Dominique Ducharme makes a strong statement ahead of Game 4.

Habs coach is not backing down.

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HockeyFeed
Published 2 years ago
Dominique Ducharme makes a strong statement ahead of Game 4.
Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire/Getty

The Montreal Canadiens are standing at the edge of the abyss in these Stanley Cup Playoffs and although they have had one of the most impressive underdog runs through the playoffs in recent memory, it could be all for naught if they lose in embarrassing fashion in the Stanley Cup Final.

After falling down 3 - 0 in the series against the Tampa Bay Lightning you could forgive the Canadiens if their confidence is currently at an all time low, but on Saturday a defiant Dominique Ducharme spoke to the media and showed no signs of backing down. The Habs head coach, who was forced to miss the first two games of the final due to the National Hockey League's covid protocols, returned in Game 3 only to see his Canadiens lose in an effort where they outshot the Lightning. In spite of the losing effort from his team Ducharme vowed to fight on in these playoffs, seemingly fully intending to pull off the first reverse sweep in a Stanley Cup Final in nearly 80 years.

"Those who say we’re just going to let this go, it’s not knowing us well," said Ducharme as per The Globe and Mail. "We’re going to fight."

It is one thing to say you're going to overcome what seem to be near impossible odds but it is another matter entirely to actually do it in practice. Ducharme has come back from down 0 -3 in a series before, albeit not at the NHL level and certainly not in a Stanley Cup Final but instead in a playoff series in the QMJHL, and it is perhaps for this reason that the Canadiens head coach appears to be confident in the potential for a comeback. The Habs bench boss indicated that the team will simply have to take things one step at a time moving forward in order to get back in the series.

"We can’t look too far," said Ducharme, "you look at the mountain and it looks pretty high, but there are steps to pass. The first step is to win our next home game."

If Ducharme's confidence is not well placed we could instead end up with one of the most boring Stanley Cup Finals in recent memory.

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