The Atlantic Division champions are packing up, as their run to try and come back from 3-0 down has failed in the 6th game. Ryan Callahan was absent for game 6 because of an emergency appendectomy, rookie Jonathan Marchessault was fine in relief. My reasoning behind Tampa winning this series is one simple point - Montreal isn't that good. I know that's pretty bold to say. considering they made it here, but seriously - Carey Price may have back problems this offseason because he pretty much dragged this team into round 2. Their offense is nothing to drop your jaw at, as other than Pacioretty and MAYBE Gallagher, they aren't dangerous. They finished 25th in goals per game this season, horrendous for a round 2 playoff team. Subban's in charge of the D, but even though he's great to watch he gives away his fair share of pucks, and everyone else is relatively slow and weak defensively (some exceptions). The reason they're here is the work of Carey Price, who in my opinion is the surefire Hart Trophy winner. This series Tampa's lethal offense was able to solve him, and because of that, they're off the Eastern Conference Final.
GAME 1 - TBL 2, MTL 1 (FINAL 2OT)
Game 1 of the series in Montreal was a chippy game, as there wasn't a goal through 2 periods, some good goaltending from both sides. Tyler Johnson's 7th of the postseason (impressive) opened the scoring 2 and a half into the third. Max Pacioretty would tie the game a bit later, and we head to OT squared up at 1. In OT Nikita Kucherov thought he won the game, but upon review he pushed Carey Price into the net with the puck, and his bid was waived off - but as we head into double OT who's the hero? Nikita Kucherov of course. His snapper beat Price low, and Tampa wins game 1. There was controversy with this goal, as the refs missed an offside call on the play, but that can't be changed now. I still believe Tampa would have won nonetheless, so it doesn't change my perspective.
GAME 2 - TBL 6, MTL 2 (FINAL)
This is the type of game where Montreal tries to let Carey carry them (see what I did there) but he showed he was, well, human. Montreal d-man Jeff Petry opened the scoring in the 1st, but a PP goal from Val Filppula tied it with little to go in the frame. Stamkos 'shake and bake' breakaway goal put Tampa ahead, followed by a pair of PP goals from Kucherov, and a late one from Victor Hedman respectively. 4-1 was the score heading to the 3rd, and it only got worse for the Habs. Kucherov's second of the game on the PP made it 5, followed by a Tom Gilbert retaliation, and finally TB winger J.T. Brown put up the 6th goal, as the game finished 6-2. Again, this game showed Price is NOT in fact a superhuman (though arguable) and Tampa found a way to light him up.
GAME 3 - MTL 1, TBL 2 (FINAL)
This was the game Tampa stole, as I think Montreal deserved the 2-1 series, not 3-0 after this one. Tampa's Alex Killorn opened the scoring in the 1st. and that goal stood on the board up until halfway through the 3rd, when Brendan Gallagher's hack & wack rebound goal tied things up. Then, the infamous goal with less that 1 second left on the clock, a nice sequence of passing by the Bolts, coming off the stick of Tyler Johnson, who's 8th of the postseason won game 3. Tampa looked slow this game, and I do believe Montreal badly wanted it, but the late goal was an absolute stab in the back for the Habs.
GAME 4 - MTL 6, TBL 2 (FINAL)
Montreal refused to get swept, coming out with an exceptional game 4 effort, outplaying and beating the Lightning. Tampa looked absolutely unwilling and lazy this game, and Le Canadiens du Montreal took advantage. Andrei Markov and Max Pacioretty (shorthanded) put the Habs up 2-0 after 20. Then a sequence of goals in the second, David Desharnais, Jeff Petry (PP), and Brendan Gallagher respectively put the Habs up 5-0! After the Desharnais goal Bishop was yanked and rookie Andrei Vasilevskiy was in. A PP goal, Nikita Kucherov's 4th of the series made it 5-1 heading to the final frame. Then another PP goal just 17 seconds into the 3rd from Ondrej Palat made it 5-2. Brandon Prust quickly responded with his 1st of the playoffs, capping off a 6-2 beating. Tampa looked not at all prepared to handle a desperate team, and looked as if they thought this was going to be a breeze, they now know differently.
GAME 5 - TBL 1, MTL 2 (FINAL)
This was a tight game, though I again thought the Lightning were outplayed. Bishop was back in the cage, but it was Devante Smith-Pelly's top corner snipe that opened the scoring for the home team, and that stood through 40 minutes. Steven Stamkos' mere 2nd of the postseason tied things at around the halfway point of the 3rd, but an unlikely hero P.A. Parenteau scored with just under 5 to go in the game, as the Habs held on for the W. The Bell Centre was VERY loud, as the French fans were desperate to hold on while on the ropes. The Lightning had cleaned up their game somewhat, but were still outplayed, and the end result, a loss.
GAME 6 - MTL 1, TBL 4 (FINAL)
This was Tampa's game to eliminate Montreal. They showed they wanted to win, in my opinion the first time since game 2. Montreal was unable to cope with the fast paced Lightning, as the speedy group of youngsters came to play in game 6. Nikita Kucherov solved Price with a nice tip-in late 1st, to put the Bolts up 1-0 after 20. Stamkos notched #3 of the series, while Ondrej Palat put up a PP goal, to make it 3-0 after 40. A late goal from Max Pacioretty gave the Habs some hope, but it would only end up being the last goal of their 2014-15 season. Kucherov's second of the game was an empty netter to seal the deal on this one.
If it seems I've been bashing on Montreal a bit here, in their defense they did well to force a game 6 after falling down 3-0. If they won game 3, who knows how this series would have played out. They also hit a boatload of posts, a bomb dodged by Tampa. Despite those posts, Bishop played a good series despite being yanked in game 4, and maybe showed the world he's in the elite of NHL goaltenders. Carey's series was only decent, and that isn't enough to get the Habs by. Tampa Bay, we'll see you in the Eastern Conference Finals against either the Caps or Rangers.
Cheers,
~UWNHL TEAM
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