The Steinbach Pistons are in playoff season and Head Coach Paul Dyck says playoffs are on a whole new level from the regular season. 

He says the regular season was good preparation for playoffs, as the team was able to get their fitness levels up before March came around.

“You can't fully prepare for what you're going to face in the playoffs. The games have been the foremost physical games we've played all year.” 

A big reason playoffs can be extra difficult is because of how long the road is to make it to the end to win the championship. 

Dyck says it's hard to tell a young player who has never been to playoffs before what it's like, but that's where the older players come in to explain as they have had the experience. 

“They actually know, they've lived it, we lived this last year. We had the playoff run, so that experience is valuable,” he says. “I mean their voice in the room is they've lived game sevens, they've played in the finals last year.” 

Playoffs are a test of endurance as it takes a toll on the players physically. That’s why Dyck says rest is a weapon at this time of year. 

“Right now, when we have a day off, it's typically off the ice. Which during the season, we have our one day a week,” he says. “We've already had some guys took both days off the ice. Literally it was more important than just having that one day of feeling a puck.” 

Dyck says playoffs can be so demanding, that he's seen guys lose 10 pounds in six weeks. 

“And their bodies are in a state where they can't work out for another month afterwards. They're just literally empty and bone bruises or fractures and sprains and things of that nature.” 

He remembers that last time they won, it was a long stretch as they played all the way into mid-May. 

"A lot of teams had been done for two months. After a regular season that's 60 games in seven months. And people ask often ‘what does it feel like?’ And sometimes it's almost relief,” he says. “And it’s exuberant obviously in the moment, but that next day, it's an exhale. We did it.” 

He says that besides being absolutely exhausted, it’s an amazing feeling. 

“It's very rewarding. And one of my messages to the boys was ‘guys, we play till May. It's where we all want to be. It's going to be the hardest two months of hockey you've ever played, but it's going to be worth every minute.” 

 

With files from Michelle Sawatzky