Ian Cole vividly recalls how he felt before skating out for his first NHL playoff game.
B次元官网网址淗onestly, I just remember being scared,B次元官网网址� he said, punctuating his sentence with a mild expletive.
B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檙e so scared because you know how important it is. YouB次元官网网址檙e like B次元官网网址楯ust donB次元官网网址檛 make a mistake! DonB次元官网网址檛 make a mistake! DonB次元官网网址檛 make a mistake!B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
The fear didnB次元官网网址檛 last, but ColeB次元官网网址檚 playoff career did. The veteran defenceman has made 116 post-season appearances and he won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017.
Now heB次元官网网址檚 sharing that experience with his Vancouver Canucks teammates as they prepare for their first playoff run in four years.
B次元官网网址淚 think the biggest thing that we should focus on is getting our game to its peak, to the very best it can be before we enter into battle,B次元官网网址� Cole said.
The Canucks (45-20-8) secured their post-season berth on Saturday, becoming the first Canadian team to book their spot.
The upcoming run has been a long time coming.
The Canucks last played post-season hockey in Edmonton at the end of the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign.
Six players from that squad are on the current roster. But games in the bubble didnB次元官网网址檛 provide a typical playoff experience, said Canucks forward J.T. Miller.
B次元官网网址淲e had some special times as a team. ThatB次元官网网址檚 the only thing youB次元官网网址檙e really going to take away,B次元官网网址� said Miller, whoB次元官网网址檚 seen action in 78 playoff games, including Eastern Conference finals with the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Rangers.
B次元官网网址淭he intensity is in the game but thereB次元官网网址檚 just no emotion in the game, obviously. And thatB次元官网网址檚 a gigantic part of the game. IB次元官网网址檓 not going to discredit the teams that went far B次元官网网址� It was a hard time, but we learned a lot.B次元官网网址�
The Canucks havenB次元官网网址檛 hosted a playoff game since 2015. Three of VancouverB次元官网网址檚 top stars B次元官网网址� right-winger Brock Boeser, centre Elias Pettersson and defenceman Quinn Hughes B次元官网网址� hadnB次元官网网址檛 been drafted at the time.
TheyB次元官网网址檙e among several Canucks players whoB次元官网网址檒l get their first taste of true NHL playoff action next month.
The teamB次元官网网址檚 veterans B次元官网网址� including Cole B次元官网网址� are keen to share lessons theyB次元官网网址檝e learned along the way.
B次元官网网址淔or the most part, the message is just that itB次元官网网址檚 the same game,B次元官网网址� Cole said. B次元官网网址淟etB次元官网网址檚 not make it something that itB次元官网网址檚 not. LetB次元官网网址檚 not make it this entity thatB次元官网网址檚 so massive that you canB次元官网网址檛 process the situation.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 the same game, but itB次元官网网址檚 not the same desperation. The desperation goes up. Every play matters exponentially more.B次元官网网址�
As the intensity ramps up, so does the need to pay attention to the little parts of your game, said Teddy Blueger.
B次元官网网址淥bviously the cost of mistakes is a little higher,B次元官网网址� said the centre, who won a Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights last season. B次元官网网址淪o I think youB次元官网网址檝e just got to be really dialed in and focused and committed to doing your job, be willing to put your body on the line physically, blocking shots, all those little details.
B次元官网网址淎 lot of playoffs games or even regular-season games are decided by really small margins. ItB次元官网网址檚 a matter of kind of getting all those little details dialed in playing hard, doing your job and executing well.B次元官网网址�
One difference between the regular season and a best-of-seven matchup is the ebbs and flows that come with a series, said Nikita Zadorov.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 no panic, itB次元官网网址檚 long game,B次元官网网址� said the defenceman, whoB次元官网网址檚 played 45 post-season contests. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a seven-game series, anything can happen. ThereB次元官网网址檚 definitely emotional swings during the series so I think youB次元官网网址檙e going to win those momentum games. ThereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of games inside the games, thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of tricks, for sure.B次元官网网址�
Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet has seen many of those tricks first hand.
During his playing career, the power forward suited up for 145 playoff games and won a Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 1992. He added two more championship titles to his resume as an assistant coach for the Penguins in 2016 and 2017.
Coaches have a key role to play in keeping players on an even keel as they weather the emotions of playoff hockey, Tocchet said.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e got to be calm, too. YouB次元官网网址檙e in a plane and the cockpit doorB次元官网网址檚 open and you see the pilot in turbulence, biting his nails and sweating, what are you gonna do?B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淪o I canB次元官网网址檛 be biting my nails, being (upset). Like, IB次元官网网址檝e got to be calm too.B次元官网网址�
The Canucks have hovered near the top of the NHL standings for much of the season and, with nine games to play, they lead the Pacific Division, four points up on the Edmonton Oilers.
There have been challenges, including a stretch in February where Vancouver went seven games without a win in regulation (1-5-1). But there have been successes, too, like the 11-game point streak (9-0-2) the Canucks were on heading into the all-star break.
Lessons learned throughout the campaign will serve the team well in the coming weeks, Cole said.
B次元官网网址淚 think that consistency can give you something to kind of lean on when things get stressful and in situations that go haywire. Because inevitably they will,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檒l win a game, youB次元官网网址檒l be down 5-on-3, whatever the case may be. YouB次元官网网址檙e going to have to lean on what youB次元官网网址檝e experienced throughout the course of the year.B次元官网网址�
READ ALSO:
