Canadiens to rely on youth over experience in Game 6 against Maple Leafs
Caufield, Suzuki, Kotkaniemi will be counted on with Montreal on brink of elimination by Dave Stubbs @Dave Stubbs / NHL.com Columnist
The Montreal Canadiens were able to extend their Stanley Cup First Round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs because of the play of several of their young players.
Canadiens coach Dominique Ducharme began the series leaning on experience; 20-year-old forwards Cole Caufield and Jesperi Kotkaniemi were each a healthy scratch for Game 1 and Caufield sat for Game 2. Alexander Romanov, a 21-year-old defenseman who played 52 games in the regular season, has yet to play.
Spotlight on rookies making early impact in the NHL playoffs nownews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from nownews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
For all the talk about how much playoff experience goes into winning the Stanley Cup and the guys with gray in their beards who have been there before, rookies are stealing the show early in this NHL postseason.
Three rookie goaltenders have won a game, the defending Stanley Cup champions are getting major production from a rookie forward and the likely rookie of the year has found his groove after a rocky start.
From New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin, Carolinaâs Alex Nedeljkovic and Floridaâs Spencer Knight making saves to Tampa Bayâs Ross Colton and Minnesotaâs Kirill Kaprizov scoring goals, the first round is proving to be something of a rookie showcase.
Away from the rink, Badgers coach Mark Osiecki puts his fishing passion to good use for charity
As a Minnesota kid, Mark Osiecki spent summers chasing muskies and walleyes near Leech Lake. As an assistant coach for the Wisconsin Badgers, he has found a way to make his fishing passion pay via a popular charity tournament that raises money for kids with cancer. 11:20 am, May 17, 2021 ×
University of Wisconsin men s hockey coaches Mark Osiecki (left) and Tony Granato got out on the water near Madison, Wis., for the 2019 Casting for Kids fishing tournament, which raises money for the school s children s cancer center. Submitted photo