Hidden Game: Canadiens fall short in shootout loss to Lightning after valiant comeback

The optimists who look at life from a glass-half-full standpoint will argue the Canadiens deserve full merit for the point they earned in Sunday’s 5-4 shootout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning at Benchmark International Arena.

And it would be hard to argue.

Montreal was trailing 3-0 following the second period, but then outscored the Lightning 4-1 in the third period while peppering goaltender Jonas Johansson with 16 shots.

This is a team that never quits or gives up.

But the pessimists, and realists, who look at life from a glass-half-empty perspective will argue the Canadiens were well rested and should have taken advantage of a team that played across state in Sunrise Saturday night against the Florida Panthers.

Montreal had three power-play opportunities — all squandered — in the first period while holding the home team to three shots. When a shark smells blood, it attacks.

One point earned, considering the circumstances, is good. Two points would have been better. And with the Atlantic Division standings so tight, and with positions changing on a nightly basis, who knows if that lost point will ultimately come back to bite the Canadiens?

He keeps getting better and better: Juraj Slafkovsky needed to raise his level this season. He needed to start quicker, and help justify being selected first overall in 2022. And he continues to deliver, especially since being moved off the top line and playing with rookies Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen. With two goals and an assist against Tampa Bay, Slafkovsky now has 13 goals and 28 points in 38 games. Now in his fourth season, he scored 18 goals in 2024-25. His career high is 20.

Never give up: Johansson, the Lightning’s backup, was originally drafted by Buffalo in the third round (61st overall) in 2014. But his career hasn’t exactly panned out as planned. He has been claimed off waivers three times — by Florida, Arizona and Colorado. The 30-year-old Swede signed with Tampa Bay as a free agent in July 2023.

Somehow they should skate better at this level: Early in the game, Samuel Blais ran into, and knocked down, linesman Tyson Baker.

Good things happen when you go to the net (Part I): Josh Anderson drew a holding penalty on Max Crozier before four minutes had elapsed.

News you need: Tampa Bay didn’t produce its first shot until 7:39, by Pontus Holmberg. It generated its second shot one second later, by Zemgus Girgensons.

Down goes Frazier: Arber Xhekaj scored a one-punch knockout against Scott Sabourin with a right hand in the first period. Sabourin didn’t return.

That’s another $1,200 down the drain: We can’t remember a season when so many hockey sticks shattered. Demidov broke two; Zachary Bolduc and Mike Matheson, one each.

Pass of the night: Gage Goncalves to Nikita Kucherov on the Lightning’s first goal.

Dumb penalty: Alexandre Texier’s second-period hook in the offensive zone on Declan Carlile.

Sieve of the night: It’s hard to criticize rookie Canadiens goalie Jacob Fowler, who still provides his team with the best opportunity to win. But he allowed four goals on the first 17 shots he faced. His save percentage on this night was .818. That’s not good, folks.

How not to play the position: While the Lightning had a three-on-one break, Fowler looked terrible on the second goal. Out of position, flat on his stomach and without his mask. Otherwise, he played Kucherov’s shot brilliantly.

But it wasn’t all bad: Fowler stopped a Brandon Hagel breakaway in the second period.

We’ve seen this movie before: After being outscored 3-0 in the second period, the Canadiens’ deficit is now 50-37 during that 20-minute frame. That’s not good, folks.

Good things happen when you go to the net (Part II): Demidov started the comeback with an early third-period goal.

Momentum, schmomentum: Only 34 seconds later, Holmberg restored Tampa Bay’s three-goal lead.

Best timeout of the night: Called by Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis with 1:16 remaining in regulation time.

Worst icing of the night: Against the Lightning — who repeatedly failed to score after Fowler was pulled — with 10.6 seconds remaining, resulting in a faceoff in Tampa Bay’s zone.

Faceoff of the night: Phillip Danault beat Anthony Cirelli, eventually leading to Slafkovsky’s tying goal at 19:56.

Nothing beats three-on-three overtime hockey: There was a pad save on Slafkovsky; a stick check by Johansson on Matheson; Fowler stopped Kucherov in alone; and Cirelli hit the post in the final minute.

They did their homework: Both goals that beat Fowler in the shootout were to his glove side.

Next time, decline the penalty: The Canadiens went 0-for-4 with the man advantage.

Quick stats: Slafkovsky, Kapanen and Noah Dobson all had five shots. Dobson also had four blocks and two hits while playing 27:29. Bolduc had five hits — one more than Anderson. Lane Hutson played 28:13. Xhekaj played only 7:15, but registered three hits — and one knockout. The Canadiens won 62.7 per cent of their faceoffs and outhit Tampa Bay 26-17.

They said it: “I thought it was a bit unlucky that we were down 3-0,” Nick Suzuki told the media in Tampa Bay. “We fought hard and scored four in the third period. Shootouts are a tough way to lose, but I was happy with the battle we had. Three power plays in the first. Coming out of the break, I thought our execution took a little bit to get going.”

“Tough second period,” Slafkovsky said. “We came back. That’s important. Too bad we didn’t finish with two points, but it’s a big one point for us, I think.”

“Just to find a way and get a point is huge,” Dobson said.

“We lost the momentum (in the second period). That’s a good hockey team,” St. Louis told reporters. “I feel our defensive game is way more consistent than it was. I don’t see anything alarming from this game, why we were down 3-0. We could have been up a couple goals before. Sometimes the game is hard. You’ve got to keep playing. That’s what we did. I’m really proud of the way the guys fought.”

hzurkowsky@postmedia.com

Related