The Carolina Hurricanes bent but didn't break Saturday night at PNC Arena, as they found a way to battle back, winning 3-2 in overtime against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Brett Pesce recorded two goals, both the game's first and the game-winner, Jordan Martinook also scored and Antti Raanta put on a vintage performance turning aside 38 of 40 shots.
After the game, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour along with Raanta, Pesce and Sebastian Aho spoke with the media. Here's what they had to say:
Rod Brind'Amour
On the game: It was a great first period. Probably should have had more than two. We had plenty of opportunities. Their goalie played great in the first period and kept them in it. They're a high-quality team, you know they're going to come back plus we were in the box there for a good stretch. Momentum kind of went the other way and then they got a couple bounces and made us pay at the end, but I thought overall... I mean, Raanta was great, but their guy was phenomenal. We probably had more odd-man rushes in that game than in any I can remember. We just weren't able to score. He kept them in the game, nut obviously we were able to pull it out.
On Antti Raanta: That one save was spectacular. He made a bunch of other close ones in tight that didn't really seem that dangerous but were. He was right on. He was great and allowed us to get the win because if he wasn't on tonight, we would have been in trouble.
On the intensity of the game: It was an exciting game. Lots of scoring opportunities, lots of flow up and down. Not usually how it goes, but you have a lot of talent out there on the ice tonight.
On matching up against Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin: [Keeping them in check] was pretty much how it worked out until the end there and they were able to capitalize, but that's what they can do obviously. Those guys are pretty talented players. But like I said, it was a good game for us.
On Brett Pesce: He's had so many opportunities this year and like he said, it was like he had been saving them up for the right time. Obviously we needed him tonight, but he's always getting opportunities because he knows how to get in there, the timing for joining the rush or whatever it is. It was nice to see.
On Tristan Jarry: [Jarry] is a proven goalie. He's done it. He was good, but I love the fact that our guy was as good and that was the key tonight.
On Dmitry Orlov and Jalen Chatfield: [Orlov] hit the crossbar on the rush there, that could have put the game away but he's hit a couple bars here in the last couple of games. He's a guy that needs to get a couple of bounces, but [Chatfield] if not save a goal, saved a rush chance and drew a penalty because of his speed in the third. They were real pivotal tonight, for sure.
On closing in on the New York Rangers for top spot in the Metro: There's just so much season to go yet. We just have to focus on us and let everyone else worry about everyone else.
On if the team being able to pick off a lot of the Penguin's passes was something they picked up on video: I don't know if that's what we were focusing on. It's just being in the right spots. that's what you're always focusing on.
Brett Pesce
On his overtime goal: Nice pass. I saw that I had some room, so just tried to sneak behind him and good things happen when you put the puck on net. Thankfully, I got a few bounces tonight.
On resetting for overtime: We've been through adversity as a team early on this year, for sure. We're starting to roll now, but we're just a relentless group. There's so much faith in our locker room that even if things don't go our way, like how they get a bounce at the end, that we're going to stick with our plan and put the hammer down.
On producing as of late: The boys are happy right now, so hopefully we can keep it going.
On the home stretch: It's huge. It kind of felt like we were on the road the whole first half of the year, so to be home for this long and in front of our fans, it's special and it's important to capitalize on it.
On Antti Raanta: Unbelievable, man. I can't say enough about him. What he's been through this year... He's one of the best guys I've met through hockey and honestly, in my life. Just couldn't be happier for him.
On the key to blocking shots: Just lay down and pray. That's about it.
Antti Raanta
On coming out on the right side of the game: It's tough to go to OT when the other team scores in the last minute, but you just keep playing your game and hope that we're going to find a way to get that puck in. Obviously great to see Pesce scoring that goal and get two points. Obviously a great game, playoff-type of game. Great to get two points and get back to the wins.
On how he felt: Everything is fine. Always during the game, something happens or you kind of lose your edge or something, and maybe in the second there was a couple of times where I was in the full splits and somebody was laying on top of me like that, but that's why you stretch during the nighttime and in the morning. When you win, you feel great. Maybe if we got a loss, I would probably be a little more stiff, but no issues. Got a great staff here and so I can't wait to get on the table and get some work.
On his glove save on Sidney Crosby: You knew also that there was too much time on the clock still, but yeah, those saves happen sometimes. I would say that it's not that much skill, but more so puck luck also that your glove just happens to be there when you stretch out like that. Obviously great to make that kind of save. Crosby's been scoring against us a lot, so great to make that save. Overall today, I think it just felt like I was in the right spot all the time. I was seeing the shots and making the saves that I had to make. I think that's what I've been focused on but then something like that happens also when you do the small things right. Great to see a little highlight reel save here and there also.
On the intensity of the game: That's a great team that we played against. They're a hard working team. They keep that stress going and pucks going deep and forechecking hard. When their D-men get the puck, they just rip it on net and they've got some good sticks around the net also, so that's a really hard working team and I think we matched that and it kind of felt like a playoff type of game. Great to see that our guys came ready to play.
Sebastian Aho
On winning in overtime: It's a big win. A big difference in the mood in the locker room when you win or lose one of those.
On Antti Raanta: Unreal. Unreal. Just from start to finish, he kept us in the game and just made some huge saves there. I think their goalie was hit too and made some saves. But this is what it's going to be like. Tight games.
On if Tristan Jarry's play got to them at all: No. We got two [in the first period]. You've gotta be happy against a team like that. We had a lot of chances there, so it would have been game over had we scored three or four there, but their goalie was great too. Two great goalies and two great teams playing a tight game. That's a good win.
On balancing offense and defense in his line matchup: You've just gotta be aware. They obviously have elite skill on that line, but they play pretty simple at the very end. I think it was a pretty good matchup all night.
On Brett Pesce scoring: Those were big ones. He's had some looks this year, so happy for him to score a couple of big ones.
On matching up against Sidney Crosby: Obviously that's a big role. You want to be out there and match against the best players on other teams and he's certainly one of the best to ever play this game. It's exciting. You probably get a little extra jump in your legs knowing you have to go against that guy. It's always fun.
On the importance of the homestand: It's so tight, the whole East. Every point and win we can get... it's what we want to do. Just have to keep building.