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The Carolina Hurricanes held on to thwart the Edmonton Oilers and their offensive stars in a 2-1 win at PNC Arena.
Teuvo Teravainen extended his point streak to eight games with a goal and an assist and Frederik Andersen turned aside 29 shots.
After the game, head coach Rod Brind’Amour along with Sebastian Aho, Brett Pesce and Teuvo Teravainen spoke about the game. Here’s what they had to say:
Rod Brind’Amour
On the tightness of the game: Crazy how that happens. It could have been 3-0 and we’re playing pretty well, but that made it a different kind of game. You know, they had the same thing though at the start of the game, so I guess those sort of cancel out. It was weird. For the amount of high offense players in the game, there wasn’t a ton of high-danger opportunities, but it was a bunch of almosts. You can feel it, the way those guys play. Man they’re handful for sure. I thought we had a good effort again and obviously I liked the result.
On holding Leon Draisaitl to 0 shots on goal: That’s huge. I felt like he was on the ice the whole game. They play those guys a lot. They’re two pretty special players for sure. But I have to give our guys credit, the defense especially. Those are heavy minutes and like I said, if you’re holding that guy to zero shots, you’re doing something good.
On the cleanness of the goals scored: That’s kind of what was available. I think the whole key for us, is to understand what’s available. What is the bets play. Sometimes you over pass it and you talk about that a lot, but those were the plays there. The power play was a nice one. We struggled on the second power play, it wasn’t clean, but then they got it together. Got to give the guys a lot of credit. They got themselves together and had a plan and executed pretty well.
On if he likes these tight games: No, no. The kinds of games I like best are the ones from the night before where it’s 4-0 in the third and are rolling all four lines. Tonight, some guys I couldn't get them out there the way I like to. Just the way it was kind of rolling. It was an interesting kind of game that way.
On Teuvo Teravainen shooting the puck more: I don’t know how much he listens to me, to be honest with you. He’s got a rocket shot. It’s deceiving. It doesn’t look like it because he doesn’t really lean into it, but it comes off his stick really well. Love it when he’s shooting the puck.
On if his shot seems better this year: It’s probably just because you’re seeing it more. I think it’s the same, it’s just now you’re seeing him do it more and it’s like, ‘Wait, where’s that been?’ It’s always been there.
On if Teravainen has another level to reach in terms of goal scoring: I always will say that you can get better. There’s always something. It’s tough when you’re talking about elite athletes, but to me, it’s the consistency of it. Can you do it shift after shift and game after game. And right now they’re showing it, which is why they’re having the results.
On what he likes the best about Frederik Andersen’s game: He stops the puck. He’s calm in there, so he makes you feel calm. Even when you have a really good chance coming at you, the way he plays it makes you feel like, ‘Oh, that wasn’t as good of a chance.’ Makes you feel like it’s not going so bad. I think he calms the group down with the way he plays and obviously he’s stopping the puck at a high rate. That helps.
On Brett Pesce and Jaccob Slavin going toe to toe with the best players in the game: I think if you just go back against these guys in the last couple of years, it’s pretty much the same story. We’ve got some pretty good defenders back there that are matching up against those guys.
On the Sebastian Aho line rising up to the challenge of facing that top competition: As a player, you like having those opportunities. Doesn’t happen all that often when you play them only twice a year. But the other night too, with [Aho] playing against Crosby. You get a little more excited for games like that for sure.
On Connor McDavid’s disallowed goal seeming like it was going to be a long night: A little bit, but you show it, you talk about it before the game, the team knows it’s coming. That’s how elite players are. You know that they’re there, you know what they’re going to do and you still can’t stop it. That’s how you become an elite player. Everybody knows what you’re doing. Everybody knows that he’s going come in and build speed, they’re going to kick it out underneath to him and you can’t stop it. That’s just how it goes. We got lucky for sure on that one.
Sebastian Aho
On having the chance to play against guys like McDavid and Draisaitl: It’s definitely fun. They are top players in this league. McDavid has unbelievable speed and skill and is just an elite player. It’s a fun challenge, I’m not going to lie. Just enjoyed playing against him because you want to beat the best, right? It was a good challenge and we got the win which is the most important thing.
On the strangeness of the game: The second period took so long to get back going, but yeah. I thought that we got a little momentum on their offside goal where we challenged and it was a good challenge and then the same thing kind of happened in the second. It should have been 3-0 and all of the momentum for us, but they made a nice challenge there. They got a little momentum there. It was definitely a weird game. A lot of stuff that doesn’t often happen.
On why the penalty kill is so successful: Probably starts with the hot goalie. You can trust your own goalie and he’s always the most important guy on the PK. He allows you to up the pressure on the ice because you know he’s going to make the save if we do something stupid out there. Probably starts from that and obviously I’ve been playing with [Teravainen] for quite a bit. We read off of each other. We have elite defensemen. Probably those things.
On him and Teravainen tying the franchise record for most goals connected on with 171: Cool. He’s a great player and fun to play with. Hopefully we score a lot more.
On scoring two pretty goals: It’s not always like that where you can make five straight pass tape-to-tape and then you score a goal, but those were nice plays by us. I think we started on time and created those chances and they were big goals early on. It was enough for us.
Brett Pesce
On his almost goal: Thanks. Wish it counted. Damn.
On what it’s like playing against McDavid and Draisaitl: It’s hard. Obviously they’re two of the best players in the world. The thing with McDavid is that you try and stay tight on him as much as you can, but he’ll just blow right by you. It’s kind of tough to defend those guys, but obviously I thought we did a really good job of it tonight.
On what he was thinking when McDavid flew down and scored right away: I was thinking it might have been a long afternoon, that’s for sure. Thankfully, we got a bounce and it was offsides, so it was all good.
On what he’d want more: a goal or keeping McDavid and Draisaitl off the board: Keeping McDavid and Draisaitl with no points. I’m a D-man. I don’t score much anyway. It was good keeping them off the board for sure.
On the penalty killing: It was good today. I just think we have a good system in place and we all buy in. Everyone’s willing to block a shot and I think everyone does a good job when it’s time to jump on them and try to get after them and take away their space. We’re just so in sync. Whoever’s out there. The four guys that are out there just are intact with each other and we’re really confident right now too.
On if this is the most cohesive penalty killing unit he’s been a part of: Yeah. I’d say that.
On the team getting better at closing out games: I think the games that we gave up goals at 6-on-5 some of them were just tough bounces going to the guy backdoor. It’s going to happen. It goes back to our systems. We have a good structure at 6-on-5 and we have the guys to do it and be successful. Definitely coming along.
On Teravainan and Aho: Everyone talks about Draisaitl and McDavid, but we’re fortunate to have those two. They’re world class players. They both just think the game so well and their skill is unmatched. They feed off of each other and I’ve been lucky to watch them together for five years now. We’re blessed to have those guys, that’s for sure.
On if the long delay was a distraction: Nah. It is what it is and honestly, I thought it was kind of funny. The crowd getting into it and cheering. I thought it was funny. The big ladder going out onto the ice. If I was that guy I’d be feeling the pressure. Kind of felt bad for the guy, that’s for sure.
Teuvo Teravainen
On if he was aware of him and Aho tying the franchise record: Actually, KK told me in the middle of the game and I was like, ‘Okay, let’s just focus on the game.’ I don’t know how he knew.
On what makes Aho so special: It’s really not a secret, he’s just a good player. He thinks the game fast and skates well. He’s just a good player.
On playing against Draisaitl and McDavid: We don’t play them too much, but it’s for sure a special game. best players in the world for sure. You just now what kind of game it’s going to be. Probably were going to playa bunch against them, so a lot of minutes. Thought we did a good job today.
On the defense today: Really good. Penalty kill and everything. Just playing hard, winning battles and blocking shots. Everything was good.
On shooting the puck more: It just sometimes goes in more, sometimes not. Everybody’s trying to tell me to shoot the puck more so when I get the chance, I try to shoot more.
On who’s telling him to shoot more: Coach, of course. Teammates, sometimes. You guys, sometimes.
On if Brind’Amour harps on it more: Of course. I always try to look for the play. If it’s there, I pass. If not, I’ll try to shoot sometimes too.
On scoring two pretty goals today: It’s not everyday that you’re going to score nice goals like that, but you just have to work and get the bounces where it goes off your foot or something. Today, it was a couple of nice plays. It’s nice to put those ones in.
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