LAS VEGAS — If you thought John Tortorella would show up at Sunday morning’s availability to reveal his replacement for the injured William Karlsson, you probably still think the magician saws the assistant in half.
However, when Brayden McNabb was asked about the possibility that it’s Reilly Smith, an original misfit in Vegas alongside Karlsson, his answer seemed to point to his return for Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final (Sportsnet, Sportsnet+, 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT).
“I’m excited for him,” McNabb said of the 35-year-old forward. “He’s played in a lot of big games, and I expect a big game. He means a lot. Good player, he gets it and has been a great teammate through this run.”
Smith hasn’t played since Game 6 of the team’s first-round series against Utah.
Tortorella's other option is Brandon Saad, who hasn’t played since Game 2 against Colorado.
“He’s an original and had some big plays in this building,” Tortorella said of Smith.
“He’s been a great pro since he sat out. Him and Saader are good players. They’ve done their work as we’ve gone through a long ride here. We’ll see where it goes tonight.”
Because they’ve both seen plenty of action in big playoff games over the years, the coach is convinced the moment won’t be too big for either veteran.
“I’m sure the intensity and with the crowd and all that it will be different, but they’ve practised at a high level. They’ll be ready to play," Tortorella said.
Mitch Marner and Tomas Hertl will likely share duties up the middle on the second line to which Karlsson was so integral, while Smith or Saad will likely play wing in the bottom six.
Speech! Speech!
Rod Brind’Amour keeps the boys guessing with what he’ll say next.
But the coach’s pre-game speeches seldom fail to jack ’em up like the man’s own biceps.
“Every pre-game speech, you think it is going to be the same, but it’s always something different,” Shayne Gostisbehere said. “It’s not the same old cliché where you are like, ‘Yeah, we get it, coach. We’re going to play hard.’”
Brind’Amour delivers such engaging pump-up talks because he spent years on the receiving end. He knows what works and what doesn’t. But his message isn’t tossed off the cuff; he spends time — often on his morning run — thinking up anecdotes or a fresh approach to motivate the next generation of Canes.
“He’s got a few good ones,” captain Jordan Staal said. “Obviously a great motivator. He puts time into it, I know he does.”
Why Brind’Amour’s words resonate is because he’s played before. He taps into the mood of his group.
“Looking across the room and looking in everyone’s eyes, and understanding that they need to bring it, and you need to bring it for them,” Staal continued. “He understands that, so he hits that feel a lot. I think the motivation to run through a wall for him is there.”
Brind’Amour has cribbed his public-speaking techniques from all the coaches he had along the way. Peter Laviolette in 2006 sticks out because they won, of course.
But it was Barry MacKenzie who made the biggest impact on Rod’s body of coaching work.
MacKenzie coached Brind’Amour as an impressionable teenager skating for Notre Dame’s Athol Murray College.
MacKenzie’s style?
“Honesty. He was honest and hard, but, like, fair,” Brind’Amour says of his big motivator. “We’re all, at that age, trying to get to the next level. And he knew that, and he just had a way of making sure we did things right.
“That guy did the most for me. That one guy, the way he did it, that is how I try to go about my business.”
Mood check
Facing elimination for the first time this spring, Golden Knights forward Cole Smith was asked about the vibe in the room Sunday morning.
“A lot of experience on this team, and with that comes a lot of confidence,” the winger said. “You go in the locker room this morning and there’s a lot of confidence. I don’t think there’s anybody doubting what we can do tonight, and I think that’s huge.”
Tortorella has said all along his veteran team always seems to get up for any challenge.
“I get a front-row seat on how these guys have handled themselves, and they have done it the right way,” he said. “Great pros, they’re not afraid of the moment. They’ll be ready to play. What the result is I have no idea, but they’ll be ready to play.”
Mitch Marner figures the key Sunday is a great start.
“Just make sure we come in with a mindset of attacking right away,” he said.
“We don't want to sit back. This is a Carolina team that likes to try to attack first as well and likes to really get a really (great) start. We gotta make sure our start is on point and be ready to go, and from there just stay calm, stick with each other. Just make sure we stay even keel through it all, lean on each other, make sure we're there for one another to help each other out.”
Distractions, they’ve had a few
A team hanging consecutive multi-goal victories in this airtight Cup Final might wish to get back on the ice immediately. Less time to think about a dream now creeping within a 60-minute grasp and flood of family onto chewed-up ice.
“They watch us at home, and now they're watching us here,” Jordan Martinook said. “We want the people closest to us to be supporting us in this time, and that's just part of it. We’re going to be business as usual, and just happy to have them here to support us.”
Brind’Amour has smartly positioned the two days off between Games 5 and 6 as a beneficial thing for Carolina: an extra day at home, extra time to deal with the travel and ticket requests from the entourages must be inside T-Mobile Arena for a 50-50 shot at history.
“We’ll be all dialled in come game time,” the coach assured. “It’s the hardest one. You’re playing a team that knows how to win and has done it. We know they’re not going away.
“Not only are you playing a team that gets it, you’re adding distractions now. It’s a little more difficult. You gotta manage that.”
Thus far, Carolina has managed the pressure to finish its opponent perfectly, going 3-0 in closeout games. Vegas at home is a different animal, though.
“The lead changes and everything has been stressful, to say the least. It shows how good both teams are. When you let up just a little bit, teams are going to take advantage. So, stressful, but a lot of fun to be a part of,” Nikolaj Ehlers said.
“I told my parents: last night I was lying in bed, and I was like, you got to realize you’re playing the Stanley Cup Final. This might be the last time ever. It's my first time in 11 years, so it's extremely special, and to be doing that with this group is a lot of fun. So, taking in every moment, but also want to get the job done.”
No need to shake the lines
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Healthy and happy after this series’ most dominant performance Thursday, Brind’Amour announced Saturday that he won’t be changing his lineup. That means Brandon Bussi will attempt to extend his win streak to three games, and Frederik Andersen is unlikely to dress.
“It’s been fun. We’re playing hockey at the highest level,” said Bussi, whose poise under emergency relief has been remarkable.
“Just stay focused, stay to myself, enjoy it. I don’t know how I’m able to keep my composure. Just that I am.”
Svechnikov – Aho – Martinook
Hall – Stankoven – Blake
Ehlers – Staal – Jarvis
Carrier – Jankowski – Robinson
Slavin – Chatfield
Miller – Walker
Gostisbehere – Nikishin
Bussi
Kochetkov
Vegas’s Game 6 lineup
Barbashev – Eichel – Stone
Howden – Hertl – Marner
R. Smith – Sissons – Dorofeyev
C. Smith – Dowd – Kolesar
McNabb – Theodore
Hanifin – Andersson
Coghlan – Lauzon
Hart
Hill
0:54
1:34
0:48