NYR at CAR: Mike Sullivan Postgame Media Availability | Nov. 26, 2025

NYR at CAR: Mike Sullivan Postgame Media Availability | Nov. 26, 2025

Early in the game, it seemed like you were really trying to establish the ground game. It seemed like it worked as early on there was a lot of good offensive zone possession. What did that lead to in your eyes? I thought it was a great start. You know, I thought we we started the game the right way, trying to play north south, trying to play straight ahead, trying to put pucks behind him and um you know, when you play that way against a team like that that wants to try to play on top of you, you can take them out of the game they want to play. You know, then we got into penalty trouble and uh I think the momentum changed. But I thought in the third period we did a better job getting back to playing straight ahead. Penalty kill looked like it was really good with the pressure. Did you like what you saw there? Yeah, they had a couple of looks. I mean, they’ve got some good players and they’re going to make plays, but I thought uh I thought overall the the the killers did a pretty good job. You know, they they were blocking shots. They were they were applying appropriate pressure when when the opportunity presented itself and and I think that’s when we’re at our best. You mentioned the third period. Just what was the key to closing this one out, you think? I just I just think it’s, you know, when you when you play an East West game against a team like that, it just gives them every just one more opportunity to pressure a play or pressure a puck and you’re one bobble away from giving them the opportunity to to create offense off of it. And um when you I thought we did just did a better job at at taking what the game gives us and if their plays weren’t there, we were willing to make space plays or we willing to punt and hunt. And you know, I just think that’s that’s a part of the of the modern NHL. And uh you know, when earlier in the game, I thought, as I said, I thought the first 10 or 12 minutes, we had a great start. We were playing that game. We got away from it a little bit in the second period, but I thought we grabbed a hold of ourselves in the third for the most part. We were we were playing back to a north south game. You you spoke a couple days ago about two seasons, like, you know, playing the first dozen games or so, and then you’d gotten away from that. Do you feel like in these last two games you’ve gotten kind of back to, you know, where you closer to where you want to be? Yeah, I think, you know, that we’re we’re playing with more structure. I think we’re playing with better intentions. You know, we’ve got numbers back. Um and and I think that’s the game that’s going to give us the best chance to win. And so I think uh certainly the conversations that we’ve had with the team have been that way. And you know, when when we play I I think a a simplified version of ourselves, I think that’s when our team’s at its best. And uh and so the last the last handful I think we we’ve certainly I think at least you know got the the the the identity of the of the group in the right in the right spot and and so you know tonight we got a we got a great performance out of Shesty obviously um it’s tough when you take that many penalties against a team like this. I think that that certainly didn’t help tonight but u obviously Shesty made some huge saves for us. You also get the goal at the end of the second from Arti and the goal to start the third that’s set up by Arti. Just, you know, talk about those two plays and and that the impact on the game. Well, that’s what he’s capable of. You know, he has game-breaking ability and, you know, and he doesn’t need a lot of opportunities when when he gets them for the most part. He can he can convert and uh you know, the plays that he makes on those those two plays were terrific. The faceoff play, it is what it is. But um it was a great play all around. uh our Tammy finishes on that one and then uh Tro’s goalie makes a terrific play off the rush just his ability to just delay and create time and space grabs the blue line and um you know and and that’s where he trusts his instincts you know and uh but I think that’s the type of player that he is is he he has the ability to change outcomes with those types of plays. Is is that goal like one of your faceoff plays? Like a set play off of that face off. That one was. Yeah. Everybody talks about the Thanksgiving benchmark. Just what’s your assessment through the first 25 games of the season? Yeah, I’m not sure I buy into you know, I’m not sure I buy into that. Um, you know, I’ve been I’ve had experiences where it’s been just the opposite where teams have been out of the playoffs and ended up winning championships. So, uh, the reality is is, you know, we got to keep trying to get better. And I think as far as my assessment overall with our group, I I I think we’ve played a lot of really good hockey. And then we’ve had moments where we’ve gotten away from it. And I think that’s the journey that we’re on. And we’ll continue to do that. We’re just going to try to move the needle every day. We’re going to try to just get incrementally better with with each game and and see where that takes us. But, um, you know, when you when you look at the first 25 games or so, um, you know, I I feel like the the effort and the intentions that have been put on the ice have been pretty strong for the most part, and we got to continue to do that. What did you think of JT in his first game back after a couple games out? Well, I I you know, you can see the the the influence he has on the group, you know, um, he’s just strong on pucks. He’s uh he has a a poise to how he plays the game, his confidence, and I think when he’s in our lineup, we’re certainly a much better team. And um I think that influence was on display today.

New York Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan discusses the penalty kill and the team’s play in the third period following the Rangers’ 4-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes.

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