OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) – Guy Boucher has typically kept his team off the ice on off-days during the postseason. Not Monday.
The Ottawa coach opted for a half-hour practice ahead of Game 6 on Tuesday night to help his team “refresh” and “reload” after a 7-0 beating by Pittsburgh, one of the worst losses in team playoff history. Players thought the practice, as well as an encouraging chat beforehand, helped wipe the slate clean as they prepare for an elimination game. The Penguins lead the Eastern Conference final 3-2 and can return to the Stanley Cup Final with a win.
“We can’t be sitting in our mud puddle,” Boucher told The Canadian Press after practice. “We’ve got to get up and go.”
Reloading against an opponent vying for back-to-back Stanley Cups means reverting back to strengths of the club. In Sunday’s blowout loss, Boucher said, he thought his team tried to trade goals with the high-scoring Penguins – an odd choice for a Senators team that thrives on shutting down opponents.
“If we stay away from our strengths there’s no chance,” Boucher said on Monday. “We’re aware of that. We got slapped – hard enough. The reality sets back in.”