This one stings. The Lightning controlled play for much of the night and were in position to get points out of the contest. Instead, they came away with none. Tampa Bay surrendered a two-goal second-period lead and allowed the eventual game-winning goal with 2:15 left in regulation.
Even though they were playing the second half of a back-to-back, the Lightning had more jump than Montreal. They built a big advantage in possession, shots, and scoring chances. They converted on two of those chances: Nikita Kucherov finished from the low slot at 14:20 of the first, and Jake Guentzel backhanded in a shot from the top of the crease at 2:45 of the second.
But the Lightning made just enough mistakes to lose the game. Nearly two minutes after the Guentzel goal, they took an offensive-zone penalty. The Canadiens converted on the ensuing power play, cutting the Lightning lead in half. Juraj Slafkovsky’s tough-angle shot squeezed past Andrei Vasilevskiy on the short side at 5:32. Montreal gained momentum from that tally and pressed the attack on the next shift. The Lightning didn’t execute well enough with the puck to alleviate that pressure. As a result, Brayden Point, Victor Hedman, and Darren Raddysh got stuck on the ice. Their shift lasted 1:49. It ended when Alex Newhook got open in the high slot and drilled a shot inside the post at 7:21.
Another element that hurt the Lightning was special teams. Not only did they allow the power-play goal to Slafkovsky, but they went 0-4 on their own man advantages. Even one tally on the power play would have made a big difference.
And then there was the play of goalie Sam Montembeault. Montembeault denied numerous Grade-A scoring chances to keep the Lightning stuck at two goals. In the third period alone, he stopped 14 shots. His play neutralized the Lightning’s territorial edge.
Even with the tough two-minute stretch in the second period, the loss of the special-teams battle, and Montembeault denying many of their chances, the Lightning were less than two-and-a-half minutes away from earning at least a point. But they committed a key mistake on rush coverage, and the Canadiens made them pay. The play started with a Jake Evans d-zone faceoff win. The Canadiens moved the puck into the Tampa Bay end. Four Lightning players drifted to the side of the ice and lost coverage on Evans, who got open in the slot. Joel Armia fed him the puck for a one-timer into the top of the net at 17:45.
On Monday in Toronto, the Lightning allowed many rush chances. They only yielded one in this game, but that single miscue cost them dearly.
The Lightning continue the trip on Friday in Chicago.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game:
- Sam Montembeault — Canadiens. 32 saves.
- Jake Evans — Canadiens. GWG.
- Nikita Kucherov — Lightning. Goal.
