Canadiens still trying to solve Lightning

The Tampa Bay Lightning scored five straight goals and now own a 2-0 series lead, check out the best plays and camera angles from the Bell Centre.

TAMPA, Fla. — Forget a best-of-seven. So far this has been a seven-game sweep.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have enjoyed an unusual level of dominance over the Montreal Canadiens this season, the kind rarely seen anywhere in the NHL.

It’s been like a record stuck on repeat whenever the Atlantic Division cousins come together. Seven meetings in total, the last five since March 10, and only one team coming away with wins.

That kind of run is bound to exact some sort of psychological toll, especially with Montreal facing a 2-0 deficit in the second-round series and still trying to solve the Lightning with its season hanging in the balance.

“If we keep telling ourselves how good they are, how they have our number, how we can’t score on their goalie, well then it’s going to be a short series,” winger Max Pacioretty said after Tuesday’s practice. “We’ve got to worry about being positive, what we can control and that’s playing our best.”


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The most jarring aspect of playoff hockey is how quickly the lights can go out. Tampa Bay experienced that during a four-game, six-day sweep at the hands of the Habs last spring, and would obviously love to return the favour.

Between the travel and steady stream of games, there is no handrail to hold while walking through the hall of mirrors. It can be disorienting.

So, perhaps the Habs will benefit from the Nitro Circus Live show that was originally scheduled for Amalie Arena on Tuesday night before being abruptly cancelled last week. That provided them an extra day off with back-to-back games to come Wednesday and Thursday.

Following the disappointing 6-2 loss in Game 2, when Montreal took several undisciplined penalties, coach Michel Therrien said his players used Monday “to work out our emotions and get recharged.”

“We need to keep our energy between the whistles,” he said.

They’ve actually taken strides towards exorcising any demons they have with Tampa during this series, at least absent the results.

The Lightning dominated the shot clock in five regular-season meetings– they finished ahead 191-120 on aggregate — and controlled play while doing so. Yet in this series the Habs have generated more scoring opportunities, losing Game 1 in double overtime and beating themselves in Game 2 with penalties and poor special teams play.

What might be toughest to understand is why the Lightning has had so much success against Carey Price during what has easily been the finest season of his career. The star goaltender was chased in a 7-1 loss here on Oct. 10 and sports a .896 save percentage in total over the seven games between the teams.

“I can’t (explain it),” said veteran Lightning winger Ryan Callahan. “I don’t know. You try not to look too much into it, I guess, and think about it. He’s an unbelievable goaltender. He’s obviously one of the best in the league. I can’t put a finger on one thing one way or the other, but we’ve just got to keep shooting, keep getting guys (to the net).”

“I think it’s just an odd stat,” added teammate Brian Boyle. “It’s weird to me.”

The Tampa players were extremely careful not to say anything that might turn over the apple cart. Ahead in the series, possibly inside the minds of their opponents, there was no reason to disrupt the natural order of things.

Many of them have also been on the wrong side of a one-sided rivalry in the past and know it can change.

“I think we lost seven in a row to Boston when I first got here,” said Lightning winger Alex Killorn. “It’s difficult, but I think in the playoffs there’s somewhat of a clean slate. Everything’s a higher notch, I guess you can say, so that doesn’t come into play as much.”

If there’s a convenient time for compartmentalizing, it’s bound to be in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Why worry about yesterday or tomorrow when you have such a finite number of todays?

Montreal certainly wasn’t digging too deeply into its past when preparing for the most important game of the season.

“Your focus has got to be in the moment, you’ve got to focus on that next game,” said defenceman P.K. Subban. “Whether you’ve had a rough ride or a great ride, things can change in one game. … In this room, we’re one win away from being back in the series.”

It’s proven to be an awfully elusive win to secure so far.

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