Enjoying the outdoors while staying on task

OTTAWA - The bitter cold in the nation's capital wasn't going to keep the Canadiens from enjoying their outdoor practice on Friday afternoon.

In fact, Claude Julien's troops relished every second of it as the snow fell on the eve of the 2017 Scotiabank NHL100 Classic against the Ottawa Senators.
"It's always a lot of fun. You just go out there and play, and we scrimmaged out there and everyone just had a blast, everyone had a smile on their face," said captain Max Pacioretty, who is taking part in the third outdoor game of his career. "It's cool that we get to be in this position. That kind of comes with playing for a team like Montreal. You get opportunities like this to do stuff different."

The conditions - both on and off the ice - according to Pacioretty, were absolutely perfect.
"I would say that [the ice] was so good that it was equivalent to the Winter Classic two years ago during the game. For a practice, that's unbelievable," praised Pacioretty, referencing the Canadiens' most recent outdoor appearance on January 1, 2016 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA. "Everything felt great. The temperature was really good, the ice was fantastic and it exceeded my expectations for the practice."
Julien ran his group through a 45-minute workout, before players were given the opportunity to hit the ice with family members and friends under the stadium lights.
The veteran bench boss focused primarily on making sure that his group felt comfortable in their brand new surroundings.
"We got used to the ice, to the boards, and we scrimmaged at the end to get used to playing on an outdoor rink. That was a good way for the players to get used to the way they breathe in the cold air," explained Julien, who boasts three previous appearances outdoors - one with Montreal and two with Boston. "If it's cold like this [on Saturday], I think the shifts will be short. Those are all things that can help us along the way."
During his post-practice press conference, Julien stressed the importance of his players avoiding getting caught up in the hype surrounding the outdoor affair. After all, this contest isn't just for show.
"Two points are on the line for both teams. This is a game that's important for the standings. It's a division game. There are a lot of reasons to be as ready for this game as any other game - even if it's outside. There's a lot at stake. The guys are ready," said Julien. "We have to find a way to keep things all business. We have work to do. The ambiance out there on the ice with some snow was fun, but that doesn't take away from the fact that we practiced hard."

Jonathan Drouin is certainly in agreement there.
"These types of events don't come along often, so you have to find the time to have fun and enjoy it. But, there are still two points on the line. It's a regular season game. You have to maintain that balance between the two," said Drouin, ahead of making his outdoor game debut. "We're having fun, though. Parents are here. Friends are here. It's a nice moment, but we're here to get the two points."