Notes and Quotes from the Hurricanes’ 3-2 Overtime Win Over the Bruins

From the Coach

Bill Peters:

That was an interesting one, for sure. We weren’t perfect early, we knew that, and the guys were real good about staying with it. We got a spark from the shorthanded goal, and then we started to move our feet and drew some penalties.

We were fortunate that Wardo was real good. It was a one shot game. We hung onto the pucks a lot more in the third and didn’t spend a lot of time in our own zone, which helped a lot.

We had to make changes. We were a little flat. Whether that gave us much spark I’m not sure, but you have to try something. I give those guys credit for digging in and playing real good when the game was on the line.

We’ve been good everywhere - on the road, at home, and obviously we’ve played a bit more at home lately. We’re comfortable where we are, taking our lineup anywhere, against anybody.

Faulk is playing well. He’s up the ice a little more, he’s in the rush, he looks more comfortable and confident. He’s a key guy, and you rely on your key guys and play your horses to get it done. That was a huge goal. Credit to the guys for getting organized off the draw.

From the Locker Room

Teuvo Teravainen:

[On the OT goal] I think I was just trying to come with speed and use the D-man with speed and just shoot. That’s it. (chuckles)

We have been playing better. We were having some bad periods, and that happens with every team. Our overall play is getting better, and today we were down 2-0 but still battled to get a win. That’s good.

Jordan Staal:

It’s a close-knit team. Lots of young guys, they’re together almost every day. You can tell the group is starting to come together even more on the ice, getting behind each other and working for each other. That’s what good teams need to have if you want to go far.

It’s always important to get points at home. It’s been fun playing here in front of our fans, and we’ve continued to play well here. You always want to have a building that’s tough to come into and win, and we’re trying to continue that identity.

Dobby’s a great goaltender. He played unbelievable for us when he was here. I was fortunate to get one by him.

Cam Ward:

Our best period was the third period. We’ve been in reverse scenarios, where we have had the lead and haven’t been able to hang on. Tonight was the opposite. We scratched and clawed. It wasn’t pretty, but guys showed some character and regrouping. It’s a great feeling to finish off like that into a three-day break.

We’ve also been in games where we’ve dominated and haven’t been on the winning side. I can’t say I feel bad about taking the two points. They’re a tough team, that played real well in the first two periods. We were on our heels for a lot of the game. It was great to see Turbo cash in on the three-on-three.

That’s my job, you’ve got to give your team the opportunity to get into the game, and they were firing a lot of pucks at the net. I felt comfortable for it being a back to back. I just wanted to give our team a chance and fortunately we were able to come back. We needed someone to step up, and Jordan scoring on that shorthanded breakaway definitely gave us a spark.

I thought Faulker played an awesome game too. Big minutes for a back to back. You need guys to step up when things aren’t going as planned.

What a crowd. It was great to see what appeared to be a full building. Now everyone leaves happy too.

Game Notes

• Faulk certainly did come around as the game went on. He has now scored three goals in his last four games, and has nine points in his last eight games. Go get yourself some Christmas queso tomorrow.
• Staal’s goal was the Canes’ fifth shorthanded goal of the season, tied with the Rangers for second-most in the league (and most in the East) and trailing only Calgary by a goal for the league lead.
• Peters mixed up the lines and pairings in the second period, understandably trying to spark something on a lifeless Canes bench. Interestingly, he went back to the original lineup after Staal’s goal, and it paid dividends when Faulk scored off assists from Lindholm and Staal, by then reunited.
• The Canes’ ten-game point streak at home is their longest such streak since 2009, when they won twelve in a row from February 20-April 7 to rocket into a playoff position. With the way the Metro looks this season, this streak is mostly allowing them to tread water rather than make a run up the standings, but think of where they’d be without it at this point; they’d be dead and buried.
• Elias Lindholm assisted not only on the game-tying goal, but the game winner as well. It’s his second multi-assist game of the season.
• The Canes turned the tables on the shot counter after two periods. Despite being outshot 33-23 overall, the Canes outshot the Bruins 11-4 in the final period and overtime, and scored on the only shot by either team on goal in the extra session.
• The holiday break this year begins tomorrow and extends through Monday. The Canes are back on the ice Tuesday before flying to Pittsburgh for a Wednesday matchup with the Penguins, then they’re back home on Friday to host the Blackhawks in the final game of 2016 at PNC Arena.