Habs drub Lightning 4-1 in disastrous outing for Bolts

If you include overtime of game one, the Lightning have played seven period so far in the 2014 playoffs, and only one of them have resembled anything close to the intensity and quality of play a playoff team should be playing with.

The period came in the first period last night. In the first period the Lightning managed eleven shots, played disciplined defense, got good goaltending, and looked much improved from game one. Even though the score remained 0-0, the play was encouraging, as it appeared the team made adjusments and was fully committed to improving upon their poor game one play.

Then they came out for the second period, and immediately regressed back into their game one selves. two minutes into the second period Richard Panik committed a penalty putting Montreal on the power play. It took only seconds into the power play for Montreal to score and take a 1-0 lead. A few minutes later, a terrible breakaway led to another goal and a 2-0 lead. The Lightning were shell shocked, and did practically nothing the rest of the game.

For the final 35 minutes the Bolts played lifeless, without any energy or intensity. The couldnt get a single iota of offensive pressure, as every time they attempted to mount an attack, Montreal stifled them away immediately. Despite this lifeless play, the game remained in reach, at still just 2-0 with ten minutes remaining, as many fans clinged to a shred of hope, hope that seemed unlikely. Finally with 8 minutes left, Brendan Gallagher put everyone out of their misery, offically ending a game that was probably over anyway, making it 3-0. A couple minutes later it was made 4-0 on a hilariously awful goaltending play by goalie Kristers Gudlevskis.

With three minutes left the Bolts were given them a power play, and they pulled their goalie giving them a two man advantage. Thankfully they were spared the embarrassment of not being able to score on a two man advantage, as with less than two minutes left Teddy Purcell found the net to avoid a shutout, making the final score 4-1.

This series is a sweep waiting to happen IF the Lightning dont find urgency immediately. Maybe its Naive hope of a fan, but I still have some optimism they will find that urgency and make this at the very least a competitive series.

There is also the important fact that this is not the first time Montreal has done this. In 2006, 2009, and 2011 they won the first two game on the road in the first round, and all three times they blew that lead and eventually lost the series. Oh yes, and all three of those teams that came back and beat Montreal in that series went on to win the Stanley Cup. Could history repeat itself?

Game three is tomorrow night, it will be interesting to see how the team will respond.