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Lightning vs. Canadiens: Game Three Preview |
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After being embarrassed on home ice in the first two games of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal matchup with the Montreal Canadiens, the Lightning will look to return the favor tonight and get back on track with a road victory of their own. Tampa dropped a 5-4 overtime decision in game one and followed it up with an equally dismal 4-1 loss in game two. While not mathematically so, tonight’s contest at the Bell Centre is effectively a must win for the team that calls Florida home.
When Tampa ran the table and secured home ice at the end of the regular season, many probably thought it would be an advantage. As the results clearly show, it was more of a disadvantage than anything else. The Bolts were flat at the Forum in both game one and game two, while the Canadiens were able to play with nearly perfect precision. The 0-2 hole in which the Bolts now find themselves is a big one. They’re not dead yet, but the road to redemption isn’t exactly free of obstacles. As I noted in game two’s postgame blog, the fat lady is currently warming up backstage.
Perhaps the biggest hurdle staring the Lightning right in the face is the guy who tends goal for Montreal. After struggling in game one, Carey Price rebounded in game two and pitched a stellar performance. He wasn’t tested with many grade-A chances, but he did make the saves he needed to make. One that sticks out in particular is the huge save he made on Cedric Paquette when the scored was still 2-0. It stunted any and all momentum the Lightning had at the time. Simply put, Price looked virtually unbeatable in the second tilt; that doesn’t bode well for Tampa Bay.
Unlike Montreal, the Bolts are dealing with some questions in net. It’s not that Anders Lindback has been bad; in fact, he’s been quite good. The trouble for Tampa is that the team clearly needs an injection of energy. The team needs a change. One of the things head coach Jon Cooper can do is switch up the goaltenders. He did it to end game two, as Lindback took a seat in favor of Kristers Gudlevskis. Montreal fans will likely remember Gudlevskis as “that Latvian kid” who almost stole a victory from Price and Team Canada at the Olympics.
For what it’s worth, Gudlevskis didn’t exactly tip his hand when asked about starting.
That coy response would lead me to believe that there’s a good chance we see him in net tonight, but perhaps I’m reading too much into things. Regardless, it’s not like goaltending has been the problem for the Lightning through two games. Not even a healthy Ben Bishop could salvage things, given just how bad the skaters have been.
With all that said, it’s not all doom and gloom in Bolts Nation right now. On the injury front, things are starting to improve. Both Bishop and Ondrej Palat skated yesterday, albeit on their own, indicating that things are slowly starting to heal up. Considering the fact that Palat was a game time decision in game two, it wouldn’t shock me to see him suit up in game three. The team could certainly use his workman-like effort and offensive touch.
If the 2011 7th round pick can play, it might behoove Cooper to play him on a line with Valtteri Filppula and Ryan Callahan. That trio had an abundance of success to end the regular season, but both Callahan and Filppula have struggled since Palat was removed from the line. Even worse, they’ve been near invisible early in the postseason.
On a young team like this one, that is a definite concern. Filppula and Callahan have experience and are supposed to leaders in the room. They need to step up. Callahan was brought in with a reputation for being able to play playoff-style hockey. Filppula has a Stanley Cup ring from his time in Detroit. It’s time for them to make something (read: anything) happen.
If the Lightning want to have a hope in game three and this series, they’re going to need to count on a few things. It starts with a more consistent effort. The turnovers can’t happen. The miscues have to stop. Away from home ice and the raucous Forum crowed, perhaps the guys will have a chance to settle in and play the game like they did all year long. What we’ve seen so far is a team that hasn’t looked ready for postseason action.
The coach is obviously right. But that sort of comment isn’t worth much unless the coaching staff can bring out the “A” game moving forward. It all starts tonight.
I haven’t seen much evidence to suggest that matchups have played a big role through the first two games, so being on the road for games three and four shouldn’t necessarily hurt the Lightning on the ice in any tangible way. Both Michel Therrien and Cooper seem content to play whoever against whoever. The biggest change that will occur as the series moves from Florida to Quebec is the amount of pressure facing Montreal. That playing as a Canadien in Montreal comes with pressure isn’t exactly breaking news. Will the Canadiens be able to cancel out all the noise and stick with what’s made them successful so far in this series, or will the pressure get to them? Maybe, just maybe, the Bolts will be able to take advantage.
The reality is that the series is on the line tonight. It’s nearly impossible to rebound from a 0-3 hole, but a 1-2 deficit isn’t nearly as daunting. Not only will this game be a test of skill on the ice, but it will also be a test of this Lightning team’s character. The group has been able to survive and thrive despite some heavy doses of adversity already this season, so there’s no real reason to think they can’t do it again tonight in Montreal.
As always, thanks for reading.
Ottawa Senators Blogger • 
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