Tampa wins 5-3, highlighting how the 2 groups have gone in numerous instructions since assembly in Stanley Cup ultimate two years in the past.
A lot has modified for the Canadiens since they misplaced the Stanley Cup ultimate to the Tampa Bay Lightning two years in the past.
It would really feel like that was 20 years in the past now to Canadiens followers.
Solely three gamers who skated towards the Lightning in Recreation 5 of that Stanley Cup ultimate — which Tampa received 1-0 to win the best-of-seven sequence 4-1 — had been within the Canadiens’ lineup Saturday night time when the groups met at Amalie Enviornment: Nick Suzuki, Josh Anderson and Joel Edmundson.
David Savard, who was with the Lightning after they received the Cup, is now with the Canadiens. Corey Perry, who was with the Canadiens in 2021, is now with the Lightning.
The Lightning received the Stanley Cup for the second straight 12 months in 2021 and made it to the ultimate once more final season earlier than shedding to the Colorado Avalanche in six video games. The Canadiens had been the worst crew within the NHL final season.
The Lightning beat the Canadiens 5-3 Saturday night time, bettering their document to 42-22-6 and they’re sitting comfortably in a playoff spot in third place within the Atlantic Division, gearing up for one more postseason run. The rebuilding and injury-riddled Canadiens noticed their document fall to 27-37-6 and they’re in twenty eighth place within the total NHL standings after going 1-7-2 of their final 10 video games.
Brandon Hagel scored three objectives for the Lightning (together with an empty-netter), whereas Victor Hedman and Steven Stamkos added singles.
Mike Hoffman, Denis Gurianov and Jesse Ylönen scored for the Canadiens, who had Samuel Montembeault in objective.
The Lightning have received all three video games towards the Canadiens this season and they’ll meet for the fourth and ultimate time Tuesday on the Bell Centre (7 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM).
The Canadiens had been main this recreation 3-2 after Ylönen scored a power-play objective at 12:23 of the second interval. It was Ylönen’s fifth objective of the season and his third in 4 video games. Gurianov’s objective was his fifth in 11 video games since being acquired in a commerce from the Dallas Stars, whereas Hoffman’s objective was his twelfth of the season.
Tampa took over within the third interval, getting a power-play objective from Stamkos at 3:14 earlier than Hagel scored his second of the night time at 5:58 after which accomplished his hat-trick into an empty web with 44 seconds left on the clock.
The Lightning outshot the Canadiens 41-21, whereas each groups went 1-for-2 on the facility play.
The Lightning are celebrating their thirtieth anniversary this season and Friday night time they inducted the primary three members into their new Corridor of Fame: Phil Esposito, the previous Corridor of Fame participant who based the franchise in Tampa, together with Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier, who had been a part of the franchise’s first Stanley Cup championship crew in 2004. St. Louis is now head coach of the Canadiens, whereas Lecavalier is a particular advisor to hockey operations with the Canadiens.
Tampa entered the NHL in 1992-93, which was additionally the final season the Canadiens received the Stanley Cup. The Lightning have received three championships since then.
The Canadiens — with a document 24 Stanley Cup championships — are actually making an attempt to develop into what the Lightning are. A crew that’s aggressive each season.
“You don’t construct that (Lightning group) with out nice leaders and a tradition that stays constant all through the group,” St. Louis informed reporters in Tampa after Saturday’s morning skate. “It’s a mannequin that I believe loads of groups are attempting to attempt (for) and it’s simpler stated than achieved. Nevertheless it begins with good individuals as leaders.
“The Lightning solely has 30 years,” St. Louis added. “However historical past begins in some unspecified time in the future for everyone. You’ll be able to solely management whenever you begin and the place you go from there and so they’ve achieved an amazing job of that.
“I believe loads of franchises, particularly in non-traditional markets, wish to construct that custom just like the Canadiens have,” St. Louis continued. “That takes time and it takes work and it takes success. I believe they’re on their approach. For us, the Canadiens, we’re nonetheless blessed to play in such a market that’s so passionate in regards to the recreation and the historical past, the custom that it has, I believe it’s so inspiring to all of us. Now we’re looking for our approach to construct success that that franchise had prior to now for a very long time and hopefully not simply pockets of success. You wish to construct one thing that you just’re going to be 12 months in, 12 months out within the combine. It takes time, however we love the problem.”
St. Louis is making an attempt to construct a successful tradition once more with the Canadiens and it doesn’t appear to be Jonathan Drouin will probably be a part of it after this season, when he can develop into an unrestricted free agent.
Drouin confirmed up late for a crew assembly Friday morning, so St. Louis wouldn’t let him practise with the crew later within the day. If defenceman Kaiden Guhle hadn’t suffered a lower-body harm in Thursday night time’s 9-5 loss to the Panthers in Florida, Drouin most likely wouldn’t have been within the lineup towards the Lightning as an added punishment. However with Guhle unable to play, St. Louis didn’t have the choice of going with 11 forwards and 7 defencemen and Drouin was dressed for the sport, however he by no means bought on the ice.
Not for a single shift.
That sends a powerful message to the remainder of the crew in regards to the tradition St. Louis is seeking to construct with the Canadiens.
There’s a protracted street forward.