Lightning at Canadiens
After taking the first step toward erasing the memory of last season's stinging first-round sweep, the Tampa Bay Lightning attempt to take a 2-0 series lead when they visit the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday in their Eastern Conference semifinal matchup. Nikita Kucherov scored early in double overtime in Friday's 2-1 victory by the Lightning, who were ousted in four games by Montreal a year ago.
Tampa Bay, which won all five regular-season meetings with the Atlantic Division-champion Canadiens, had every reason to drop the opener. Ben Bishop let in a soft shot late in the third period to tie it while Kucherov's apparent game-winner in the first overtime was waved off. "We worked and worked and worked," Lightning center Brian Boyle said. "And we're just happy 'Kuch' got the real game-winner." Max Pacioretty scored for Montreal, which has managed only nine goals in six matchups versus Tampa Bay this season.
TV: 6 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC, TVA
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING: Bishop, who missed last season's series against the Canadiens due to injury, finished with 43 saves and appeared en route to a shutout, only to see Pacioretty's soft shot pop out of his glove and into the net. “My job is to try to keep the team in the game, and I feel like I did that,” Bishop said. "I’m not out there trying to say I have to steal the game. It’s an unfortunate bounce, and if that goes in, it goes in. You are not going to end every game 1-0.” Tyler Johnson scored his NHL-leading seventh goal early in the third period before exiting with an injury, but he returned to play shortly thereafter.
ABOUT THE CANADIENS: Coach Michel Therrien was frustrated that an offsides call was missed seconds before the decisive goal, even though defenseman Greg Pateryn flubbed an easy clearing attempt and had the puck swiped from him. "Those things are not supposed to happen," Therrien complained. "But to lose a game on an offside, it's not like a penalty. It's not a judgment call. It's black or white. It was clearly offside and we ended up losing the game." A major concern for the Canadiens is their glaring lack of production on the power play - they failed on three chances in Game 1 to fall to 1-for-23 in the postseason.
OVERTIME
1. Tampa Bay also is laboring with the man advantage, converting only 2-of-34 chances - with both goals coming in Game 2 of its first-round series versus Detroit.
2. Canadiens G Carey Price has lost all six decisions (0-4-2) versus the Lightning this season.
3. Lightning captain Steven Stamkos, a 43-goal scorer during the regular season, has gone 11 straight playoff games without a tally.