The new-look Lightning blew up their defense corps after surrendering 16 goals on 138 shots to the Canadiens in four games a year ago. They brought three new defenseman into the fold, including Game 7 hero Braydon Coburn, and have a healthy goalie in Ben Bishop this time around. Tampa Bay dominated the regular-season series, outscoring Montreal 21-8 in five games.
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For the Canadiens, 12 different players scored goals in their first-round series against the Senators. They’ve operated along that gameplan all season, scoring just enough each game to give Hart and Vezina finalist Carey Price a small lead to work with.
Schedule/TV (All times Eastern)
May 1: 7 p.m. at Montreal; NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports May 3: 6 p.m. at Montreal; NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports May 6: 7 p.m. at Tampa Bay; USA, CBC, TVA Sports May 7: 7 p.m. at Tampa Bay; NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports *May 9: TBD at Montreal; CBC, TVA Sports *May 12: TBD at Tampa Bay; CBC, TVA Sports *May 14: TBD at Montreal; CBC, TVA Sports
* If necessary
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Regular-season series: Lightning won 5-0
How they got here: The Canadiens beat the Senators in six games. The Lightning dispatched the Red Wings in seven games.
Injuries: An upper-body injury will keep Canadiens defenseman Nathan Beaulieu out of the first four games of the series, general manager Marc Bergevin said Wednesday. Beulieu missed the final three games of the first round with the injury. Montreal is also without defenseman Jarred Tinordi (wrist surgery).
The Lightning, meanwhile, have managed to recover from a slew of late-season injuries. Their injury report is bare heading into the second round.
Key players: P.K. Subban can certainly talk the talk, and he ruffled some feathers right off the bat in the first round against the Sens. He’s also walking the walk, leading the Canadiens with four points (1 goal, 3 assists). Forward Dale Weise and Max Pacioretty led the way with two goals in the first round.
Lightning forward Tyler Johnson has been on fire. He erupted for six goals in seven playoff games and has been Tampa’s only real steady presence on offense. To put that into perspective, all other Lightning forwards have combined for six goals. That’s not including star Steven Stamkos, who has no goals and three assists.
Goalie matchup: Price was named a finalist for the Hart Trophy on Wednesday, so that provides a sense of his worth to the Canadiens. Price faced 198 shots in the first round and allowed just 12 goals. He has a 1.94 goals-against average and .913 save percentage.
Bishop is the biggest difference between from last year’s Lightning team. He was strong in net all season and that continued into the first round against the Red Wings, where he stopped 153 of the 166 shots he faced. Bishop, playing in the playoffs for the first time in his career, has a 1.87 goals-against average and .922 save percentage.
Prediction: Lightning in 6
