Tocchet questions if Flyers were ‘mentally prepared' to play Hurricanes
Rick Tocchet met with the media after the Flyers' 3-0 loss to the Hurricanes on Saturday night.
Tocchet questions if Flyers were 'mentally prepared' to play Hurricanes originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Video Transcript
Where did things sort of go off the track for you guys?
Well, I think early on, I think we're, you know, we, we talked about it, we just didn't live it on the ice.
You know?
It w- we didn't play, w- we weren't quick enough for their speed.
we w- we didn't react Our reactionary was a little bit slow.
A little better in the second.
I know the game gets a little bit, you know, mucky there.
I thought it was a little bit better, but, you know, we It's good baptism how some of us, some of our players are gonna have to play.
They're gonna have to play some, with some quickness and reactionary time.
But that's, that's how you have to do to play against this team.
Rick, considering you were playing Pittsburgh for maybe like two weeks by the time it wrapped up, do you think it was hard to shift from how they play the game to how Carolina plays the game, versus in season where it's like every game is a different system?
I don't know.
It's a good question.
I, you know, we had a couple days off.
yeah, I, I don't know if we were mentally prepared to play tonight in the sense I think we The winning the g- the, you know, or playoffs rather than not making the playoffs, I think, you know, there wa- there was a lot of excitement.
I don't think we got down to earth quick enough for this game.
and then that's what happens, right?
Your legs aren't there.
Y- you know, the reaction, right?
You know, you know the second guy's gonna come to you, and you gotta be able to make that play, and we just didn't make any plays, especially the first half.
I mean, there was plays to be made, we didn't make 'em, and that's really what it comes down to.
Rick, and, and to be clear, this isn't, you know, saying anything negative about the Penguins, but was this game a little bit, not a wake-up call, but just a, a n- a notice to the team that, that this team is on another level than, than where things were in round one?
Well, yeah.
Yeah, I mean, I don't know about that.
I mean, the Penguins are a good team, hockey team, so is Carolina.
I mean, I, I, listen, they played a great They played well.
I give them credit.
We, we didn't play well, so we gotta see where that bar is.
We have to obviously raise our, the level of competitiveness.
You know, skating with the puck, I thought a lot of guys were on their heels tonight.
So, I guess I'll make that com- you know, after the series I'll make, I can make that comment.
Right now, I don't know if we really gave them anything to really worry about the first half of the game.
