Ahead of Game 3, head coach Craig Berube discussed inserting Max Pacioretty into the lineup, the play of his top line through two games, and the challenge of losing last change on the road.

Morning Skate Lines – Game 3

It seemed like you told Marc Savard to pump the brakes on the bench after one of the power-play goals. How important is it to keep the energy calm behind the bench?

Berube: We ask the players to be composed, and we talk about it all the time. That goes for us, too. Sometimes, it is difficult.

It looks like you are making a change on the McMann-Domi line. What is the logic behind the switch with Max Pacioretty coming in?

Berube: It’s a veteran guy who is coming into a game that is going to be tough with their crowd. We wanted to make the change with a veteran guy who is bigger, heavier.

How has Pacioretty handled the long layoff?

Berube: It is tough, for sure, but he has handled it all fairly well. You can’t control everything that happens. For sure, he wanted to be in and playing, but he has the opportunity now.

To me, he has worked hard and kept a good attitude, for the most part. It is not easy, especially for a guy who has been around a long time and is a veteran guy. It is always harder for those guys.

When you say you’re anticipating a tough game, what is going to make the game especially tough tonight?

Berube: They’re at home and have their crowd. They are going to make a hard push early. For me, as the series goes along, in any series, it always gets harder.

How much more difficult will the Stutzle line be to contain now that you are without last change?

Berube: It will be difficult, for sure. It is tough to get your matchups on the road all the time. But I trust our players. When you are out there, you have to do the job.

Travis Green knocked wood after he was asked about Auston Matthews’ lack of goals so far in the series. What are you seeing from Matthews’ line so far, and how close are they to really breaking out?

Berube: They are close. Like everybody else, you are looking at the things they could do better, but those are tough matchups with the Stutzle line. It is a good line, and I think they are doing a good job defensively in checking and doing a lot of positive things. You just have to keep working.

The goals will go in, but if you want to score goals in the playoffs, it is about getting to the net, more than anything. You are going to get opportunities, for sure, at times, with broken plays. Go to the net. That is where the goals are scored most of the time in the playoffs — the greasy goals around the net.

Overall, I am pleased with the line and the job it is doing. I am not too worried about Matthews.

Travis Green: “I feel the players are getting a little more comfortable in the playoff atmosphere”

Travis Green, Ottawa Senators head coach
Travis Green, Ottawa Senators head coach

What is your message going into a must-win Game 3?

Green: Play better, more or less. Enjoy it. It is the same thing we always talk about. There are a couple of tweaks here and there in our game. We haven’t won a game yet, so we haven’t played well enough to win.

What has made Shane Pinto so effective in the matchup role for you?

Green: It is nothing new. He has been doing it all year, and he is good at it. He is learning still, though. It is another example of a player who is still finding his way a little bit. I think he is scratching the surface of what he is going to be long-term. He is getting better in his role, but he is also getting better as a player in the NHL.

How do you hope the players embrace the opportunity to play in front of their home crowd for the first time in the playoffs?

Green: They will. They are going to be excited. You are always excited in the playoffs when you play at home. Much like Toronto, you could tell there was a lot of juice in their game to start the game. The crowd is loud. You grow up watching playoff hockey. It is fun and exciting, and that can’t be forgotten.

I am not worried about our guys embracing it. We have to make sure we keep our emotional control, which is something we have talked about since the start of the series. I thought we did a much better job in Game 2 with our discipline. It has been well-documented that they have a good power play, and we have to make sure we don’t take a lot of penalties.

Brady Tkachuk has said that he’s enjoyed learning some lessons from the first two games. How do you channel the adversity into some energy in Game 3?

Green: You talk about habits and what you want from your group. It goes back to what we have done all year, whether we play well or don’t play well, or if we like our game or not. We reset from day to day, and talk about the game and lessons learned. Sometimes, they are minimal. Sometimes, you learn a lot from game to game in the regular season. It hasn’t changed in the playoffs for our group.

I do feel they are a little more comfortable in the playoff atmosphere. That is to be expected. We have a team on the other side that has a lot of experience in playoff hockey. You can’t hide the fact that we don’t, but I like the way our guys have played.

It has been a while since you took part as a player in the Battle of Ontario. Over the last year, what have you learned about what the rivalry means to this market?

Green: I think it is awesome. It is great for the province — not just the players, but maybe more so the fans. It is an exciting time for the province. There are a lot of people who tune into the games, and rightfully so. The players feel it as well.

The longer a series goes on, the more you feel it. I enjoyed it thoroughly back then, and I am enjoying it thoroughly now.

It looks like you plan to flip Zetterlund and Perron on the lines. Are you looking for more speed on the second line?

Green: I am probably not going to give you much info on our lines or what I am looking for.

What have you liked about Zetterlund’s game?

Green: I’ve liked it since he got here. He’s a good player. He brings an element of speed. He can score. He is strong on the puck.

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