Women’s game an adjustment for veteran NHL bench boss

TORONTO — It’s still hockey, Perry Pearn is just working on tweaking his approach.

The veteran NHL assistant coach is serving as the head coach of Canada’s national women’s team. While the 67-yearold native of Stettler, Alta., brings more than 20 years of pro coaching experience to the job, it’s been in the men’s game.

He also has international coaching experience in men’s hockey, leading Canada’s juniors to world gold in 1993. Pearn, who last was a head coach with the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers in 1994-95, admits he’s still learning the women’s game, but is buoyed knowing his players want to be coached.

“There’s no question about that,” Pearn said Thursday night following Canada’s 4-3 exhibition win over the U.S. at Scotiabank Arena. “They have open minds, they want to be better and work hard at being better.

“At the NHL level, teams don’t win Stanley Cups until the best players are pushed,” he said. “There’s no better example of that than last year.

“(Washington Capitals star) Alexander Ovechkin bought into a different style of play for himself and that sold the whole team. All of a sudden they were good enough to win the Cup.”

Pearn joined the national women’s program as an assistant coach prior to the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games. There, the Canadians settled for silver following a 3-2 loss to the Americans.

Pearn assumed head-coaching duties in time for the 2018 Four Nations Cup in November in Saskatoon. Once again the Canadians finished second following a 5-2 loss to the U.S.

The victory Thursday tied the best-ofthree Rivalry Series 1-1. The deciding game is scheduled for Sunday in Detroit.

“We’ve played three games against them with me at the helm and hadn’t won so you always want to be in the win column,” Pearn said. “I think in this job if you can’t beat the U.S. they might find somebody else to do it so you want to beat the U.S.”

National team forward Jamie Lee Rattray praised Pearn’s ability to talk to his players.

“He’s great at communicating and telling you what’s going on, where you stand and what needs to be done,” she said.

Veteran forward Marie-Philip Poulin said Pearn is a stickler for detail.

“He’s a detail-oriented guy and I think for us that’s important,” she said.

LIAM RICHARDS THE CANADIAN PRESS New Canada head coach Perry Pearn speaks to his players during a game. His NHL experience is highly regarded. Players like his clear direction on what they need to do.