First Shift 🏒
The Stars had a spirited practice at Bell Centre on Friday.
It was a rare afternoon on a five-game road trip, the team’s longest of the season, and it wasn’t lost on the players.
“If there is one optional skate you want to be at, I feel like it’s this one,” said defenseman Nils Lundkvist. “There’s something special with this place. It’s a great area, lots of history, and the ice is unbelievable. It’s going to be fun tomorrow, Saturday night in Montréal.”
The Stars are off to a solid start on the trip, winning games at the Rangers and Flyers, and they finish up with a trio of contests in eastern Canada. After Saturday’s game against the Canadiens, they play at Ottawa on Sunday and at Toronto on Tuesday. That will be a great experience for several of the players and coaches who hail from Quebec and Ontario, and it will help make the road trip a little easier to digest.
“I think we’re enjoying being on the road,” said Stars coach Pete DeBoer, who has the team on a six-game win streak. “It’s good to get the group together, especially when you’re winning. There’s a good feeling around our team, but we’ve got to be careful. Winning streaks usually end because you get a little comfortable and start to lose some detail in your game. So we want to make sure we keep that.”
DeBoer and the coaching staff have put a lot of thought into the trip. The team bussed from New York to Philadelphia and will bus from Montréal to Ottawa on Saturday night. They skipped practice on Wednesday and made Friday’s workouts optional. It’s all part of trying to make sure the team is at its physical and mental best.
“There’s lots of communication with the leaders on our team,” DeBoer said. “We’ve got a mature group and they handle those situations really well. It’s a tough schedule, so when and if we’re going to make errors, it’s going to be on the side of resting guys.”
Benn said while the leadership group does have its say, they really allow individuals to make their own decisions.
“You’ve got to listen to your body and do whatever will help you feel best,” Benn said. “Some guys skate, some guys work out, some guys get treatment.”
Benn chose to participate in both the practice and the morning skate, and that kind of leadership is helpful. He and Lundkvist typically are among the first on the ice at every morning skate, as Lundkvist fires pucks at the net and Benn tries to tip them in. It’s a practice that started with Joe Pavelski and young players like Ty Dellandrea in recent seasons, and it has carried over now. Benn said it does build chemistry.
“We’re trying to get something out of every day,” Benn said. “We all know that if we’re going out to practice go out with some purpose and some intensity and work on things that can help you in a game.”
Because it is a long season, and it is a long road trip, and you have to make the most out of every day.
“It can only help come game time,” Benn said.
