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PITTSBURGH - So, it turns out, big Hal Gill was not being an orange traffic cone during all those practices with the Pittsburgh Penguins last year.
Gill was watching and studying, reading what was going on and now it’s time for the book report.
The Montreal Canadiens defenceman passed along his inside information on Sidney Crosby and the rest of the Penguins to the coaching staff during the Habs’ flight here from Washington after their upset win over the top-seeded Caps Wednesday night in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final.
After knocking off the Caps, now the Habs get the Stanley Cup champions.
On one day’s rest.
Game 1 is Friday night at 7 p.m.
With Game 2 on Sunday afternoon.
Three games in less than four days.
Thanks, NHL.
Thanks, Point Park University, which has Mellon Arena booked for its graduation ceremony Saturday.
“It’s not fair,” said Gill with mock indignation Thursday before brushing off the schedule. “We had a big emotional win, but we had a day to rest up. Hopefully we catch them a little rusty.”
The Penguins have been off since Saturday after eliminating the Ottawa Senators in six games.
Gill, a tower of power for the Habs against the Capitals, blocking 31 shots (second in the first round to the 32 by Ottawa’s Anton Volchenkov), will be asked again to play a key role in shutting down a superstar.
Gill helped do it against Alexander Ovechkin.
Now it will be Crosby.
Gill said going against Crosby day after day in practice with the Penguins last year forced him to improve or he would be that orange traffic cone.
“It made me a better player, for sure. He’s a guy who practises 100 percent. Sometimes to a fault. He’s crazy,” said Gill. “But it made me a better player and hopefully I can use that against him. It’s not easy. He’s a guy who has a lot of moves.”
Ovechkin has that favourite move where he likes to attack on the left wing, shift outside and back inside to shoot, using the defenceman as a screen. The Habs jammed him and limited his effectiveness, blocking 31 of his shots in the seven-game series.
Crosby presents a much more diversified portfolio.
“He’s better at using the players around him,” said Josh Gorges, Gill’s defence partner.
“He’s got a lot of weapons. He can make a pass on his forehand or his backhand,” said Gill. “He can take a shot on his forehand or backhand. He’s fast. He gets low. He’s good around the net. He’s plays well defensively, as well. To play against him you have to play as a team. If you get puck focused on him, he’ll hit someone else. He’s a tough guy to play against.”
And that’s probably, in a bigger sense, the difference for the Habs in making the transition from the playing the regular season champs to playing the defending Stanley Cup champions.
The Penguins just have more moves. More depth, more experience, infinitely more knowledge about what it takes to win at this time of year than the Caps did.
Gill went through the process with the Penguins last year, learning about teammates, seeing the commitment to the common good growing each game. It’s started with the Habs now.
“You’re always finding it. You’re always questioned. You’re proving yourself every night. You need new guys to step up. When I was with Pittsburgh, Max Talbot had big games. It was always someone new and that’s what we’re developing now as a team. They’ve gone through it and know what guys are going to bring to the table. We’re finding that out.”
PREDICTION: The Canadiens pulled off one of the great upsets in recent memory against the Caps, but the Penguins present a much greater test. They’re not going to be as mentally fragile as the Caps and Crosby is a better leader than Ovechkin. I’m not convinced Habs goaltender Jaroslav Halak can keep up the level of goaltending he showed in the last three games. PENGUINS IN SIX.
chris.stevenson@sunmedia.ca