Canadiens embracing opportunity to close out Sabres in Game 6 at Bell Centre

MONTREAL— A thought crossed my mind as Lindy Ruff was talking post-Game 5 about his Buffalo Sabres going 2-4 at home and 4-1 on the road through these playoffs, but it was quickly dismissed by a member of the Montreal Canadiens.

Ruff was asked to explain that discrepancy—especially after the Sabres went 26-10-5 at KeyBank Center while going 24-12-5 on the road through the regular season—and said: “I’ve mentioned friends, family, everything (at home). Not saying that’s what it is. I don’t know that for sure. But our road play has been better. And if our road play is what we need to carry us through this, then we go to Montreal, and we win a game, and we come back. And when we come back, we’re going to pretend we’re on the road.”

It's been done many times in NHL history.

Heck, it was done just last round by the Tampa Bay Lightning, who slept in the plush beds of the JW Marriott on Water Street instead of their own after winning Game 6 in Montreal. They had taken Game 4 at Bell Centre as well, but lost two of three at Benchmark International Arena, so pretending to be on the road felt like a winning proposition to them for Game 7 (Watch Game 6 Saturday on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ with coverage starting at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT).

The Canadiens are now 5-2 away from the Bell Centre after having gone 24-9-8 on the road during the regular season, so I did wonder if they’d return to Montreal and consider settling into The Ritz on de la Montagne Friday.

But not for long, because a member of the Canadiens said they’ve liked the way they’ve played at home, and that felt sound to me.

The Canadiens lost Game 4 of this series by failing to convert on more than one of seven power plays, and the difference in the one-goal game ultimately proved to be Buffalo’s opportunism on two of their four power play chances and one crazy bounce off a stanchion.

The Canadiens still led that game at one point and came close to tying it in the third, just like they led most of Game 4 against Tampa and came close to flipping that result. And as Martin St. Louis reminded media members who were able to attend Friday morning’s availability in Buffalo, Game 6 was one of the Canadiens’ strongest efforts of the series against the Lightning.

I thought it was their best game, even if they lost it 1-0. And that, coupled with how they’ve looked at the Bell Centre against Buffalo, justifies their belief that if they treat Saturday’s game like they have every other home one they’ve had in these playoffs, they’ll have the opportunity to advance to the Eastern Conference Final.

Not that the Canadiens think it’ll be easy.

“It takes a lot (to eliminate a team),” said St. Louis.

“It probably takes your best, and more,” he added, with fresh memories of some lucky Game 7 breaks that got the Canadiens past Tampa likely running through his mind.

But St. Louis and his players don’t feel a reason to pretend Game 6 is being played elsewhere, and they have every reason to embrace getting to play it exactly where it’ll be—in the best atmosphere in the sport.

Especially on Saturday night, (amazingly) for the first time of these playoffs.

The Canadiens were 14-8-1 on Saturdays this season, largely thanks to Mr. Saturday Nightscoring 21 goals.

“Well, I think probably Cole (Caufield) is gonna score,” said Juraj Slafkovsky.

With that joke out of the way, he then made it clear the Canadiens will approach Game 6 the right way.

“To be real, we know we’ve gotta play hard,” Slafkovsky said. “It’s going to start 0-0 and we’ve gotta have a mindset that it’s a 0-0 series and we’re trying to get the first win. Just play hard, do everything we can, and not let them come close to our net.”

First, get through Friday.

Go home, see your family and friends, get some rest, follow your coach’s advice.

“I think we’re just focused on each and every day,” said St. Louis. “We’re not worried about the day before, we’re not worried about what’s ahead; let’s just take care of today. And I think when you take care of today, usually you don’t get anxious or too excited. I feel (if) you just stay present where your feet are and take care of that, I think it helps us staying even keel and just focus on the process and prepare.”

Then wake up and enjoy the experience of gameday.do

It should be electric in Montreal.

“The city’s already pretty crazy,” said Suzuki.

“We’re excited for the opportunity,” said Lane Hutson. “Any chance you get to do it at home, it’s exciting, and we’re grateful for that opportunity.”

Demidov heating up right on time

The 20-year-old was the most dynamic player on the ice in Game 5, and it probably had nothing to do with what Slafkovsky said was the reason for it.

“It’s good he finally went back to the white (stick) tape, which I like,” quipped the 22-year-old. “I can’t look at him with the black tape on his stick, so I think that’s the only thing that changed.”

After being held to the one assist he had in Game 1 through the first five games and two periods of the Tampa series, Demidov came out for the third period of Game 6 with black tape on his stick. He had just been robbed of two goals on the power play by Andrei Vasilevskiy and figured he needed to do something drastic to flip the script.

But Demidov and the Canadiens were shut out through that third period and overtime, and he was once again held in check in Game 7 before producing three assists through the first four games against Buffalo.

Even if one of those helpers came in Game 4 against the Sabres, Demidov couldn’t execute throughout that game the way he hoped to.

Then the Russian came out with white tape on his stick for warm-up of Game 5 and proceeded to offer his best performance of the playoffs.

Demidov's reasoning for his breakthrough was just as off as Slafkovsky’s.

“This game, Hockey Gods decided that I have to score,” he said of his one-goal, one-assist performance.

But there was no divine intervention.

This was about the work Demidov has been committed to ever since he was young. The work he’s done tirelessly. The work that makes a rookie like him—and a sophomore like Hutson—so impactful already in the NHL.

“Their confidence comes from their preparation and the time they put in,” said St. Louis. “You have to work. To be a confident player, it’s not just about the goals. Yeah, that’s going to help, but to me, it’s the preparation that leads up to everything you’re going to do. Those guys are perfectionists. They prepare a lot. They’re on the ice, they get their touches. And being confident doesn’t guarantee the puck’s going to go in, but I think it allows you to not just be a flash in the pan. It’s every day. They come in every day, and they work on their stuff.”

Hutson and Demidov also have elite talent, and that helps too.

Demidov’s was bound to shine through in these playoffs.

“He has some of the best skill I’ve ever seen, so obviously he’s great,” said Slafkovsky. “He can make all the plays, and he showed it today, and he’s been showing it all year.”

White tape, black tape, Demidov would do it just the same, and the Canadiens are hoping he will in Game 6.