During my live game tweet session last night I was moments from saying, “If someone scores a late OT goal – it’s going to leave a sour taste in the losing team’s mouth for days.” As I was writing that up, Adam Clendening shot from nearly the Admirals bench, and scored the game-winner with twenty-one seconds remaining.

The truth is, the Admirals might have been fortunate to skate off with one point last night. The IceHogs blasted them for 43 shots – including 20 in the first period alone. While both teams had to handle the three-in-three element it seemed very evident that the IceHogs were the strongest team from the second period in Rockford all the way into OT last night. The team is going to need more than just rest in the days before traveling to Iowa and returning the next night to play division leading Grand Rapids.

As well as crashing Dean Evason’s post-game interview I also had the chance to speak with Austin Watson and Marek Mazanec. Here is what they said after the overtime defeat.

Dean Evason talks about Rockford’s overtime goal:

Evason on losing the 3-1 lead in the third period:

Evason provides a walkthrough of the game:

Evason on Mazanec’s weekend performance:

Austin Watson on the Admirals weekend:

Watson on fatigue taking its toll:

Watson on the possibility of a day off for the team after the three-in-three:

Marek Mazanec on Clendening’s game-winning overtime goal:

Mazanec on the two quick goals scored by Jeremy Morin to equalize:

Mazanec on his level of play since being sent down by Nashville:

Mazanec on starting all games of a three-in-three:

Then I wanted to ask Marek Mazanec about something plenty caught at the rink last night: he wasn’t wearing his typical “Admirals” mask. It was an Admirals-y shade of blue, though. Just for an off-topic question I threw the question out to him to see if he did get a new lid.

Mazanec on last night’s mask:

Once that news came through – some b=better photos surfaced of it one Twitter.

This. RT @ctina352213: @adsroundtable he brought it back?! He had that for camp when he was here! LOVE that mask! pic.twitter.com/7iRqt13SuZ

— Admirals Roundtable (@adsroundtable) January 27, 2014

Maz Smurfs mask 1 RT @ctina352213: @adsroundtable pic.twitter.com/UQkE2Zbsqs

— Admirals Roundtable (@adsroundtable) January 27, 2014

Maz Smurfs mask 2 RT @ctina352213: @adsroundtable pic.twitter.com/1eG7NRt2PG

— Admirals Roundtable (@adsroundtable) January 27, 2014

Maz Smurfs mask 3 RT @ctina352213: @adsroundtable pic.twitter.com/O6MxKCrgee

— Admirals Roundtable (@adsroundtable) January 27, 2014

Lone difference was he used the “Admirals” mask’s backplate and added an Admirals sticker to the chin. Curious if, like Magnus Hellberg earlier in the year, Nashville has yet to send him his “Predators” mask.

Of all the post-game quotes that stick out the best to me the biggest comes from Austin Watson who said, “We just need to work on finishing teams off.” The team knows, despite the way the game went, they could and should have had last night’s game. There might be some frustration at not getting the win last night – but the mindset is right where it needs to be.

What do you make of last night’s post-game comments?