116 versus 143.
That香蕉视频直播檚 the number of playoff games Vancouver香蕉视频直播檚 Ian Cole has participated in versus the combined total of J.T. Miller, Quinn Hughes, Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser and Thatcher Demko entering this post-season.
Take Miller and his 78 games out of the equation and that香蕉视频直播檚 116 games versus 55.
When it comes to playoff experience, Cole is the dean of the Canucks dressing room.
The 35-year-old native of Ann Arbor, Michigan was part of back-to-back Stanley Cup championships with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017 and has been part of playoff runs with Colorado and Carolina.
For Cole, the playoffs are familiar territory.
While most of his teammates were soaking in the rabid atmosphere at Rogers Arena on Sunday night when Vancouver defeated Nashville 4-2 in game one of their first round series, Cole didn香蕉视频直播檛 let the moment get too big.
Although he appreciated the fan support, the veteran defenseman didn香蕉视频直播檛 try to soak it all in.
香蕉视频直播淣o, not really to be honest. All that stuff is awesome and you can feel the energy but personally for me I do better when I block out all the external stuff,香蕉视频直播� stated Cole.
He admits that having experience in that type of environment does help in terms of focusing on the task at hand.
香蕉视频直播淲hen you go and you step out here, it香蕉视频直播檚 your fans and the atmosphere is so great. It香蕉视频直播檚 like 香蕉视频直播榳ow, this is amazing.香蕉视频直播� Then you go to Nashville, and you香蕉视频直播檙e like, 香蕉视频直播榳ow, this is so intimidating.香蕉视频直播� Well, it香蕉视频直播檚 neither. It香蕉视频直播檚 great here. Yeah, I feel the energy and use it. And there? It香蕉视频直播檚 going be loud. It香蕉视频直播檚 not intimidating - feel the energy use it,香蕉视频直播� explained Cole.
香蕉视频直播淚t all should be the same mindset right? It shouldn香蕉视频直播檛 matter where you香蕉视频直播檙e playing, there香蕉视频直播檚 going to be energy everywhere at this point of the year. The fans were great. They were awesome and you could definitely feel that but I don香蕉视频直播檛 think focusing on it is beneficial.香蕉视频直播�
As a veteran on the team, Cole picks his spots when to say things and is always open to helping out teammates when asked.
香蕉视频直播淵ou try to say some things here and there but I also don香蕉视频直播檛 want to stand up here and pontificate 香蕉视频直播榦h, I香蕉视频直播檝e done this and this is what we need to do.香蕉视频直播� No one really appreciates that either. When guys come to you and ask questions, you answer them. If you see things that you think you can add some insight to or fix, you do that when the time is right. But again, I don香蕉视频直播檛 think standing up and telling people what to do or how to play香蕉视频直播e got here for a reason.
香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e got a great hockey team. We香蕉视频直播檙e deep. We香蕉视频直播檙e skilled. We have elite players from our goaltending all the way through our 香蕉视频直播楧香蕉视频直播� all the way through our forwards. So let guys do their job and let guys experience it for themselves and grow and learn.香蕉视频直播�
Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet recognizes that Cole香蕉视频直播檚 experience is valuable and pointed out and example of it from earlier in the year.
香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 been times this year I felt our team get a little antsy and Coler香蕉视频直播檚 demeanor after the game has helped our team. I香蕉视频直播檝e seen it. It香蕉视频直播檚 easier when it comes from the player or their peers than the coach when you have that player that can settle guys down,香蕉视频直播� said Tocchet, referring to a four-game late-February swoon that was snapped with a 3-2 win over Boston at Rogers Arena. 香蕉视频直播淚 think we lost four in a row one time and Coler talked to the guys. The next night we played we had a good night. Some of the older guys I think won us that game.香蕉视频直播�
Cole is the epitome of what Tocchet and the organization want from players in terms of a mental approach.
Now in his 14th NHL season, Cole has seen it all yet he doesn香蕉视频直播檛 get too high after success or too low after failure.
香蕉视频直播淚 mean, listen, we香蕉视频直播檝e talked about this many times over the course of the year, which essentially is 香蕉视频直播榟ey, we win a couple games everyone香蕉视频直播檚 riding high. They香蕉视频直播檙e amazing! Or we香蕉视频直播檙e gonna win the cup!香蕉视频直播� Well, it香蕉视频直播檚 not true. We got to win a heck of a lot more hockey games.
香蕉视频直播淥r just like if we had lost the first game and got blown out 8-1. 香蕉视频直播極h man! They香蕉视频直播檙e a phony - they香蕉视频直播檙e a fake. They香蕉视频直播檙e not there.香蕉视频直播� That香蕉视频直播檚 not true either.
香蕉视频直播淟et香蕉视频直播檚 try to stay level-headed through this whole thing. Let香蕉视频直播檚 try to stay even-keel. We have a lot more hockey games to win. They (Nashville) are going to push back. They香蕉视频直播檙e going to come back even better. And we need to be ready for them.香蕉视频直播�
OVERTIME
* The discussions have already started about the 香蕉视频直播榗oaching adjustments香蕉视频直播� that take place in a series but don香蕉视频直播檛 kid yourselves. You don香蕉视频直播檛 change the foundation of what got you to the post-season. The adjustments are more like 香蕉视频直播榯weaks香蕉视频直播� according to Tocchet. 香蕉视频直播淟et香蕉视频直播檚 face it. They know us. We know them. There might be some stuff they might adjust to and we have to be ready for it and vice versa. A lot of times there are in-game adjustments too whether you take a guy off a line or try different things. You can香蕉视频直播檛 be afraid to do that in-game. I think that香蕉视频直播檚 important,香蕉视频直播� stated Tocchet.
* Asked if he learns anything more about his team after watching game video, Tocchet said it reinforces what he sees from the bench during the course of a game more so than any eye-opening revelations. 香蕉视频直播淔or me in real time I kind of know. I don香蕉视频直播檛 need the next day to validate it. There is the odd time where I may have misread (what occurred in the game) but I kind of know what I thought last night is what I watched today.香蕉视频直播�
* Tocchet believes the main purpose of looking back at games is to use the video as a tool to help players moving forward. 香蕉视频直播淭o me, good coaching is how do you present it to the players without being negative or even too positive. I think it香蕉视频直播檚 important you tell the story. Whatever our story is today with the players is going to help us tomorrow. I think that香蕉视频直播檚 what I look at video for 香蕉视频直播� creating your narrative to the players. What can we do to get better?香蕉视频直播� he explained.
Veteran B.C. sports personality Bob 香蕉视频直播渢he Moj香蕉视频直播� Marjanovich writes twice weekly for Black Press Media.
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