'There's Still A Lot Of Room Here To Improve': Rod Brind'Amour On OT Win Over Chicago

The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Chicago Blackhawks in overtime 4-3 at United Center Monday night.

The Canes found themselves in an early 2-0 and then a late 3-2 hole, but the team just kept digging and eventually found a way to win.

Seth Jarvis, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Jordan Staal and Sebastian Aho all scored for Carolina while Frederik Andersen stopped 22 shots in his first game back since October.

After the game, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour spoke with the media in Chicago. Here's what he had to say:

Rod Brind'Amour

On Petr Mrazek giving the team trouble: He always is. We know him from the past. A great goalie. But I give our guys credit. We didn't play a great game by any means, but we were digging. We were digging hard. Have to give credit to the captain. We talked about him before the game and it's the same stuff every night. Without him, I'm not sure where we'd be. Because he just drags us into it every night.

On what's been working so well for Jordan Staal as of late: Well, I don't know. I mean, he's the same. I just think he's getting rewarded with some good effort and his linemates are playing well too. Whether it's Jarvy there or Marty, you have to give them credit too. That line is really... it's our best line. It's not even close. These other guys, we have room to get better. That's the good news for me. We got two points, but there's still a lot of room here to improve.

On the shorthanded goal: We were dead in the water. Not a good start and they're on the power play there. If they get one there it's probably lights out, but again, Jarvy and Seabass stepped up. They've done a nice job on the kill this year and that was huge. Got us in the game and got us some life.

On Frederik Andersen's return: He made a lot of good saves early even though we were down two and then not much the rest of the game. We were pretty solid. But then what happens? Breakaway. For no reason. That's the stuff that's been killing us. Can't have that. Little flip out and then, 'Oh, breakaway.' But the goalie came up huge. That's the save of the game because otherwise it would be two points for them and nothing for us if he didn't have that. Have to give him credit too because he had been out for whatever it is. Nobody really knew what we were going to get and I'm sure he didn't really, but he was solid. Pretty happy for him.

On Sebastian Aho and Martin Necas combining once again for an OT winner: They're dynamic and that's kind of their time, especially Marty, I think. But it goes back to even the start of it. Jordo wins the faceoff, we don't really lose possession and then we're able to get those guys out there and the talent, they do have that, and it was on full display there.

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