Updates from optional morning skate - May 16

MONTREAL – For the first time in this year’s playoffs, the Canadiens will play on a Saturday night.

Naturally, the conversation around town revolves around “Mr. Saturday Night” himself, Cole Caufield. With 21 goals in 23 Saturday games this season, it’s easy to understand why.

Even Caufield, though, can’t quite explain his knack for delivering on hockey’s biggest night.

“I honestly don’t know. It is a crazy stat. I’ve got to pick it up during the weekdays though,” Caufield said with a laugh. “When everybody’s watching, it really makes you kind of dream about that time of day and time of the week. Everybody gets going for these kinds of games.”

That near goal-per-game pace on Saturdays is something his head coach certainly doesn’t mind, either.

“We don’t hate that,” he joked Saturday morning. “Cole loves the game. The energy of a Saturday night at the Bell Centre — does it raise the love of the game? I don’t know. But for whatever reason, he finds himself in great situations on Saturday night, and it’s fun to watch.”

Caufield was part of 18 players who took part in an optional morning skate ahead of Game 6 at the Bell Centre against the Buffalo Sabres.

With a 3-2 series lead and a chance to punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals, the message inside the locker room is clear: it’s just another game. Kaiden Guhle said it, Lane Hutson said it and so did St-Louis.

“If you spend so much time telling them how important it is, you raise the level of stress,” said the Habs bench boss. “To me, it’s, ‘Guys, it’s just another game. Let’s go play. The nets will be there in the same spot. Blue line, red line…’"

“We’re not trying to magnify the situation by telling them how important it is to put a stamp on [the series]. We just need to go play the best game we can play, with nothing guaranteed,” he finished.

Game 6 is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET. For tickets, click here.