The Tampa Bay Lightning have returned home tied 2-2 in their Eastern Conference first-round matchup with the Montreal Canadiens, and according to coach Jon Cooper, it may not be that way if not for the play of Max Crozier.
Game 5 takes place in Tampa on Wednesday night after a two-day break following Sunday’s 3-2 Lightning victory in Montreal in front of a boisterous bunch of Habs fans, both inside the NHL’s largest arena and outside watching on a giant screen broadcast.
If one glaring point is gleaned through four contests between the Atlantic Division foes, it is that this best-of-seven series has been the tightest of the first round’s eight matchups, about as evenly played as is mathematically possible.
In addition to splitting the four matches, each side has produced 11 goals and three of the four meetings have required extra time.
On the power play thus far, Montreal, which finished 10th during the regular season, has connected on 5 of 19 chances (26.3%). The Lightning were middling, ranking 17th this season, but have potted four goals in their 20 times on the man advantage (20%).
When the numbers are that close, a play out of the ordinary that generally does not jump off the scoresheet can make a big difference.
Something like Crozier’s Sunday second-period high hit on Montreal’s star winger Juraj Slafkovsky, who netted a hat trick in Game 1 in Tampa on three power-plays tallies, including the game-winner in overtime.
The defenseman, who only played in 35 games due to surgery, waylaid Slafkovsky at center ice at high speed, sending the 2022 No. 1 overall selection straight to the dressing room to regroup.
The Lightning were outhit 50-28 by the Habs, but Crozier’s lone leveling body blow altered the tone.
“The hit obviously got our bench out of their seats,” Cooper said. “But you still have to take advantage of that. We score in the last minute of the second and in the first (two minutes) of the third, and all of a sudden, the game’s completely changed.
“(Crozier’s hit) helped take the crowd out of it.”
Instead of maintaining or building on its 2-0 lead that could have resulted in a 3-1 series advantage, Montreal watched it all slip away by allowing three unanswered goals to the visitors.
Brandon Hagel hit the net for the game-tying and game-winning markers in the third to send the series back to Tampa all square.
Montreal has relied on its top forward line of Cole Caufield (goal, three assists), Nick Suzuki (four helpers) and Slafkovsky (three tallies) for much of the offense, and second-line forward Alex Newhook said the Habs’ secondary scoring must improve.
Newhook plays with center Oliver Kapanen and right winger Ivan Demidov. Only Demidov has produced a point by assisting on Slafkovsky’s first power-play goal in Game 1’s 4-3 shocker.
“It’s something we talk over and try to find solutions (for) here throughout the series as to how,” said Newhook, who posted 13 goals and 25 points in 42 games after fracturing his ankle in mid-November. ” … Fundamentally, getting back to some basics is important this time of the year.
“I think we found some success when we’re keeping it simple and throwing it behind them. Then being able to go and win a battle.”
Game 6, the series’ first elimination game regardless of Wednesday’s result, is Friday in Montreal.
