Second Round Forecast: Canadiens vs Lightning Playoff Series Preview

• The Habs (4-2) pushed past Ottawa after starting the series 3-0 and ending it in six games with a 2-0 win last Sunday. Montreal still has home ice advantage for round two, with the first two games being played at the Bell Centre as well as games five and seven, if necessary.

• Carey Price. Price’s amazing year shows no signs of slowing down. In the first round, the Vezina and Hart Trophy finalist made multiple saves to keep the Habs in contention – 186 saves to be exact. He finished the first round of the playoffs with a save percentage of .939 and a goals against average of 1.94, as well as being the only goalie to shut out Ottawa all season.
• Brendan Gallagher. Gallagher had a productive first round getting a goal and an assist, as well as 22 shots on goal (8^th). The playoffs are all about sacrificing the body to block shots and battle for loose pucks in the corners or in front of the net, and Gallagher is the Habs’ hardest working player in that respect. He does so much to help the team win that isn’t recorded in the stats, but he has been and will continue to be one of Montreal’s biggest factors to moving on in the playoffs.
• Tomas Plekanec. Plekanec had a goal and two assists in the first round, putting him second in points for the Habs in the playoffs, behind Subban’s four points. He’s proven all season that he can put up good numbers for the Habs, finishing the regular season with 60 points. He is one of the more experienced players for Montreal and his leadership on the ice is important.

• The Habs continued their great defence and goaltending in round one to have a goals against average of 2.0 per game (2^nd), while also taking a significantly greater amount of shots, bumping their average up to 37.3 shots per game (2^nd).

• The plague of low scoring has continued for Montreal in the postseason, averaging just 2.0 goals per game (15^th). They also continue to struggle on the power-play at 5 per cent, after only converting one of 20 chances.

• The Lightning (4-3) advanced to the second round of the playoffs after beating Detroit 2-0 in Game 7 Wednesday. Tampa Bay finished the regular season (50-24-8), second in the Atlantic Division with 108 points.

• Tyler Johnson.  Johnson is a huge offensive threat, tallying six goals and an assist in the first round. So far this postseason he has two game-winning goals (1^st) and a shooting percentage of 30.0.
• Ben Bishop. Bishop had a great regular season, ending with a career high, 40 wins. In the first round he only allowed 13 goals on 166 shots, for a save percentage of .922 and a goals against average of 1.84.
• Steven Stamkos. Stamkos had three assists in the first round and 22 shots on net. He finished the regular season with 72 points, including five goals and two assists against the Canadiens.

• The Lightning were able to hold Detroit to an average of just 2.14 goals against in seven games (4^th); they are also enjoying a faceoff win percentage of 54.0 (3^rd).

• Tampa Bay is having similar power-play woes, converting just 6.7 per cent (14^th). They also struggle to get a lot of quality offensive chances, averaging 28.6 shots per game.

Season Series: Canadiens (0-4-1)  

• March 30, 2015 | MTL 3 TBL 5 |  Recap – Lightning vs Canadiens: Habs Fail to Solve Bolts
• March 16, 2015 | MTL 2  TBL 4  |  Recap – Canadiens vs Lightning: A Dozen Games to Get it Right
• March 10, 2015 | MTL 0  TBL 1 (OT) |  Recap – Lightning vs Canadiens: If Only Price Could Score Too
• January 6, 2015 | MTL 2  TBL 4  |  Recap – Lightning vs Canadiens: Habs Flat as Bolts Take Top Spot in East
• October 13, 2014 | MTL 1  TBL 7  |  Recap – Canadiens vs Lightning: High-Flying Habs Come Crashing Back to Earth

• The matchup between Montreal and Tampa Bay doesn’t carry the same weight as an original six matchup with Detroit would have, but these two teams do still have some history.  The Canadiens (founded 1909) and Lightning (founded 1992) have met twice in the playoffs with each series ending in a 4-0 sweep, one for each team.
• In 2004, the two teams faced off in the conference semifinals after the 7th seeded Canadiens knocked off the 2nd seeded Boston Bruins in the first round.  Tampa, the Eastern conference top seed, easily dispatched the Habs with Jose Theodore giving up 14 goals in four games.  The Lightning went on to defeat the Flyers and Flames to capture their first Stanley Cup.
• Last year, the Canadiens swept the Lightning in the first round of the 2014 playoffs.  With the exception of Game 2 (a 4-1 Habs win) each contest was a one goal game. Carey Price won all four games and was chosen the first star of Game 2. Rene Bourque had three goals in the series and made the three-star list in three of the four games. In addition to Bourque, Lars Eller, Brendan Gallagher, and Tomas Plekanec had multiple goals in the series.

• Montreal’s offence won’t have it any easier in the second round against Ben Bishop. If they can get quality scoring chances by creating lots of traffic in front of the net, the Habs will wear Bishop down and find some openings behind that 6’7” frame. Habs top-6 forwards must produce in this series.
• Canadiens special teams will have to be much better than in round 1. The penalty kill, which was a strength during the reason season, allowed 5 goals on 20 opportunities. The power-play was anemic during the regular season and got worse during the playoffs.
• The Lightning have some powerful offensive players. The Habs defence has to minimize Tyler Johnson’s puck possession and block as many shots as they can to head to round three. Habs defenders will have to do a good job taking away the middle of the ice.

• Tampa Bay went 5-0-0 against the Habs in the regular season while totalling 21 goals. The Lightning may want to eliminate the Habs with a sweep in revenge for last year’s playoffs but Tampa must stay focused and throw everything they’ve got at Carey Price.
• Steven Stamkos does not yet have a goal in the playoffs. The Lightning will need big performances from Stamkos and Johnson to survive the second round and move on.
• The Lightning will want to take a game at the Bell Centre and Game 1 would be ideal. The only teams failing to advance to Round 2 after winning game one were the Red Wings and the Islanders.

• Carey Price enters this series having stolen Game 6 with a 43-save shutout of the Ottawa Senators. Price was the superior goaltender in five of the six games of the first round.
• Against the Lightning during the regular season, Price had a record of 0-4-1 with a 3.47 GAA and a .906 Sv%
• In 26 career starts against the Lightning, Price has a record of 10-11-5.

• Ben Bishop looked shaky throughout the first round series vs. Detroit but made 31 saves en route to a 2-0 shutout in Game 7 at home.
• Bishop was 5-0-0 against the Canadiens this season with a 1.50 GAA and a .933 Sv%.
• In 13 career starts against Montreal, Bishop has a record of 10-1-2.

Predictions – All Habs Hockey Magazine contributors

• Ty Prater  |  Canadiens win in 7 games | ‘Carey Price, in playoff mode, is going to be tough to beat four times.’
• Erica T. |  Lightning win in 6 games | ‘Heart believes in the Habs to avoid the sweep.’
• Brian C. | Lightning win in 6 games | ‘Not a good matchup for the Habs top 6.’
• Amy J. |  Lightning win in 5 games | ‘Canadiens will be outplayed by strong offensive game of the Lightning.’
• J.D. Lagrange | Canadiens win in 5 games | ‘Price and the Habs will win in a shocker. Watch for Galchenyuk.’
• Michael Ham-Fan | Canadiens win in 6 games | ‘It won’t be pretty but experience and defense will win series.’
• Rick Stephens | Lightning win in 6 games | ‘If Bolts get a split in Montreal, they will play with a confidence that will be tough to break.’
• Shannon Penfound | Lightning win in 6 games | ‘Lightning offense plus Habs lacklustre powerplay could spell end of the road.’
• Corey Desormeaux | Canadiens win in 6 games | ‘There is one player on each line who can drive the net and cash in on Bishop’s rebounds.’
• Jordan Lambe | Canadiens win in 7 games | ‘Will go the distance if Price continues strong play and Habs play to their potential.’
• Chris G. |  Canadiens win in 6 games | ‘One of Pacioretty, Markov or Galchenyuk will step up and Price will be Price.’