Yahoo Sports 'We Just Didn't Want To Play The Way We Need To': Rod Brind'Amour, Shayne Gostisbehere On Loss On Long Island
The Carolina Hurricanes lost 4-3 to the New York Islanders Saturday evening at UBS Arena.
The Canes twice had a lead as Andrei Svechnikov scored two power play goals, but a really poor stretch of defending in the second period doomed the Hurricanes.
After the game, Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour along with Shayne Gostisbehere spoke with the media. Here's what they had to say:
Rod Brind'Amour
On the game: The first period was average. We had to kill a couple of penalties and did a good job at that. Then the second one was just... we just didn't want to play the way we need to. Then you come out and play a great third period but it doesn't matter because you've already given them too much of a lead. Tough one again.
On the team trying to find consistency: We're just a little off. We forget how hard it is to play our game and to win. Can't take it for granted. I think you can see it in our play. When we want to go it's there, but at times we're just a little off here. We have to regain it. There's only one way to play. There's no easy way. We'll get there.
On not being able to capitalize early: Their goalie made a couple of great saves too. You have to call it like it is. The third period, we had our opportunities but we had to get two and we were only able to get one. He had a couple on 2-on-1s, comes across twice and made some big saves. That's what you need in this league. He did a good job but they also played a good game. Got up and did what they had to do.
On if the game was more open than he'd like to see: Ours were just, I think, mistakes that we made. We got kind of fortunate on some bounces to get our 2-on-1s, but we had a couple of turnovers that you just can't do and they made us pay. They made some nice plays on their rush chances and you have to give them credit.
On Andrei Svechnikov: We still have to get that 5v5 game going but I thought the third period was good. He was noticeable ever shift. That's what he has to do for us. Not just him, everyone, but for his game, he's a big, powerful player and we definitely need him.
On if the Islanders did anything to disrupt their game: We knew what they were going to do and they did exactly what we thought was going to happen. I just don't think we handled it very well. We kind of tried to do a little too much with the puck. A couple of bounces over our stick and we didn't keep one in that led to the one rush. But they also made their bounces. Got to give them credit.
Shayne Gostisbehere
On the game: A little too late. We had a pretty good first. Were playing the right way, making the right plays, getting pucks on net and I don't know really what happened in the second. We just complicated things and made it harder on ourselves. It's hard to chase games in this league. Obviously it's tough when you're trying to come from behind. It's little things that have crept into our game in the last five here. Obviously we have to get it figured out.
On the power play's success: Just puck movement. We're getting pretty comfortable with one another. It's tough when you're having such good success on the power play and obviously we're more worried about the 5v5. When you get those two working together and blending well, it's a pretty good recipe.
On Andrei Svechnikov starting to find some more scoring: Absolutely huge. We know the type of player he is and he knows the type of player he is. He works way too hard to give us the games he was giving us and he knows that. He just has to find his game. It's a step in the right direction, for sure.
On if he felt they didn't capitalize enough early: Yeah, a little bit. We definitely played really well in the first and it was the little things. We were winning the 50/50s and we were doing the little things like getting the puck to the net. Obviously you want more production, but it's nice when you have a good period and we have to just try and keep that going.
On if the Islanders did anything to throw the team off: No. They play the way we thought they would play. They play a hard game and capitalized on our mistakes and you saw it. We gave up some odd-man rushes, some breakaways and just stuff that can't creep up into our game. We can't just give teams goals. We have to make it a lot harder.
On the conversations with the group following a game like this: We have to find it. We played pretty crappy for three in a row and then had a good one against Colorado and then again we're back in the crappy part. I think, for us, we just have to find that consistency in what we were doing earlier in the season. We'll turn it around.
