Rod Brind'Amour addresses Carolina Hurricanes' playoff failure despite $30,000,000 forward's addition
Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour shared his thoughts on his team's playoff collapse to the New York Rangers on Thursday. The Hurricanes lost 5-3.
The Hurricanes' playoff journey came to an end disappointingly in Round 2 of their Eastern Conference series at the PNC Arena. It was a tough outcome for both coach Rod Brind'Amour and his Hurricanes team.
Despite facing a challenging situation after losing the first three games, the Hurricanes showed great resilience and determination to fight back and force Game 6. However, they couldn't overcome the Rangers' strong performance and eventually fell short.
The Hurricanes made some additions to their roster by bringing in players like Jake Guentzel and Dmitry Orlov and all other pieces they needed. However, the solution they were seeking still eluded them, as they weren't able to surpass their performance from last year.
In the post-game media interaction, Rod Brind'Amour responded to questions about the team's additions and their performances (via Rangers):
"We're playing the best team in the league. We look back on the first three games it was where we lost by a goal in overtime. I mean, there's a play here there and everything's different and we just didn't find it. And even tonight, another goal puts the game with different story when we had our opportunities," Brind'Amour said.
Jake Guentzel ended the playoffs with nine points through four goals and five assists for the Hurricanes. He was acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins at this year's trade deadline. Guentzel is on a $30 million contract, 25% of which is retained by the Penguins.
Also Read: 3 things Carolina Hurricanes did wrong in Game 6 loss to New York Rangers
Rod Brind'Amour and the Hurricanes ran out of gas in Game 6
In Game 6 against the Rangers, the Hurricanes were in control for most of the game, setting the pace and outshooting the Blue Shirts 36-24. However, the Hurricanes lost their momentum in the third period while the Rangers intensified their effort.
This surge from the Blue Shirts made it challenging for the Hurricanes to keep up, resulting in being unable to maintain their lead. Before the third period, the Hurricanes were up with a commanding 3-1 lead.
Despite having more shots on goal and controlling the puck for extended periods, the Hurricanes struggled to hold onto their advantage and lost their energy in the final period. The Rangers scored four goals in the period, including a hattrick from Chris Kreider.
It marks another year for Rod Brind'Amour and the Hurricanes without a Stanley Cup final appearance. Last season, they were swept by the Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final.
As for the New York Rangers, they take on the winner of the Boston Bruins and the Florida Panthers playoff series. The Cats lead the Bruins 3-2.