Desperate Ottawa Senators tries to avoid elimination by Pittsburgh Penguins

Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins, right, scores a goal on Craig Anderson of the Ottawa Senators during the first period in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Final during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG PAINTS Arena on May 21, 2017 in Pittsburgh. OTTAWA, Ontario — Guy Boucher has typically kept his team off the ice on off-days during the postseason. Not Monday.

The Ottawa coach opted for a half-hour practice ahead of Game 6 on Tuesday night to help his team “refresh” and “reload” after a 7-0 beating by Pittsburgh, one of the worst losses in team playoff history. Players thought the practice, as well as an encouraging chat beforehand, helped wipe the slate clean as they…