Extra Day Between Games Has Canes Feeling 'Fresh and Prepared'

LAS VEGAS - An off day in Las Vegas can be a recipe for disaster.

Bright lights, temptation, and anything you desire can be seen or found in the snap of a finger.

It can also be a wonderful thing. There's no shortage of great food, entertainment, and things to do.

For the Carolina Hurricanes, some of the more appropriate offerings were especially welcomed following the heartbreaking Game 3 double-overtime loss on Saturday.

Staying off the ice on Sunday, the team revisited the video before holding a workout and recovery day at the Ultimate Fighting Championship's (UFC) Performance Institute, utilizing a plethora of world-class resources to get their bodies right after nearly 100 emotional minutes of hockey the night before.

"I don't think it's easier, ever, to move on from those (games), but, yesterday, to have that extra day, to process it and kind of get away from a day (was a positive)," Jordan Martinook said when meeting with the media on Monday. (It helped to) look at some things that put us in that position, and how we're going to hopefully not get there moving forward. It sucked the way it happened, but now we've got to go even it up."

Cleansing the mind after cleansing their physical form, it was a "the page has been turned" mentality from the group on Monday, a rare second consecutive day without a game, as they practiced at T-Mobile Arena.

"I think we did a good job," Seth Jarvis said of the bonus time between battles. "We spent the morning looking over the game, looking over the details of what happened, and then the afternoon was up to us. Spend time with family, spend time away from the rink, nothing about hockey."

"I think in moments like this, when it's stressful, to get away from it for a little bit is good for everybody... Now, more importantly, [we'll] get ready for tomorrow."

With a chance to even the series and make their long flight back to Raleigh on Wednesday all the more enjoyable, it was all eyes forward throughout the group.

"It was nice to get a day and kind of regroup after an emotional game," Jordan Staal added. "I think the guys are fresh today, ready to rock, and we're excited for the new challenge."

Between The Pipes...

Expecting Rod Brind'Amour to name his starting goaltender for Tuesday's Game 4 today could be compared to playing the penny slots and planning to leave with a five-figure payout. Possible, yet highly unlikely.

Of course, asked by the media, the head coach had some fun with his answer, calling it "the only suspenseful thing around here." He admitted a decision had been made, but the team would "keep it quiet" for now.

Frederik Andersen did not take part in today's practice, not an uncommon occurrence, leaving Brandon Bussi and Pyotr Kochetkov to defend the nets.

"They're both great goalies," Staal said of the drama du jour. "They've both been playing unbelievably all season long. We knew it was going to be a whole committee here if we wanted to win this whole thing, and either one we're comfortable playing in front of."

While Andersen shouldered the load for the first 15 games of the postseason, going 12-3 and pacing the Stanley Cup Playoffs in both save percentage and goals against average throughout, Bussi has the "what have you done for me lately" edge, after a stellar 18-for-19 relief appearance in Game 3, which allowed his team to mount a historic comeback.

"I thought he was incredible. I think the first shot he took was a penalty shot," Martinook said with a laugh. "He comes in and was just so calm for the whole time and gave us a chance to come back. That's what you want for your goalie. Let's be honest, he was great for us all year, he just hasn't got a chance to get in there, and he did, and he played really, really well."

During their Eastern Conference-topping 113-point regular season, Hurricanes skaters were used to a rotation of faces behind them. For portions of the season, the team had all three of Andersen, Bussi, and Kochetkov available. In fact, most times it was a different face behind them, as they went with a goaltender in consecutive games only 16 games over the course of the 82-game season.

"We want to play the same hockey that we know we can play, and in the end, it doesn't matter who is in the net," Nikolaj Ehlers emphatically said. "We're going to do our best to limit their chances and give them less hard work to do during the games. It doesn't matter. We've got full confidence in all three goalies."

Options Aplenty...

After leaving Saturday's Game 3 following the second period with an upper-body injury and not returning, William Carrier was a full participant in today's practice. Working alongside Mark Jankowski and Eric Robinson, it appeared to be business as usual for a trio who have combined for 130 hits this postseason.

In front of them, after making an in-game switch during Game 2's comeback in Raleigh, notably swapping Jarvis and Martinook, the Canes rolled out their usual bread and butter combos for Game 3 warmups, keeping Jarvis with Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov, while Martinook flanked Staal and Ehlers. But when puck drop came, the change was made again and remained that way until the loss of Carrier forced a good deal of shuffling from the remaining 11 forwards.

During Sunday's media availability, Rod Brind'Amour said he "enjoyed the flow" of the new-ish combos, and this afternoon, it was Martinook with Aho and Svechnikov, while Jarvis operated as a trio with Staal and Ehlers.

"When we made those switches, it was definitely better," Brind'Amour said of the offense. "We certainly had some good opportunities, especially in overtime."

Whichever way the staff utilizes their weapons tomorrow (8 p.m. ET; ABC), there is a belief that goals can be found up and down the lineup, no matter who is playing with whom.

"There's a lot of guys in here who are starting to feel better with their game and see some production. That's really good for us," Taylor Hall said. "Now, it's about limiting the goals against and maintaining some of that confidence guys are getting offensively."

What's Next?

The Canes will not hold a morning skate before the 5 p.m. local Game 4 start on Tuesday.

Rod Brind'Amour will speak to reporters around 5:15 p.m. ET, and will once again assuredly be asked if he'd like to reveal who will start in net.

Next Game: Tuesday, June 9 | SCF, Game 4 at Vegas | 8:00 p.m. ET | How To Watch | Watch Parties

Next Home Game: Thursday, June 11 | SCF, Game 5 vs. Vegas | 8:00 p.m. ET | How To Watch | Tickets | Parking