Perry: 'It's another great test'

BROSSARD - It might sound cliché, but it's true.

"If you want to be the best, you've got to beat the best," said left-winger Artturi Lehkonen during Saturday's media availability, when asked about facing the defending champions in the Stanley Cup Final.
The Tampa Bay Lightning are the last obstacle standing between the Canadiens and their first championship since 1993, and they present a formidable challenge given the make-up of their impressive roster.
If anyone knows that inside the locker room, it's veteran Corey Perry.
He battled the Lightning in the Final last summer while still a member of the Dallas Stars.
"It's another great test. They're a heck of a hockey team," said Perry, who's enjoying another productive playoff run with nine points (3 goals, 6 assists) in 17 games. "You look up and down their lineup. They have a world-class goalie. Then, you have one of the top defensemen in the League in Victor Hedman, and the list goes on with Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos. You can talk about them all day long. We're excited for this opportunity. We're here for a reason and they're here for a reason. It's going to be a good series."

Just how potent is the Lightning offense in the postseason? Head coach Jon Cooper's contingent has scored a League-best 58 goals, boasts the top five point-getters in Kucherov (27 points), Brayden Point (20 points), Stamkos (17 points), Alex Killorn (17 points) and Hedman (16 points), along with a power play operating at a 37.7% clip.
With that in mind, Perry's keys to victory shouldn't come as a surprise.
"You have to stay out of the penalty box. Everybody knows what their power play is like and how they can move the puck and the different options they have. That's one way of limiting their chances. You have to play well defensively, you have to check, you have to be in good spots, and you have to know who's on the ice," shared the 36-year-old right-winger, ahead of his third appearance in the Final. "Each night, you have to be on your toes and be ready to play. If you take a shift off, that could be the difference in that game."
As for the job of keeping the Lightning's top line of Ondrej Palat, Point and Kucherov in check, it'll likely be assigned to Lehkonen, Phillip Danault and Brendan Gallagher, who worked wonders versus Vegas' top snipers.
It's an awesome responsibility that Gallagher is primed to embrace.
"It's a fun challenge to have. You look at probably the hottest player in the League right now. He's a guy that shows up for big games, competes, and his linemates aren't too bad either. It's going to be a tough job, but the way you do it doesn't change - frustrate them, be in their face, try to take away their time and space, understand that they're talented players that are going to make plays and have their moments, but make them have to work for it, make them have to earn it, don't give them anything easy, nothing cheap," explained the Habs' assistant captain. "We believe in ourselves. We know they believe in themselves. Each shift, you're just trying to win your individual battles. As big as the moment is, you're just trying to simplify it like that and go from there."
Soak it all in, kids
Perry was asked about his message for the Canadiens' youngsters heading into Game 1 on Monday night at AMALIE Arena.
He put the huge opportunity into perspective with a few simple words and a poignant story about just how difficult it is to achieve success on a regular basis.
"Don't take it for granted. I was sitting in the dressing room the other night, sitting beside Eric Staal, and he was just telling me that he hasn't been back to the Final since '06 when he won. We both looked at each other. I said the first time I was back was last year, and that was since '07, so I know the feeling," revealed Perry. "You come into this League at a young age, and you have success early. I went to the Conference Final my first year, and then we ended up winning my second year. You think it's going to happen over and over and over again. You just keep the same team together and just ride the wave, but that's not the case. With the cap and everything going on, teams change quickly, and you never know when that chance is going to happen. As a group, we've talked about that. Just live the moment and enjoy it, take on this wild ride and have fun with it because you never know when that next chance is really going to happen ever again."

Gallagher already has that mindset with his first Stanley Cup Final appearance on the horizon.
The Canadiens' resident warrior eagerly anticipated the chance to play for hockey's top prize since debuting in 2012-13.
"Each year, you have an appreciation for just how tough it is to get to the point where we're at right now. This is my ninth year in the League. You just want to take advantage of these things. You know how much work went into it. In those nine years, there's been a lot of good, a lot of tough years, some pain, and some misery that goes with it as well. You understand the hard work and everything that went into getting to this point," noted Gallagher. "We feel we have a great group, a team that can hopefully take advantage of this. We're hoping that for the next seven games, we can leave it all on the ice, and trust that when we do the things we've talked about, we can be proud of the effort and hopefully get the chance to be holding the Cup at the end of the entire thing."
The latest on Ducharme
Interim head coach Dominique Ducharme was forced to witness the final four games of the series against Vegas from his couch after testing positive for COVID-19.
He'll miss the first two games of the Final as well while quarantining, but expects to return for Game 3 at the Bell Centre.
Watching his troops from afar isn't easy, but he's been enjoying their accomplishments every step of the way.
"I was very happy for our players. We've been battling for a long time to get to this point. Of course I would've liked to be in the building to celebrate with everyone," said Ducharme, referencing the series-clinching triumph earlier in the week. "But, we have other things on our minds for the next round. The celebration we want is the big one at the end."

In his absence, assistant coach Luke Richardson has been running the bench alongside fellow assistant, Alex Burrows, and director of goaltending, Sean Burke.
Ducharme praised their collective efforts on Saturday.
"We've always worked together, and we continue to do that. Luke is a team guy. He's the type of teammate you want by your side for any kind of challenge. Everybody is playing their role and working together. We're preparing the team the same way," mentioned Ducharme. "I just need to do video with the players. Luke, Alex and Sean are handling their respective roles during games, and they keep moving ahead. Our success is a byproduct of teamwork."
And it shows in the way the Canadiens are playing as a cohesive unit.
"I feel that our guys aren't thinking, they're just executing, they're just playing. That's what we wanted to create, the thing to become just automatic and become second nature," explained Ducharme. "I really enjoy watching it and seeing the group playing that way together."