The Montreal Canadiens have an opportunity to advance to the Eastern Conference Final on Saturday when they host the Buffalo Sabres in Game 6 of their second-round series.
Montreal holds a 3-2 series lead after handling the Sabres 6-3 on the road in Game 5 on Thursday.
Head coach Martin St. Louis is trying to keep the Canadiens level headed going into the game, and not let the significance of the opportunity weigh his team down.
“Of course the guys want to close the series tonight, who doesn’t,“ St. Louis told TSN’s Claire Hanna during Saturday’s morning skate. ”I think if you spend so much time telling them how important it is, do you raise the level of stress? To me, we’re just just guys, it’s another game so let’s go play. The nets will be there in the same spot, [same as] the blueline.
“We’re not trying to magnify the situation by telling them how important [the game is] and we need to put a stamp on this. We need to go play the best game we can play with nothing guaranteed.”
The Canadiens have already been in this situation before during this year’s playoffs, taking a 3-2 lead into Game 6 at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round.
That game was the tightest of the playoffs. Montreal took a scoreless deadlock into overtime before Lightning forward Gage Goncalves scored the winner to extend Tampa Bay’s season.
Despite that small similarity, St. Louis says that the series with the Lightning was a much different one and the Canadiens have to worry about themselves rather than the team in front of them.
“[This series] is different. Their style of play is different,” said St. Louis. “You gotta be able to adapt and still play hockey like we know how. You gotta rely on your collective game. There’s always adjustments here and there based on the nuances that different teams bring.
“I would say that this series is different and I think you got to be able to adapt.”
Game 6 marks the first Saturday night that Montreal will play during this year’s playoff and the first the team has played at home since the 2015 postseason.
The Bell Centre always has a great atmosphere, especially for playoff games, but the cultural impact of the Saturday night timeslot will only add to that experience.
“Finally, it’s our first Saturday playoff game at home, it’s exciting,” forward Jake Evans told Hanna. “I’ve learned throughout this playoffs that it feels like it’s the same crowd no matter what day it is. It’s the best building to play in.
“Saturday’s are always special but I think during the playoffs it doesn’t matter what day it is.”
One player who is looking forward to a Saturday night matchup is star forward Cole Caufield. In 23 Saturday games this season, the 5-foot-8 winger recorded 21 goals and 35 points.
After tallying 51 goals in the regular season to finish second in the NHL, Caufield’s production has been quieter in the postseason, only recording four goals and eight points in 12 playoff games.
However, he feels his line’s play has been picking up of late and maybe his title of “Mr. Saturday Night” will come into play.
“The lines we’re working are still figuring it out,” Caufield told Hanna. “I think our team’s overall game has been improving a lot but there’s still somethings we want to work on without letting the other things slip.”
“We don’t hate that,” St. Louis said when told about Caufield’s Saturday stats. “I think Cole loves the game. Does the energy of a Saturday night at the Bell Centre raise the love of the game? I don’t know. But he finds himself in great situations on Saturday nights for whatever reason and it’s fun to watch.
