Niskanen also pointed to another turning point. It came when Trotz asked captain Alex Ovechkin to drop from the first line to the third for Game 5.
Ovechkin, the most prolific goal-scorer of his generation, never questioned it. As he did with other requests Trotz made of him this season, such as reducing his ice time, Ovechkin accepted his role and went out and scored a goal in Game 5.
"I absolutely loved it," Niskanen said. "I loved that he didn't take it personal. This time of year, sometimes you have to just check your ego and work harder. In Game 5, he skated his butt off, ran into people, he was a bull in a china shop again and got rewarded with a goal. His attitude hasn't changed. He wants to win and wants to come here and make a difference. That's not easy to do for a proud player that's been a top, top player in this league for a long time.
"He checked his ego and that was that."