Live On Twitter



NEWS BY DIVISION

Like Our Facebook Page

Podcasts

COLUMNS

Health, preparation determine who's still standing Print
Columns
Written by Justin Bourne   
Wednesday, May 05, 2010 14:14
Justin BourneAfter a best-of-seven playoff victory, players sound just like analysts when thinking about their next opponent.

They have the same conversations and make the same predictions as the rest of us.

“Our speed will smoke their defense. Our goalie is better than theirs. We just have to shut down that top line of theirs.”

Truth be told, players don't fully know what to expect when the puck drops, either. You match your opponent’s intensity, you trust in your coach to make the adjustments, and you commit yourself to playing at the highest level possible.

There's little else you can do.

Saying "we just need to shut down their top line" is usually the biggest leap of faith. The other team always has someone who can score and, of course, all the meeting and planning isn't worth a lick when you step on a stick and end up a stride behind a guy who's faster than you. You can't prepare for that situation and, because luck can work either for you or against you, you're always aware of the possibility that you could lose in the next round.

So you prepare for what you can, because – face it – there's a certain type of player that can get it done in playoffs no matter what you do. They just have that next gear, and all you can hope to do is contain them.

Your focus between rounds shifts to what you can affect: your health. Healing injuries is the key focus. The dressing room is already a war zone and the medical staff is working triple its normal hours. Not only do guys want to feel their best, it's simply impossible to escape a six- or seven-game battle without some nagging tweak.

Those training tables become a hotbed of more hockey-analyst talk. Someone played with the other team's goalie a couple years back and claims he's got a weak glove. Somebody else played with that defenseman and says he shuts down when he's getting hit.

Every scrap of knowledge is shared.

For the first time all season, you really take the time to learn your opponent's roster – in and out, up and down. You look at the lines and decide a game plan for specific players.

"Nobody says a word to that blockhead. He's useless if he's not pissing someone off.”

Or, “Everybody get in that goalie's ear. He's a hothead that we can get off his game."

If your team advances past the first round, excitement has replaced the uncertain caution you felt before round one. You know your team can play; no one gets to the second round with a bad squad.

So you focus on your opponent and your health. As the number of teams standing in the NHL dwindles, this is the focus. Chances are, whoever is the most up on both will not only be standing by the end of playoffs. 

They'll be lifting, too.

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Show/hide comments

Write comment

smaller | bigger
security image
Write the displayed characters

busy
Last Updated on Wednesday, May 05, 2010 16:23