Svechnikov completed the hat trick with an empty net tally.
Antti Raanta picked up his first win since Nov. 22 stopping 18 of 22.
After the game, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour along with Sebastian Aho, Fast and Svechnikov spoke with the media. Here's what they had to say:
Rod Brind'Amour
On Andrei Svechnikov: We talk about it all the time, he's gotta get on the scoresheet for us to be the team we need to be. He's a dominant player and to be that, you've got to score. He does other things, obviously, but tonight that was the big difference.
On the bottom six having a big night: That was huge to have that in that game because we needed it. We needed to get something going and those lines were doing that. Then Svech was able to capitalize and cash in. Those lines contributed and got us the win.
On the third period: That's the story of the game. Nothing was really going our way. We had a great first period and you look up and somehow it's 2-2. Like, 'What just happened?' and then we're up going into the third and had a great shift going. I'm thinking, 'Okay, good.' We get a great one-time option coming down the pipe and we fan on it and it's a breakaway and it's in your net and your like, 'Oh boy.' And then we got two penalties on top of it that were it felt like it just wasn't going to go our way, but I loved how the guys just killed those penalties. That [first one] might have been the only one we gave up the whole period. Stuck with it and we got what we deserved tonight.
On Antti Raanta getting back in the win column: I think just for him... He didn't have a ton of work, but it was just good to get him back in here and get him hopefully feeling good about the way things went.
On Sebastian Aho winning key faceoffs leading to goals: It's huge. It's a huge part of the game. It doesn't get talked about enough. For all aspects of the game. Whether it's special teams, you win the draw and get your set or get the puck down when you're killing, there's just a whole bunch of things and obviously that was the difference in the game.
On running a successful set play: You pretty much run one of those every faceoff, so how often does it actually hit? We saw it happen to us the other night on the exact same play. You're on your guy, but you're not quite on your guy and sometimes that's all it takes in this league.
Sebastian Aho
On picking up a win for Raanta: For sure. I'm sure it's a big one for him and a big one for the team as well.
On having back-to-back four-point games: It's always nice to produce. Two big wins after the break. Just try to keep it up.
On if getting contributions throughout the lineup helps him: I just try to do my job every night. Obviously try to score four points every night, but it doesn't always go your way. I feel like we've been playing pretty good with Svechnikov and Teravainen. They've obviously been helping me a lot. Just try to keep it going.
On winning key faceoffs: That's a big part of the game, especially on those big draws like power play, PK or whatever. O-zone or d-zone, you just try to bear down and win them because puck possession is huge. I don't even know my stats, where they are at, but tonight they felt good. Snapped a few back on the power play, so it always helps.
On maturing in the faceoff dot: I'm obviously taking more draws every year and yeah, it helps. Obviously experience and also just learning from your mistakes.
On having a hot start towards 600 points: Hopefully it happens as fast as possible.
Jesper Fast
On playing with Jack Drury and Stefan Noesen: I think it's pretty similar. We're working hard, winning draws. So it doesn't really change my game. It's good to have some success elsewhere too. Was a good game for us and I think for 60 minutes, we did a good job.
On his goal: The first goal I fanned first on the shot and then Aho had a good tip there and it was probably one of the easiest goals I've had so far, so it was a good one.
On his adaptability: I've been a lot with [Jordan Staal] through my career here. I'm glad to have some success elsewhere too, but I think they're pretty similar. They're working hard, they're good at draws. Today was good. We played a really good game.
On getting rewarded: I've been waiting for those a little bit this year. They haven't come easy so far, so of course it's a good feeling to get two goals today and hopefully I can ride the wave a little bit here.
On having family in town: My wife's parents are here. They've been cooking Swedish Christmas food for me during the break. Some Swedish meatballs and all that stuff. Apparently they're working good so far. May have to get a few before they leave here.
Andrei Svechnikov
On the hat trick: It was a fun one for sure.
On if anything has felt like it's changed recently: Hard question, to be honest. I feel like I'm doing kind of the same thing. Maybe just feel a little bit lighter, all that stuff. Hands, skating. Whenever you feel that, you kind of don't worry about anything. You know you're going to make a good play and you kind of hope for that.
On his empty netter: I don't know if I was ever thinking I was going to score from there. It was kind of right in the air too. I was a little bit nervous it was going to be icing, but thank God it went in the net.
On the game winner: We knew we were going to run that play and everyone did their job and Pesce made a nice play. I just had to shoot that one.
On meshing with Aho as of late: When it doesn't work well, we just have to put those games behind us and focus on the next one and play the same way.
On having his mom in town: She's kind of been staying with me all year and that obviously helps. You come home and you always know you have someone to talk with. It's for sure a big one.
On picking up a win for Raanta: It's a big win for him. It's going to give him confidence and hopefully he can move on from that.