Season Series

The Bolts took the season series three games to one, but three out of the four games went into overtime or a shootout. The most recent game was won by Tampa by a final score of 3-1. That was the only game between the two to have more than two goals scored in regulation all season.

Tampa Bay Lightning 46-27-9, 101 Points

Tampa Bay came back from being at the bottom of the standings at one point and rising all the way to third in the Eastern Conference. They survived the loss of their superstar forward Steven Stamkos who went down early in the season. Led by the offense of Martin St. Louis, Tyler Johnson and Ondrej Palat, the Lightning had no problem with offensive production this season. When their defense, led by Victor Hedman and Radko Gudas, couldn’t stop other teams, big Ben Bishop was there to support them in net.

The team survived a terrible road trip out West after the Olympics as well as the trade of their most loved player Martin St. Louis. These controversies have the Lightning poised for a postseason run. But St. Louis didn’t leave without getting anything in return. The Bolts got ex-Ranger captain Ryan Callahan who can provide offense and the physicality this team needs.

Keys to Win

The Lightning defense needs to avoid turnovers which have cost them in recent games. They also need to ensure they play physical and they need Anders Lindback to step in and put together a solid performance in net. With Ben Bishop questionable for Round 1, Tampa needs backup goaltender Lindback to play his best.

Key Players

Ben Bishop (37 Wins, 2.23 GAA, 0.924 Save Percentage, 5 Shutouts)

Anders Lindback (8 Wins, 2.90 GAA, .891 Save Percentage, 1 Shutout)

Ondrej Palat (23 Goals, 59 Points, Team Points Leader)

Key Injuries

Ben Bishop (Elbow) Unavailable for Game 1, Valterri Filppula (Lower Body) and Ondrej Palat (Undisclosed) are day-to-day

Montreal Canadiens 46-28-8, 100 Points

Montreal outlasted the Toronto Maple Leafs and are the only Canadian team play in the postseason. Lead by a talented group of defenseman and the Vezina caliber goaltending of Carey Price, the Candiens pose a real threat to their Tampa bay foes. Montreal fought hard for home-ice advantage in the first round, unfrotunately coming up just short. With new acquisitions like Danny Briere and Thomas Vanek, it’s clear that Montreal wants to be a serious threat by expanding it’s offensive capabilities.

The Canadiens played hard against the Lightning this season, on top of that they have gained valuable playoff experience in recent years. Tampa bay shouldn’t take this club lightly. The Canadiens look to erase the memories of being eliminated in five games last year by the Ottawa Senators.

Keys to Win

Montreal needs to limit Tampa Bay’s offensive chances. With a talented group of forwards, the Lightning could make this Montreal team pay for turnovers, they must play a strong defensive game and will rely heavily on the likes of P.K. Subban and Andrei Markov on the backend. Carey Price needs to play like he did for Team Canada at the Olympics. Price is a Gold-Medalist and a legitimate Vezina trophy candidate, so long as Price stays healthy and holds down the Montreal net, Tampa will have a difficult time getting past Montreal.

Key Players

Carey Price (34 Wins, 2.32 GAA, .927 Save Percentage, 6 Shutouts)

P.K. Subban (10 Goals, 53 Points, -4 Rating)

Key Injuries

Lars Eller (flu), Alex Galchenyuk (Lower Body), Travis Moen (Upper Body), Brandon Prust (Upper Body)

Schedule

Game 1: 4/16 in Tampa

Game 2: 4/18 in Tampa

Game 3: 4/20 in Montreal

Game 4: 4/22 in Montreal

Game 5: 4/24 in Tampa (if needed)

Game 6: 4/27 in Montreal (if needed)

Game 7: 4/29 in Tampa (If needed)

Prediction

This author believes that as long as the Lightning can take Game 1 they have a good chance of taking the series. Tampa has played great hockey against Montreal but it won’t be easy. Tampa Bay will win it in 7 games. Even if starter Ben Bishop doesn’t play, Anders Lindback has done great while filling in for him (he’s gone 3-0-0) and if he falters, Lightning GM Steve Yzerman can turn to backup Kristers Gudlevskis who stopped 55 of 57 shots while taking Team Latvia to a 2-1 loss against Team canada in the Olympics. It won’t be easy, certainly not for a team of rookies, but Tampa can advance past Montreal.

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About the author
Brendan Hagen
Lightning writer since March 2014. Born in St. Pete and I'm just waiting for a chance to head back.