December 3 postgame quotes: Sutter, Brodzinski, Hensick

Brett Sutter, on the third period and his game-winner:
I thought they really brought it on, probably the last five minutes we were on our heels and then a couple mentions on the bench to just make sure we were playing on our toes, getting in on the forecheck and that whole goal was Merschy going to the net hard, Brodzy went to the net hard. I think [Brodzinski] was laying in the crease there. I just got to be the beneficiary of them working hard to get to the net and pushing the pace there. [Reporter: See daylight there, I know Brodzinski just barely got out of the way]. He said when we got to the locker room that he tried to make himself skinny, so I guess I was just able to sneak it by him.

Sutter, on back-to-back wins being able to save the homestand:
Yeah, absolutely. I think it was – I don’t want to say wake-up call – but all week I think we definitely realized that we had a lot of things we need to work on. We talked about detail all week. Stutts made it very clear there were some things that needed to get better in our game and I think this weekend as a whole we stuck to it pretty well and the results were there. So hopefully this week it’s a little more positive and we just keep getting better and away we go.

Sutter, on whether frustration set in after Charlotte’s comeback:
I thought we let off our forecheck a little bit through the middle parts and some of the late parts of the game but I wouldn’t say frustration. I thought we had the right attitude. We kept saying ‘stick with it, stick with it.’ It took 60 minutes but we got it done.

Jonny Brodzinski, on the game overall and the game-winner:
Towards the end of the second I thought we got off our game a little bit. I don’t know what it was, if it was the ice? You can’t really blame the ice. We kind of got off our game and then the third period I thought we came out with a little more of a jump, stayed above them, got pucks deep and then obviously that last goal MacDermid shot it, I think I got a little tip on it, it went wide. Merschy obviously taking the puck to the net like always, I got a good whack at it and he made a good save and I just tipped it back to Suttsy. I just barely got out of the way but it was a good shot by him.

Brodzinski, on back-to-back wins being able to change the mood and the homestand:
Yeah. We needed this one, too. It was a little confidence builder for everybody after last week kind of in the dumps after a couple game losing streak. Yeah, this was really good for us. Spirit’s will be high going into net week.

Brodzinski, on his breakaway goal and the read to start it:
Before the play I just saw that they were pointing to each other, they were on their off hands too so they were just going to try a one-time play. I just stayed in the middle of them and he just gave it to me, fought him off and finally scored on a breakaway after my 10 times getting a breakaway I can’t score.

Brodzinski, on if confidence played a factor in the result:
I think it’s just build-off of yesterday, too. I felt like that was our best game of the year. Just every facet of our game was really good yesterday. I think just building off that I felt like we played a pretty well-rounded game today.

T.J. Hensick, on scoring the Teddy Bear toss goal after doing so with Charlotte last season:
Yeah, hopefully should have it every night. Two years in a row, I don’t know. Just luck I guess but obviously it’s a good feeling to get the power play goal. My unit especially had been a little cold lately so it’s always nice to get a spark there. Unfortunately the Teddy Bear toss might kill your momentum especially when you have to end the period early but it’s obviously for a good cause and it’s nice to get the goal.

Hensick, on saving the homestand with back-to-back wins:
Three out of five is salvageable at home I guess you could say. I thought we had a strong weekend. Obviously disappointed in last weekend’s outcome. We know we’re a good hockey team when we play the right way. Unfortunately we didn’t see that last weekend. For the most part this weekend we saw it. I think we’re pretty confident heading into Tucson, a team that we were able to beat last night, obviously a team we’re chasing, trying to catch. So you’ve got to feel good about ourselves heading on the road to Tucson but we know it’s going to be a challenge. We know how good they’ve been lately, especially their power play, but any time you can win two on a weekend at home or on the road especially, doesn’t matter, it’s always a good feeling.

Hensick, on the change in the team’s mood:
Yeah, 180 compared to last weekend. Obviously that’s what winning does, or losing depending on the mood. It sets yourself up for a good week. You feel better about yourself heading into the week’s practice. Fortunately for us we get a quick turnaround and I usually think that’s a good thing coming off a couple wins. I liked our game so far this year on the road. We feel confident on the road so we’re looking forward to getting back to Tucson and hopefully getting another win Wednesday.