When your back's against the wall, sometimes the best practice is no practice at all. That's the unconventional approach Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff is taking as Buffalo faces elimination against the Montreal Canadiens in Game 6 of their second-round series.

Trailing 3-2 in the series, Ruff made a bold call on Friday: no practice, no film sessions, no meetings. Instead, he told his team to skip the rink entirely, meet at the airport, and save their energy for what matters most—the game itself.

"I know the pressure they're feeling. I know how much they care. I just feel a day away from the rink, not coming here, is a good thing," Ruff explained. "We need to move on. There's only one game that counts, and that is the game tomorrow. We have to play on our toes. We got to play to win. Can't be afraid."

It's a veteran coach's gamble, trusting that a mental reset can spark the urgency his team needs. After a disappointing 6-3 loss at home on Thursday, the Sabres are searching for answers—especially on offense and in net, where consistency has been elusive.

The stakes couldn't be higher. Game 6 takes place Saturday night (8 p.m. EDT, ABC) in Montreal, where the Canadiens will enjoy a raucous home crowd for their first Saturday night playoff game of the postseason. Add in Canada's Victoria Day holiday weekend, and the Bell Centre promises to be electric.

Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis, meanwhile, is keeping his team grounded. "We'll see what tomorrow brings. I feel that you just stay present where your feet are and take care of that. I think it helps sustain even keel and just focus on the process and prepare."

Montreal has been resilient all postseason, never losing two games in a row. They're 1-1 in series-clinching games so far, including a dramatic Game 7 win over Tampa Bay in the opening round. Defenseman Alexandre Carrier knows the challenge ahead: "It's the hardest game. Any time a team's got its back against the wall, that's when they're desperate. We just got to stick to our game plan and really do what we do best."

The winner of this series advances to face the Carolina Hurricanes, who have dominated so far with two sweeps and have been resting since May 9. The Eastern Conference Final could start as early as next Tuesday or as late as next Thursday.

For the Sabres, it all comes down to one game. No practice. No overthinking. Just pure, desperate hockey. As Ruff put it: show up and play.