Watching hockey hasnB次元官网网址檛 been easy for Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet recently.

His teamB次元官网网址檚 playoff run came to an abrupt end last month with a Game 7 loss to the Edmonton Oilers in a grinding second-round series.

Watching the Oilers take on the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference final, Tocchet couldnB次元官网网址檛 help but think about what could have been.

B次元官网网址淚 got mixed emotions watching the series,B次元官网网址� he told reporters on a video call Wednesday. B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檙e always like B次元官网网址榃hat if we did this? What if we did that?B次元官网网址� And youB次元官网网址檝e got to be careful because you can torment your mind.B次元官网网址�

The Oilers dispatched the Stars in six games. Now Edmonton is set to face the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup final, beginning Saturday.

After watching the first four games of the series between Dallas and Edmonton through the eyes of a coach, Tocchet tried to simply enjoy hockey as he viewed the final two bouts.

He couldnB次元官网网址檛 get away from thoughts about what his team could have done differently.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 hard. IB次元官网网址檒l be honest with you,B次元官网网址� the coach said. B次元官网网址淚 wish we had a better first period. ThatB次元官网网址檚 my big thing in Game 7. I wish we had a better first period. And maybe things would have been different. But, hey, thatB次元官网网址檚 the way it works.B次元官网网址�

Edmonton outshot Vancouver 13-2 in the first period of Game 7 and leapt out to a 3-0 lead in the second. The Canucks finally replied with a pair of goals midway through the third, but simply couldnB次元官网网址檛 overcome the deficit.

The Oilers picked up a thing or two from facing the Canucks, said Tocchet, who won this seasonB次元官网网址檚 Jack Adams Award as the leagueB次元官网网址檚 top coach.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e got to give Edmonton a lot of credit. They had a hard series against us, I thought. And they went into Dallas and really played very well,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淭hey were comfortable playing a 2-1 hockey game. I heard some of their players say they learned a lot from our series, where they were comfortable playing a 2-1 hockey game. ThatB次元官网网址檚 what you do from series to series, you learn some things.B次元官网网址�

Tocchet knows all about playoff lessons.

He made 145 post-season appearances and won a Stanley Cup with the Penguins during his NHL playing career. He added two more championships as an assistant coach in Pittsburgh.

Losing in the post-season can be great fuel, Tocchet said.

B次元官网网址淗opefully our players, when they watch (the Edmonton-Dallas) series, it motivates them even harder,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e know itB次元官网网址檚 going to get harder and harder. And I hope the players understand that because we know itB次元官网网址檚 going to be harder.

B次元官网网址淎nd I know that I have to come up with something different for this year to hold up my end of the bargain.B次元官网网址�

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