The Carolina Hurricanes opened their 2024-25 season by announcing the full opening roster. The Carolina Hurricanes got back to the way they're supposed to play Thursday night as they beat the Colorado Avalanche 5-3 at Lenovo Center. Andrei Svechnikov had a four-point night and Eric Robinson, Jack Roslovic, Seth Jarvis and Martin Necas all scored while Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 16 in the win. After the game, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour along with Svechnikov and Jordan Martinook spoke with the media. Here's what they had to say: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rod Brind'Amour On the challenge Colorado presented: That's one of the most talented teams, obviously. Kind of captain obvious there, but our group played really well tonight. A 60-minute effort. I thought it was on point and still it was a tight game. On Andrei Svechnikov: He had a couple that went off his stick. He's fighting that part a little bit, but I think this is hopefully a good confidence booster because he did some other things that were good tonight, especially that last goal and the goal before with the net front. He's doing the little things that you have to do. So hopefully that's a real positive step. On the team's effort to shutdown Colorado's top-five: You have to give credit to everyone, because everyone has to take a turn. We always say, 'You're going to have to play against [MacKinnon],' and I thought everyone stepped up. You have to give Jordo a lot of credit. We had to play him most of the time and they did a real nice job. You're not going to ever stop that player and they have other players. Makar is a phenomenal player and the list goes on. But we did about as good of a job as you can. On coming out with a strong start: We obviously had a real good first period and then were kind of almost fortunate to come out tied which was tough because we gave up that one weird one off a breakaway out of their own zone which shouldn't happen. But that's basically their chance of the period and I thought we played a phenomenal period. It was great. It didn't faze the guys. Just kept playing. Which the way it's gone here the last few games, could have maybe gone a different direction, but it didn't. They just kept playing and we got rewarded tonight. On the 5-on-3 penalty kill: That was the game. It was unfortunate. It's not a penalty, especially when you're already down. You have to be really sure it's a penalty and that could have flipped the game. But our guys stepped up there and did a real nice job with a couple of blocked shots and did what we had to do. On the team's effort tonight versus Tuesday: That was the complete opposite really. I thought tonight, from the start, we had... obviously everybody has a game plan and you have an idea on what you want to try and do, tendencies but you have to execute. Tonight we executed the plan the best we could. On Pyotr Kochetkov: Listen, it's the most important position. We talk about it all the time. Like I said, you're not going to hold that team to no scoring chances and they got there's, but he made two or three phenomenal saves at crucial times, so that was good. On Andrei Svechnikov and Martin Necas: Svech needed a game like that I think for himself. Like I said, I think he's still got another level there that he can get too and then Marty's just continued on. I mean, there's not much more that we can say. He's just kind of taken it on his shoulders right now on the offensive side of things. He's been our guy. Hopefully that continues. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Andrei Svechnikov On how he felt tonight: Actually, not great, but I kind of picked it up in the game in the second period and all that stuff. Obviously it's nice to get the points and it gives you confidence for sure. Just going to continue that. On why he didn't feel great: I don't know. Heavy legs I guess. On the team's bounce back: Obviously a tough few games for us before that but overall it was just a great game. We stuck with our plan and obviously the PP was great. Right places there and that was the key I feel like. On his work starting to pay off: I hope so. I hope it's going to continue to pay off. On finishing the game out: We're a great team. That's why we won that game. Obviously Colorado is a great team as well and it was just who was better tonight. On facing Colorado's top-five: Very difficult. Obviously they have the speed and all that stuff, but Staalsy did a great job tonight. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jordan Martinook On matching up all night against Nathan MacKinnon: Obviously he's an unbelievable player, but as, I guess you would say, a defensive forward or somebody plays that role of trying to shut the best guys down, you relish the opportunities to try and do that. I love when we get to play guys like Nate. It brings the best out of you in that aspect of it. It was fun. I look forward to these games for sure. On special teams: I just think timely kills, especially that 5-on-3. If they score on that, there's still 15 or 16 minutes left at that point. Our PP, that's what you want out of a PP. You want that killer instinct to go out and get you that goal and it ended up being a huge goal. On getting back to their style of play: Obviously we didn't like the way it's been going the last little bit and I think that's a good game to get you back on track, especially against a good team. I think everybody's happy in here to get back to winning and get some good mojo and good vibes going. On everyone chipping in: I think you look at our team, I feel like ever since I got here, you don't label lines. Everybody knows how we're going to play and everybody is trying to do the same thing. I think that's what makes a good team, when you have everybody pulling on the same rope and it showed tonight. On the final shifts: Obviously we don't want to give one up. We'll look at video. There's a couple things we can do differently on the 6-on-5. You play at 6-on-5 and they're just trying to get it to the net and outman you and that's basically what happened there. I think we can pressure a little more and be better at that, but we bared down when we needed to and got the win.
