After a tough playoff loss Monday, Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour somberly voiced frustration with himself and his team.
"I want to make the people who support this organization proud of how we play," he said.
The Hurricanes did not win Wednesday nor will they play more games in the NHL's unprecedented, challenging postseason. The Canes lost Game 5 of their Stanley Cup playoff series against the Boston Bruins, who took a 2-1 victory to finish off the best-of-seven series in Toronto.
The Bruins got power-play scores from David Krejci and Patrice Bergeron in the second period to push ahead _ Bergeron surprising goalie Petr Mrazek with a quick, tight-angled shot with 2.5 seconds left in the period.
But for Carolina, there was much to be proud of in a season unlike any other. The Canes again were a playoff team. They again played hard for Brind'Amour in his second year as coach.
When the NHL announced its Return to Play format, the Canes were matched against the New York Rangers in a qualifying round and several prognosticators picked them to lose. They polished off the Rangers in three straight games.
A rematch with the Bruins did not go well. Boston swept the Canes in the Eastern Conference finals last year and again hurt the Canes with their balanced lines, rugged defensive play and then solid play from goalie Jaroslav Halak when Tuukka Rask suddenly opted out of the Toronto bubble.
After a loss in double overtime in Game 1, the Canes won Game 2. But the series shifted as the Canes lost power forward Andrei Svechnikov and defenseman Joel Edmundson to injuries, taking two of Carolina's most physical players out of the lineup.
In Wednesday's game, Haydn Fleury's first-period goal, on a shot from the right circle, gave the Canes a 1-0 lead. But the Bruins used the two power-play goals in the second to take the lead and limited the Canes' chances in third, much as they did Monday when Carolina did not have a shot in the first 18 minutes of the period in a 4-3 loss.
Krejci hopped on a rebound to score the first. Bergeron just winged one from below the extended goal line toward the net, the puck glancing off Mrazek's left skate.
For the second straight game, the Canes scored the game's first goal. Fleury snapped off a shot from the top of the right circle, taking a pass from Sebastian Aho while Jordan Martinook positioned himself in front of Halak.
The Canes continued to push the pace and test Halak, congregating around the Boston net, and had power-play chances but could not beat Halak again.
Mrazek saved a goal early in the second. David Pastrnak, back in the Bruins lineup after missing the past three games with an injury, took a penalty. But he later bolted out of the penalty box and took a stretch pass for a breakaway.
Pastrnak faked a backhand and went to his forehand, only to have Mrazek knock the puck away with his left pad.
An Aho penalty on another breakaway, by Bergeron, kept the Bruins from scoring on the play but not on the power play as Krejci banged in a loose puck.
Looking ahead, there will be contract decisions to be made and less time to make them. Edmundson, Trevor van Riemsdyk and Sami Vatanen are due to become unrestricted free agents.
The biggest question, as it was last year, is what Justin Williams will want to do _ retire or sign a new contract and come back for another season. Williams, 38, began 2019-20 as "semi-retired," then signed and returned in January. He played 20 games before the NHL pause, then had the long break before the postseason tournament in Toronto.
But there is so much to be decided. The salary cap will remain flat, influencing contract discussions. The 2021-20 season could begin Dec. 1 but could be later, and under what conditions?
There were improvements this season _ on the power play, in the penalty kill. Aho had a career-high 38 goals and Svechnikov had 24 in his second season, improving his overall game. Fleury became a solid D-man.
