The Montreal Canadiens (1-1) will face the Tampa Bay Lightning (1-1) in Game 3 on Friday, with the puck drop scheduled for 7 pm ET.
With the series returning to Montreal, the Habs will have a fantastic opportunity to gain home-ice advantage, via a little help from their friends at the Bell Centre. Of course, you have to win four games to win the series, but any time an underdog manages to gain a 2-1 advantage in a first-round series, they improve their odds of emerging victorious significantly.
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And while some may have gotten the impression the Lightning have been the much better team in the first two games of the series, the numbers suggest a very interesting split.
The Lightning have done a great job controlling the shots, but the Canadiens have dominated the high-danger scoring chances at 5v5, to the tune of 18-7.
If the Canadiens can continue to focus on hockey, while somehow ignoring the constant greasy hockey offered by Tampa Bay, they should be in great shape, all things considered.
They’ll also need their first line to wake up and start producing at 5v5, which would be facilitated by keeping Nick Suzuki and Company away from Brandon Hagel’s line.
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As for the defencemen, the third pairing of Jayden Struble and Arber Xhekaj has provided excellent hockey in the playoffs, while the top four has struggled to find its rhythm. Reuniting Lane Hutson and Mike Matheson, while pairing Alexander Carrier with Kaiden Guhle, may be the best way forward for the Canadiens and the individuals, as they’ve shown they can produce encouraging statistics with the recommended partners in the past.
Speaking of Xhekaj, he’s excited to bring the fun back to Montreal, especially given the physical tone of the series.
“I’ll be honest,” he explained. “For physical guys like Anderson, Struble, and me, the energy from the playoff crowd in Montreal is a huge plus. I woke up with a smile this morning. The entire province is locked in. It’s going to be an incredible night!”
