May 10, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes right wing Andrei Svechnikov (37) celebrates his goal past Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson (48) defenseman Rasmus Sandin (38) and left wing Anthony Beauvillier (72) during the second period in game three of the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. (James Guillory-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/ad0a391e-1035-4b74-9b07-5b10cf4932a1.jpeg] May 10, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes right wing Andrei Svechnikov (37) celebrates his goal past Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson (48) defenseman Rasmus Sandin (38) and left wing Anthony Beauvillier (72) during the second period in game three of the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. (James Guillory-Imagn Images) The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Washington Capitals 4-0 in Game 3 at Lenovo Center Saturday night to take a 2-1 series. Frederik Andersen made 21-saves in the win and the Canes' depth shone through in the dominant win. After the game, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour, along with Andrei Svechnikov, Eric Robinson, Jack Roslovic and Andersen spoke with the media in Raleigh. Here's what they had to say: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ROD BRIND'AMOUR On Sean Walker and Jordan Martinook: I'm glad you mentioned Walks. I think he's been under the radar, really, all year. Whatever we ask him to do, he kind of fills in or takes the charge every night. He took the lead back there. He was really solid. Martinook plays the same whether its a preseason game or... maybe not preseason, but you know what I mean. That's kind of the group we have. Love both those guys. On Frederik Andersen's play in the first period: Clearly that was the key to our win tonight, that first period where clearly they were on their game and we were on our heels. It's what goaltending does. It kept us in the game. I thought we got to it a little bit in the second half of the game, but it could have been a lot different if we're chasing it. That might have been one of the better games he's played for us just with the actual magnitude of the game, what it means and how his performance impacted it with the way he played. On what got the team going in the second period: The second half of the game we got rolling a little better, but obviously that Svech goal was huge. Nothing going on, and obviously a won faceoff for them, but he ends up jumping in and sometimes you need those individual efforts. We had that tonight. This one, for me, is what it's more about. We talk about Freddie, Robby, that was a huge goal at the start of the third period, and that wan an individual effort. Svech's goal was an individual effort. So sometimes that's what you have to have and obviously that's what it was not tonight. On the importance of not just the center on faceoffs: Well, yeah. Everybody does the same thing on these, but Svech was on his toes and the puck just happened to go there. But then you have to make a play and he finished. On how hard it is to generate offense: We tried to, that's for sure. I mean, they did it to us tonight for half the game and the other night too. It's literally hard to get open, get an open shot and when you do, there's bodies diving in front of pucks. That's what playoff hockey is. It's hard. On Jack Roslovic stepping up after having been a healthy scratch: That was not an easy decision. It was the first time we had been healthy all year. Basically the start of the playoffs up front. We made that decision knowing that if someone gets hurt, he's the one going in. There was no second guessing that. He's got a lot of value to us because he plays center, plays right wing, is great on the power play and tonight, obviously that was a huge goal. We're lucky to have gotten him. During the regular season, he's a guy that can score. When he gets a chance, he can put it in the net and he did tonight. On if the Staal line shift before the first goal was a turning point in the game: Had we not scored then maybe not, but that created the o-zone faceoff and we decided to throw that line out there. Wasn't really the matchup we were going with, but we decided just to get that line out and it paid off. On the line shuffling: I didn't like how our momentum was going or just the flow of it. Nothing like the first two games. We had to do something to change it up a little bit and guys responded. On the team's depth: Health is huge at this time of the year. You look at the last series, a team that was nicked up and missing three top players. It's hard to win if you're not healthy at this time of year. You can get by in a game or two, but over a seven game series, it's going to show up. We've dealt with that over the last six years in the playoffs. Missing key guys, that's the difference. Literally a play here or there almost every night that decides it. So when you can have your full group, that gives you your best chance. On Jordan Martinook's status: We just talked about this, but I don't know what the health status is going to be for a couple guys next game. We'll see. Hopefully he'll be okay. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ANDREI SVECHNIKOV On getting the opening goal: Very nice. Just getting the lead, 1-0, I think is huge, especially when it's 0-0 in a tight game. You score a goal and that team kind of gives up a little bit. They played great and we give them credit. Our first period was a little bit sloppy, but we came hard in the second period and just continue doing it. On jumping into the faceoff despite losing the initial draw: Yeah. After every faceoff, we have a plan kind of, but to be honest, that one wasn't planned. I just saw the puck was loose and made the move to get closer to the puck and shot it. On the power play success: I feel like if you score one or two goals on the power play, I feel like you win the game. Just like that. On Frederik Andersen: Huge. I just told him that he was the best goalie, you know? He played huge for us and made unbelievable saves. We're gonna see more of that hopefully. On if he thinks the Capitals can keep up with them when they're on their game: I mean, I would say the perfect example would be our first game against them. We just kept the pressure on them and they didn't really have the chances. Like I said, the first period was okay and the second, third we played good. That's how we have to play. On what changed in the second period: Just felt that we got the momentum. Had a couple shifts in their zone. Just tried to support each other on the bench, yelling, 'Let's go! Let's go!' I felt like we just got the momentum and everyone picked it up. On the scrums late in the game: At the end of the game, those guys, that's just kind of their job. Get the players. That was fine. I love that too. The little scrambles. But I still have to stay out of it. On Jack Roslovic's goal: Huge. Every goal is huge in a game to be honest. That was huge. Leading 2-0 going into the third period gives us a big confidence definitely. On the team's mentality when they get the momentum: Just keep going. Like I said, we just supported each other on the bench and tried to keep the momentum and keep pushing. On if the team can feel that momentum when it builds: Yeah, 100%. I think we had a few shifts that were a few minutes in their zone and kept the momentum. Switched fast and a new guys come on and keep it up. On Jordan Martinook's shot blocking: Every shot is huge, I feel like, in the playoffs. Especially that one. You never know. We were up 3-0, but 3-1 would be a different story. So that was a huge block by Marty and hopefully he'll be okay. On not hitting the post this time: I know, exactly. Actually I hit the post in the first. It's okay though. Scored. On playing against a different-handed goalie: For me, I don't care really. I just try to look for the holes. Low, high, whatever I see. Obviously it's a different hand and you see his stick totally different. He's got a good glove, but just have to keep shooting. On Eric Robinson's goal: Robby was unbelievable. I actually didn't know [it was him at first], but then I saw the replay. Far-side, tucked up top. That was an unbelievable shot by him, for sure. On his shot that hit the post: I wasn't lucky enough, but next time. Just have to keep shooting. On having playoff experience: Obviously we've been here in the playoffs seven years and everyone has so much experience. There's little things. Like at the end, they tried to get us and so you just try to stay away. If you weren't playing in the playoffs, then you kind of would get emotional and all that stuff, but now we have experience. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ERIC ROBINSON On what went right in the second: Just getting to our game. It's pretty obvious when we're not playing it and maybe trying to do something different or do too much. So yeah, we just got to our game. On getting rolling: It just feels right. The whole group kind of knows which we play and which we way we have to play to be successful. You can feel it when you're rolling one shift after another, line after line, rather than just one and done. On his goal: It's obviously big. You always want to contribute in the playoffs when moments are bigger so it was nice to get one to go in. On playing with the lead: Hats off to Freddie. He kept us at 0-0 when we didn't necessarily have our stuff and then Svechy got us going which was huge. Then I thought the third was our best period. Just got to our game and just kept putting it on them. On the change between the first and second halves of the game: Sometimes you just get off to slow starts. Maybe bounces aren't going your way, but for us, I think it was just about making sure you're getting pucks behind them, high shot volume. That's our game. On Andrei Svechnikov: It's been really fun to watch him. He's obviously one of the best power forwards in the league. Big guy with a lot of skill. He's feeling it right now and it's a lot of fun to watch. On Frederik Andersen: All playoffs, he's just been unbelievable. Gives you a lot of confidence when you know he's back there and tonight was obviously one of his best. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- JACK ROSLOVIC On being back in the lineup and contributing: It's a deep team, a really good team so it's nice to come back and try to help the guys out as best I can. On the swing of emotions from being a healthy scratch to being in the lineup: I don't really want to get too deep into it. But like I said, just always be ready and try to help the team win. On if there was anything said to get the team going in the first intermission: No. I mean, we've had some first periods like that throughout the year and I think it's just a realization of the way we play. We have to clean it up a little bit, but we always seem to get back to it. If it weren't for Freddie, it could have been different. On Frederik Andersen's game: He saved my ass a couple times. On the team's depth: From the day that I got here, I realized the buy in, and it sounds cliche, but the comradery and the way we're coached and the way we all buy in to one system. It's something that we've found to be our crutch. On his goal: That's just the mentality of our power play. We try to get it in and get it set up as quickly as possible and then get everything to the net. I think it's just one of those shots that you're just working in the system of what we've kind of put together. On what's gone into his scoring bump this season: Mentality, mindset, the way we play. It's a mixture of a lot of things, but we still have some season left so I'll tell you when it's over. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FREDERIK ANDERSEN On the second and third periods: That was textbook Hurricanes hockey. Long shifts in their end, making it tough on them to break out and obviously that sets up the next line to kind of continue to do the same. It's tough to change that momentum when you're kind of in it as the defending team. Obviously huge to protect the lead and build on that. On shutting out the Capitals: We just wanted to comeback and try to protect home ice. The next play is always the most important. We obviously knew we didn't like our game in Game 2 and that we needed to respond. Got back to it. Obviously took a while, but took the lead and kept it going and protected it. On playing with the lead: Leads are nice, obviously, but at the end of the day, it's about the next shift. You try to get to your game as quick as possible, sometimes it takes a little longer, but you work for the bounce, the goal that gets through. It's different playing with the lead obviously, but again, the way we play in their end when we have a lead sets it up for us to have a better chance of scoring again. Playing above the puck and making it hard on them to get to our zone and do the same. Obviously need a lead to win the game, so we'll take it. On staying focused: They were great. Again, doesn't really matter what's happened in the game before. You just try to be ready for that next save. I guess you can say that every time, and it's a cliche, but just try to be in the moment, make the save and continue to keep the lead and let them do their thing. You don't get to choose when you get a shot against as a goalie, you just have to be ready for it. On keeping Alex Ovechkin off the scoresheet: Again, I don't get to choose who shoots. Just have to try and see what comes my way and do my best to stop it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be sure to check out the Carolina Hurricanes 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs Hub [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/carolina-hurricanes/latest-news/carolina-hurricanes-2025-stanley-cup-playoffs-hub] for all postseason stories! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stay updated with the most interesting Carolina Hurricanes stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwmeDfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen] to never miss a story.
