TAMPA, Fla. — The closest sequence within the opening spherical of the Stanley Cup playoffs will get its finale Sunday night in a Sport 7 that, primarily based on the proof thus far, can be determined by a hair. Six one-goal video games, 4 time beyond regulation affairs.
It’s as 50-50 because it will get between the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning.
But regardless of a sequence that may come all the way down to the thinnest of margins, two groups deserving of a second-round berth primarily based on their play, the outcome may have dramatically completely different meanings for groups on reverse ends of the rivalry arc.
The Lightning are attempting to protect their decade-plus legacy. With the rival Florida Panthers lastly out of their method this 12 months, the trail was clearer this spring; it was time for the Bolts to renew their deep-playoff-run methods. However a loss Sunday evening would make it 4 first-round exits in 4 consecutive years, and that has a complete completely different feeling to it.
It’s wild to suppose, however a flip-a-coin Sport 7 may have large implications for the Lightning transferring ahead.
“It’s tremendous onerous to win,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper stated Friday morning, earlier than Sport 6. “… It’s important to begin giving yourselves an opportunity. We give ourselves an opportunity by making the playoffs. We’re not giving ourselves an opportunity after we get bumped within the first spherical, and now we have of late. Which has been uncommon for us. That’s not been our MO for a very long time previous to the final couple of years. You name it scar tissue, I name it anger, urgency, there’s so some ways you may say this.”
“I believe it’s look-in-the-mirror time,” Cooper added. “And I’m included in that. It’s not simply that core group; I take into account myself in that core, too. We’ve acquired to look within the mirror right here.”
The Lightning averted that tough look within the mirror by profitable an exciting Sport 6 1-0 in time beyond regulation, however they’ll nonetheless have that mirror observing them in the event that they lose Sport 7, and with that, there could also be some adjustments this offseason.
The Canadiens’ actuality, as crushing as shedding Sport 7 could be, is totally completely different.
They aren’t seeking to cement a legacy; they want to construct one, one they hope appears to be like much like the Lightning’s a decade from now, and even higher. Win or lose, this sequence has been a particular step in that route. That is what had coach Martin St. Louis speaking after Sport 6 about “future” and “progress” and the way the youngest workforce within the playoffs was merely meant to expertise a Sport 7.
It is smart as a result of whereas the Canadiens are an excellent workforce, they don’t seem to be a whole workforce. They’ve been dressing 5 left-shot defensemen, as an illustration. They gown two rookie goalies. They started the sequence with two rookies on their second line, and now a type of rookies — Oliver Kapanen — has been changed by a rotation of checking-line facilities in Jake Evans and Phillip Danault subsequent to prized rookie Ivan Demidov.
There are holes remaining to be crammed right here should you take a long-term view, they usually have to be crammed earlier than the Canadiens are thought-about respectable Stanley Cup contenders.
However earlier than flying to Tampa on Saturday, St. Louis made positive to make it clear he was not main a discipline journey; this was not a studying expertise he was boarding a airplane for.
“We’re not right here for a ribbon,” St. Louis informed reporters simply earlier than boarding that flight. “We need to transfer on. I believe we’ve confirmed that that is the place we are actually. We labored to get to this spot. You play a Tampa within the first spherical and you recognize that you just’re going to want all the things, and we’ve delivered that.
“Now it’s to maintain going. It’s a great place to be in, and I believe the blokes have loved the method however are additionally hungry to maintain going ahead.”
As Cooper himself famous earlier than Sport 6, the Lightning’s future of excellence on his watch started with a four-game sweep within the first spherical by the hands of the Canadiens, accomplished on the Bell Centre in 2014.
The 12 months after that, the younger Lightning made a shock run to the Stanley Cup Last after beating a veteran-laden Detroit Purple Wings workforce oozing with championship pedigree within the first spherical … in seven video games.
If the Canadiens actually need to comply with the Lightning’s path, it’d very effectively start in Sport 7.
Listed below are a few components to look at for Sunday evening at Benchmark Worldwide Enviornment:
Key blue-line additions?
There’s the potential for 2 large lineup additions for every workforce in Sport 7 in Noah Dobson and Victor Hedman.
Let’s begin with the Lightning captain, Hedman, who has skated practically day by day for the reason that sequence began and traveled with the workforce to Montreal for all three street video games. Cooper was regular many of the sequence saying Hedman was uncertain for this spherical.
However Friday morning, that tone modified a bit.
“He’s going to be an possibility actually quickly,” Cooper stated.
As quickly as Sport 7? Or did that signify he could be accessible subsequent spherical if Tampa survived?
Hedman left the workforce in late March for private causes after battling accidents all 12 months lengthy. It’s nonetheless a tricky picture to recall him sitting in full gear on the Sweden bench throughout a quarterfinal loss to Workforce USA on the Olympics. However Hedman has been across the workforce since late within the common season and has been ramping it up in morning skates and off-day ice periods all through this sequence.
It’s in all probability extra probably than not Hedman isn’t again, but when he’s, right here’s betting Cooper goes to his patented 11-7 lineup. No head coach within the NHL has executed it extra over the previous decade.
There’s a consolation degree with that. It permits him to identify his prime forwards further shifts, however on this explicit case, it might give the Lightning a measure of safety on condition that nobody can actually predict what Hedman must provide after an extended absence. So dressing seven defensemen portably is smart.
As for Dobson, the Canadiens haven’t supplied something by way of updates on his standing aside from that he’s skating, which everybody may see with their very own eyes. However we noticed Friday morning on the Canadiens’ skate Dobson skating together with his teammates and taking pictures pucks with relative ease.
He has been out since blocking a Zach Werenski slap shot together with his left hand April 11.
The actual fact the Canadiens have even reached a Sport 7 with out Dobson is exceptional in and of itself, and a giant purpose has been the play of Jayden Struble and Arber Xhekaj on the third pairing. In restricted, largely sheltered minutes, Struble and Xhekaj have given St. Louis some excellent, dependable hockey by means of six video games, but when Dobson is prepared, it’s clear one among them should sit. That’s the straightforward half.
Selecting which one would be the robust half.
Will offensive stars discover their second?
It has been effectively documented that 51-goal man Cole Caufield hasn’t scored at even power on this sequence and certain Hart Trophy nominee Nikita Kucherov hasn’t been at his prime degree, though he’s actually had some moments.
Might both one have the type of Sport 7 that forgives all?
Kucherov had just one shot on purpose by means of 40 minutes in Sport 6 however got here on within the third interval and time beyond regulation, ending up with six photographs on purpose and 17 shot makes an attempt, lacking a golden alternative from the slot untouched within the third interval. However the level right here is that he was extra menacing as the sport went on, discovering a strategy to discover extra open ice away from what has been relentless checking from Montreal on this sequence.
Nonetheless, Kucherov has gone pointless in two consecutive video games with a lot on the road. Nobody is tougher on himself than he’s; he’s a perfectionist. He wears his frustration brazenly. We’ve seen it all through the sequence. However it wouldn’t shock anybody in anyway to see him take over Sport 7.
Caufield additionally had his finest efficiency of the sequence in Sport 6 however continues to be in search of the house to interrupt by means of. He hit a purpose publish three minutes into the sport. However most significantly, Caufield was round it, he was lively, and he was getting alternatives. His eight shot makes an attempt in all conditions in Sport 6 have been another than his seven shot makes an attempt in his three earlier video games mixed. He entered Sport 6 with 13 shot makes an attempt within the sequence, a minuscule quantity for him that was a direct reflection of his incapability to search out house towards the tight checking of the Lightning’s prime line centered by Anthony Cirelli.
Caufield has now gone 9 video games and not using a purpose at five-on-five, together with the ultimate three of the common season. It’s his longest drought since late December, and it couldn’t be timed any worse for him or the Canadiens.
However St. Louis noticed a glimmer of hope within the performances of Caufield and Demidov in Sport 6. He thought it was one of the best recreation of the sequence for each.
“I just like the variety of possibilities we have been in a position to create,” St. Louis stated. “We have been in a position to create house, and that’s encouraging.”