5-6

Canadiens Lineup

Paul Byron – Max Domi – Jonathan Drouin

Tomas Tatar – Phillip Danault – Brendan Gallagher

Artturi Lehkonen – Jesperi Kotkaniemi –  Andrew Shaw

Kenny Agostino – Michael Chaput – Matthew Peca

Victor Mete – Shea Weber

Mike Reilly – Jeff Petry

Brett Kulak – Jordie Benn

Antti Niemi – Michael McNiven

Nicolas Deslauriers, Charles Hudon, Karl Alzner

Joel Armia, David Schlemko, Carey Price

Game Report

Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper summed up tonight’s match nicely in the post-game scrum saying, “The same Lightning team that played the 3rd period…was probably not the same Lightning team that played the first two periods.”

In other words, the home team was mostly a no-show for the first 40 minutes. And the Canadiens used their speed to take full advantage outshooting their hosts 32-19 in the first two periods.

This game could have gotten out of hand but sadly Canadiens netminder Antti Niemi kept the Bolts in the game.

By the time the Lightning returned to form in the third period, Niemi was spent. Every single shot towards the Canadien goal was an adventure for the goaltender. Niemi had difficulty tracking the puck and failed to deaden the puck yielding enormous rebounds.

Tampa defenceman took one stride beyond the red line and put the puck towards the goal. It almost went in. Niemi was fighting the puck on every shot. As my colleague Joe Whalen remarked, “the Lightning smell blood.”

It was only a matter of time. With just 1:02 left QMJHL-graduate Adam Erne scored his second of the game. The Tampa Bay fourth line had victimized Max Domi, Jonathan Drouin and Niemi for the win.

It was a coaching mistake by Claude Julien to trust his first line who have been a defensive liability all season long regardless of the matchup. As coach Cooper said, “We didn’t give them anything in the third… Our compete level 200 feet away from their net was the difference.”

Goaltending was also a difference in the result. And the depth of the Lightning.

Most of the Canadiens played their hearts out tonight. But the Lightning needed just one period to show why they are the best team in hockey. When they needed it most, the Canadiens couldn’t get a save.

Plus / Minus

▲  Jordie Benn, Andrew Shaw

▼  Antti Niemi, Jonathan Drouin, Max Domi, Michael Chaput, Matthew Peca