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Lightning @ Canadiens: The Fight Continues | HABS GAME 3 PREVIEW

Sam Gerber

GAME DAY PREVIEW | Montreal Canadiens vs Tampa Bay Lightning: Preview, TV, Start Time, Statistical Match-up, Projected Lines, Starting Goalies, Keys to Victory, Habs Tickets, NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Series

Game Preview

A Look Back

The Habs put up a much better effort but costly mistakes continued to burn them. All three goals against were caused by preventable turnovers. Carey Price had no chance on any of the goals due to the play of his teammates. The Habs put up 43 shots, 20 more than the Lightning but high-danger scoring chances were relatively even. This was a winnable game but the Lightning scored with tenths of seconds left in the second period and it sucked the life out of the Habs. The Habs are going to have to dig deep and defend home ice if they want to turn this series around.

Last game: MTL 1  TBL 3 | Lightning lead series 2-0

For a complete game recap: Canadiens @ Lightning: Self-Inflicted Wounds | HABS GAME 2 RECAP

Players to Watch

  • Phillip Danault
    Danault has been one of the heroes for the Habs these playoffs but so far this series he has been the villain. Game one he was lazy and game two he made the turnover that cost the Habs the game. Maybe on home ice Danault will turn things around but for now he owes his teammates to be at his best the rest of this series and be the player he was in the previous rounds.
  • Jesperi Kotkaniemi
    The Habs need someone to step up and why not Kotkaniemi. Jesperi has shown a knack for playoff hockey and the Habs need a spark. If he’s not doing it on the scoresheet he needs to find another way to make an impact.
  • Jeff Petry 
    Desperately needing offense the Habs need Petry to be a warrior and find his scoring touch again. It won’t be easy dealing with a significant hand injury but Petry’s skating is his best asset and it’s time to be a force.

Keys to Victory

  • Limit turnovers
    Committing turnovers in the Stanley Cup finals is asking for trouble, and the big stage could be getting to the Habs. The Habs are better than this and will need to find their composure when in a bad spot to make the right play.
  • Be physical
    The Habs have done a great job hitting the Lightning. It may not look like much on the ice but it is slowly starting to wear on Tampa. If the Habs can continue being physical the Lightning might just start to break.
  • Dominate the slot
    The big four for Montreal should easily be able to clear the crease and allow Carey Price to see. While at the other end the Habs have to make it their mission to have traffic in front, and take on the Lightning defenders forcing them in the shooting lanes, screening Andrei Vasilevskiy.
Statistical Matchup for Stanley Cup Final, Game 3
Bell Centre, Montreal, QC | July 2, 8:00 PM ET | TV: CBC, SN, TVAS, NBC

2020-21 Playoff statistics
LIGHTNING CANADIENS
— Points (rank) —
14-6 Record 12-7
– Last 10 –
35.6 (3rd) PP% (rank) 20.8 (7th)
82.8 (4th) PK% (rank) 92.3 (1st)
47.8 Faceoff% 49.4
3.30 GF/G 2.37
1.95 GA/G 2.37
47.77  CF% 48.70
Pre-game Quotes
Dominique Ducharme
  • “(Not allowing more than 3,500 fans) is disappointing. It could’ve been a way to reward people who’ve been double-vaccinated or an incentive to increase the number of people who get vaccinated. It could’ve been a way to reward our fans and people who’ve been isolated for 14 or 15 months. It’s special to participate in an event like this. Unfortunately, we’ll have 3,500 fans inside the building, and probably 25,000 fans outside the building who’ll be glued to one another. It’s tough to understand the logic.”
Projected Forwards, Defense and Goaltenders (subject to change)
Forwards
Palat – Point – Kucherov
Colton – Cirelli – Stamkos
Goodrow – Gourde – Coleman
Maroon – Johnson – Joseph		 Lehkonen – Danault – Gallagher
Toffoli – Suzuki – Caufield
Byron – Kotkaniemi – Anderson
Perry – Staal – Armia
Defensemen
Hedman – Rutta
McDonagh – Cernak
Sergachev – Savard		 Chiarot – Weber
Edmundson – Petry
Gustafsson – Merrill
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Smith, Schenn
Injured: Killorn		 Scratched: Frolik, Lindgren, Tatar, Ouellet, Kulak, Romanov, Evans
Injured: Drouin (undisclosed)
COVID protocol:
Goalies
Andrei Vasilevskiy Carey Price
Record: 14-6
GAA: 1.89
Sv%: .939
SO: 4
Alternate: Curtis McElhinney		 Record: 12-7
GAA: 2.22
Sv%: .926
SO: 1
Alternate: Jake Allen
 Game Expectations
The Habs know they have made it hard on themselves but they still believe. The Habs  showed they could play well defensively against the Lightning. If it wasn’t for Tampa’s goal at the end of the second period, the Habs would have been in a completely different position heading into the third. It will be interesting to see if Dominique Ducharme makes any big changes to the line-up for game 3.

Bottom Line

The Habs will feed off the energy of 3500 fans in the Bell Centre. As long as fans do their part, the Habs will be in a better position to give their supporters something to cheer about.
 Video Highlights

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