Round Two: Montreal Canadiens v. Tampa Bay Lightning

[WaukeeBlues]

The Tampa Bay Lightning would like nothing more than to carry their regular-season domination of the Montreal Canadiens through the Eastern Conference Second Round.

The Lightning went 5-0-0 against the Canadiens this season, outscoring them 21-8. That included victories in three games at Bell Centre, where the Lightning have won their past five regular-season visits.

But the perfect regular-season record in 2014-15 didn't do much to ease the Lightning's disappointment from last year's Stanley Cup Playoffs, when Montreal swept Tampa Bay in the first round, averaging four goals per game. All four wins came with Tampa Bay starting goaltender Ben Bishop sidelined because of injury.

Bishop was in goal for each of the five wins against Montreal this season and outplayed Hart Trophy finalist Carey Price, who lost all five. The inability to beat Tampa Bay was one of the few blemishes in a brilliant season for Price, who was the major reason Montreal allowed fewer non-shootout goals than any NHL team.

While the Canadiens were winning 50 games by preventing opponents from scoring, the Lightning won 50 by leading the League with 259 non-shootout goals. Each team lost 32 times, but the Canadiens had two fewer regulation defeats, enabling them to finish with 110 points to the Lightning's 108 and earn the home-ice advantage in this series.

Each team had to work hard to get through the first round. Montreal won each of the first three games against the Ottawa Senators by one goal, lost the next two, and needed 43 saves from Price to close the series with a 2-0 victory in Game 6. The Lighting had to win Game 6 on the road before outlasting the Detroit Red Wings 2-0 in Game 7.

Before last year, the only time the Lightning and Canadiens met in the playoffs was in 2004, when Tampa Bay swept Montreal in the Eastern Conference Semifinals on the way to their only Stanley Cup.

Bolts in 6

[glen a richter]

Bolts definitely, Bishop gets a Cup before the Blues do. Bolts get 2 Cups before the Blues get one. It's depressing, really.

[Portland Blues]

I'm picking Habs in 7.

[ComradeT]

Habs. Likely will go 6 at least, possibly 7.

Glenny, wrong again dude.

[theohall]

So Habs get their ass beat in a 2nd home loss and lose their minds at the end of the 3rd?

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[STLADOGG]

6-2? Unreal, well I'm glad I picked the Bolts as my new team.

[WaukeeBlues]

I think the first round was honestly just nerves. They got a bit ahead of themselves, perhaps feeling the pressure to perform.

Now they've won a playoff series, they can play more loose, and I think they are.

The Bolts might sweep this thing...

[TSUCookieMonster]

I'd love to see Tampa in the finals again...
Edit: against Calgary

[glen a richter]

You sure I was wrong, Comrade?

[ComradeT]

You sure I was wrong, Comrade?

No

[WaukeeBlues]

Quite frankly, all these series have surprised me in different ways.

I know the Bolts haven't won anything yet but I didn't think they'd be 3-0 out of the gate. Same with the Hawks.

Ducks I'm kinda surprised AREN'T up 3-0 and what Washington is doing is quite remarkable.

[Oaklandblue]

Time to send the Habs home, Lightning.

[gaijin]

That's all she wrote for the Canadiens. This series was a bit of an unfortunate matchup in my eyes- after the Blues were eliminated, both Tampa and Montreal were teams I wouldn't mind seeing go all the way.

[glen a richter]

The only teams left that I'd particularly care to see win it all are Washington and Tampa Bay. Washington has been snatching defeat from the jaws of victory and will be making tee times around 10:30 PM EST this evening, which disappoints me dearly.

I just hope the Tampa Bay offense can frustrate the Rags in the conference finals, and it would be nice (and concurrently not nice, I suppose) to see Bishop win a Cup.

[WaukeeBlues]

Yay Bolts!!