Lightning 6, Canadiens 1: Tough Night, Tough Lessons
On paper, it seemed like the kind of night where the Montréal Canadiens might finally catch a tired opponent. Tampa Bay rolled into Bell Centre after being shut out in back-to-back games. Just the night before, they had been zeroed against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Instead, Montréal walked straight into a storm. The final was 6–1, and it looked every bit as lopsided as it sounds. The Lightning players rediscovered their scoring touch early, and the Canadiens never found their footing.
What made it worse was the start. Montréal actually had some jump, generating a few looks before Brayden Point sliced through the defence and wired one over Jakub Dobes’ shoulder to open the scoring. From there, the Canadiens were chasing. Two breakaways against, two goals against, and suddenly the Habs were down 3–0 before the first intermission horn even sounded. When you spot a team like Tampa Bay that much room, you’re not digging out.
There were small flashes — Oliver Kapanen’s power-play goal, Nick Suzuki’s steady playmaking — but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide. And on a night where both Jakub Dobes and Sam Montembeault got beaten three times each, the Canadiens’ defence never quite showed up.
Key Point One: The Canadiens Gave the Lightning Too Many Free Looks.
Montréal can talk all they want about a strong start, but giving up two clean breakaways in the first ten minutes is the real story. Jayden Struble and the defence were too loose, too slow to react, and Tampa Bay punished every mistake. That early slippage set the tone for the night.
Key Point Two: Montreal Had a Goalie Night to Forget.
Jakub Dobes didn’t get much help, but three goals on 14 shots forced the coaching staff to make a switch. Sam Montembeault fared no better. When both goalies are fishing pucks out of the net at the same pace, it tells you something bigger about the system in front of them.
Key Point Three: The Canadiens Found a Silver Lining in Oliver Kapanen.
Oliver Kapanen’s second-period power-play goal was one of the few bright spots. The youngster stayed engaged, found open ice, and converted a tricky rebound. In a blowout, you look for players who don’t quit — he didn’t.
Final Thoughts from the Canadiens’ Perspective
Losses happen. But losses like this sting because Montréal had control of the early rhythm and still let the game slip away. Cole Caufield’s 11-game point streak ended, which underscored the larger issue. There were too many forwards leaning on flashes instead of sustained pressure. The team recalled Jacob Fowler, Adam Engstrom, and Owen Beck after the game. That move in itself showed that the coaching staff wants new energy and accountability.
If there’s a takeaway, it’s this: the Canadiens need to be more mature in-game, especially when momentum swings. The talent is there. The habits still aren’t. And until those tighten up, nights like this will keep popping up.