Practice Report: Turning The Page To Game Two

RALEIGH, NC. -The Carolina Hurricanes were back at PNC Arena just a little over 12 hours after earning a thrilling overtime win over the New York Rangers Wednesday.
The team held a limited skate, as we saw become commonplace during the early portions of their series against Boston.

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Talking About The First 40 & The Necessary Changes

The Canes victory did not come without struggle, as the first 40 minutes of the night belonged to the New York Rangers. What was perhaps most atypical about the home side's start is that even when they failed to find the back of the net through the opening two periods during the regular season, they were at least finding ways to get pucks on net. During the campaign they averaged 22.6 shots before the third period of play. Wednesday they had just 14.
"We know we didn't play as well as we're capable of. To be able to come out of it with a win was huge," Vincent Trocheck began when speaking with reporters today. "We just didn't play our game. Simple as that. We came out a little flat during the first and second periods, didn't get to our structure. We were trying to do things a little bit differently and it didn't work. We turned it around in the third because we started playing our game and it worked a lot better."
So, what was it that New York was doing specifically that had Carolina not looking like their normal selves?
"They were getting pucks out [of their end] quickly, pucks in [to our end]. They were doing what we do well, better than we were." the Canes center listed as his reasons. "They just did a really good job of making sure that we didn't get to our game, get to our forecheck."
How does that change for Friday?
"We can't wait. There've been a few times this year where we've had that same start, kind of slow. We can't afford that during playoffs. When you start playing teams like New York and moving on when the teams keep getting better and better, we need to be able to find a way to play like we did in the third," Steven Lorentz provided as his assessment. "Whether it's each guy needs to look themselves in the mirror and come a little bit more prepared and motivated, then that's what we need to do."
As for the head coach, he shared a similar sentiment, but was also quick to tip his cap to Gerard Gallant and the Rangers for what they were able to do to prohibit them getting to their game.
"They were playing really well," Brind'Amour offered. "This time of year you have two good teams. That's how it's going to look sometimes."

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Father Finn Continues To Shine

Of course a big reason the Canes even had a chance to tie the game in the third was the play of their netminder, Antti Raanta.
"Rants kept us in that game. If it wasn't for him it could've been 4-0 after two," Trocheck said of the starting netminder.
With 22 saves on 23 shots through the first two periods, the only goal that got by Raanta all evening long was off an odd-man rush following a regrettable Carolina turnover in neutral ice. After Ian Cole deposited the overtime winner, the end result was the fourth decision of these playoffs that the Finnish backstop allowed two goals or fewer.
"As an organization we took a little grief last summer over the [goaltending] decisions. Obviously they were the right ones," Rod Brind'Amour chimed in with in regard to the first-year Cane, who now has the third-best save percentage in the Stanley Cup Playoffs at .933 (min. 4 GP).

Andersen On The Ice

Speaking of goalies, one individual who did take to the ice Thursday was netminder Frederik Andersen.
Now sidelined for over a month due to a lower-body injury suffered on Saturday, April 16 in Denver, Andersen worked with Goaltending Coach Paul Schonfelder for a brief session.
While it's certainly a development forward, no timetable remains available for the goaltender's return. In fact, Brind'Amour did not waiver from his stance offered Monday, which was politely not to ask him about the Dane until reporters see him skating in a full team practice.
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