Pens return to the ice, await next opponent

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

Pittsburgh Penguins coach Dan Bylsma recognizes how a team performs in the upcoming round will be the only measure of whether having a week off between playoff series was an advantage.

“The best way to talk about a break is after a break is done,” Bylsma said. “I’ve been part of breaks that were long and good for the team, and I’ve been part of breaks that were long and didn’t turn out the right result for the players.”

Four days into what ultimately will be six days between playoff games, the Penguins practiced for the second consecutive day Wednesday. They will face No. 8 seed Montreal in the Eastern Conference semifinals starting Friday.

Many Pittsburgh players said they were planning to watch the Washington-Montreal Game 7 on Wednesday night, won by the Canadiens, 2-1, completing a shocking series upset.

“It’s starting to feel a little bit long now,” goalie Marc-Andre Fleury said of a layoff that began Sunday. “It’ll be fun to get back into it.”

The defending champion Penguins were completely off Sunday and Monday, but have been back on the Mellon Arena ice the past two days, emphasizing 5-on-5 scrimmages and other drills that most closely simulate game play.

Perhaps Bylsma said it best when he channeled his inner-Yogi Berra.

“Rest is no good if you don’t work,” he said.

Despite the long layoff mostly spent in limbo — Game 1 will be Friday— if the players were getting antsy waiting, they didn’t let on.

“I don’t think we’re in a rush,” captain Sidney Crosby said. “We’re getting ready and making the most of our practice time and preparing accordingly. When it’s time, it’s time. We’ll be ready. Until then, you try to make the most of the time we have.”

Pittsburgh’s workouts have focused more on ways to improve and refine internally rather than game-planning. Some players insisted that opponent-specific practice wouldn’t occur until the day before a game anyway.

Bylsma added that the specialized nature of the power-play or penalty-killing dictates the Penguins have largely stayed away from strategies on special teams.

“I don’t think anyone’s anxious,” veteran defenseman Jay McKee said.