Game 75: Montreal Canadiens vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
Start time: 7:00 PM EDT / 4:00 PM PDT
In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French)
In the Panthers region: Bally Sports Sun
Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+
The Florida Panthers arrived at the Bell Centre ice-cold, losing seven of their previous nine games, and saw that become two of their past 10 with another loss. The Tampa Bay Lightning are at the opposite end of the spectrum, playing their best hockey of the season less than three weeks before the playoffs begin.
At one point out of the playoff picture entirely, the Lightning carved out a spot all their own as the top wild-card team in the Eastern Conference. Thanks to a 4-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs last night, they can now set an even loftier goal of leaping over Toronto to claim the third spot in the Atlantic Division, which would mean a first-round series with those slumping Panthers rather than the Boston Bruins if they can pull it off. With a margin of three extra regulation wins over Toronto, they need four more points over the final seven games to make it happen.
| Canadiens | Statistics | Lightning |
|---|---|---|
| 29-33-12 | Record | 42-26-7 |
| 44.8% (29th) | Scoring-chances-for % | 51.7% (12th) |
| 2.72 (27th) | Goals per game | 3.47 (5th) |
| 3.32 (25th) | Goals against per game | 3.23 (21st) |
| 17.5% (26th) | PP% | 28.9% (1st) |
| 77.2% (23rd) | PK% | 82.7% (5th) |
| 0-2-1 | Head-to-Head Record | 3-0-0 |
If the Canadiens want to duplicate the same pattern of two losses, followed by a defeat in a shootout, then ultimately earning a win in the season series with Tampa Bay as they just did with Florida, it won’t be as much about shutting down the Lightning’s offence as finding a way to solve their defence. The main reason why they were in a battle to make the playoffs this season was the high number of goals they were allowing, but they have addressed that issue. The team that ranks 21st in goals against this year has limited opponents to two or fewer in five of the last seven games and has surrendered more than three only three times since the trade deadline. Dating back to March 8, they rank fifth in the NHL with a mere 2.22 expected goals against per 60 minutes of five-on-five time, and have a penalty kill succeeding 94.3% of the time.
The Lightning didn’t need to improve much on defence given how prolific their offence is. They have the current leader in the Art Ross race, Nikita Kucherov, who has registered 130 points through 74 games, and the league’s top power play which operates at just under 30%. With the play at the opposite end seemingly figured out, they are, yet again, looking like one of the top Stanley Cup contenders.
Montreal will attack the defensive wall with the two-pronged attack that has become very reliable lately. Joel Armia continues to do excellent work alongside Alex Newhook on the second line, and Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovský are only improving their chemistry as the season goes on. Montreal’s captain is on his way to scoring 35 goals, charging through top opposition to get there. He already has two goals versus the Lightning this year, five in the last five games he’s played, and is looking to keep that run going.
