Well game 1 of the series between the Habs and the Lightning did not disappoint in terms of excitement. Dobes played a fantastic game and the Canadiens were able to stifle a Bolts comeback with a thrilling overtime win. One thing which stood out during the game was Juraf Slafkovský. Wow what a game.
This season has been the coming out party for a lot of Habs players, but Slafkovský has really brought his game to another level. He's been able to take all of his skills and attributes to become a star in the league.
Throughout the game he showed patience with the puck, very strong board play and obviously, scoring timely goals. He's found a weapon this year in his one timer, and the one he scored via a sick feed from Demidov really reminds me of Leon Draisaitl. The Habs have several offensive options on the pp now, and its going to be a nightmare for opposing teams to contain them.
Also, Slafkovský is showing he's a big game player. One thing a team needs to win is for their best players to have the ability to elevate their play and drag their team to a win. Much like he did in the Olympics, Slafkovský came up big in game 1 scoring a hat trick and showing his confidence by shooting an absolute laser for the game winner. I think everyone can agree the Habs made the right choice selecting him first overall and I can't wait for game 2 tonight!