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No sweep for Lightning as Canadiens take Game 4

 
Andrei Vasilevskiy searches for the puck on the second of two goals he gives up in 15 seconds in the second.
Andrei Vasilevskiy searches for the puck on the second of two goals he gives up in 15 seconds in the second.
Published May 8, 2015

TAMPA — Captain Steven Stamkos admits the Lightning probably didn't deserve to win Wednesday's Game 3 against the Canadiens, the victory coming on an improbable buzzer-beater he likened to "pulling a rabbit out of a hat."

There were no such magic tricks to save Tampa Bay in Game 4 on Thursday night, nor were there hockey gods to thank. There was just another surprisingly lackluster performance in a 6-2 loss in front of a stunned sellout crowd of 19,204 at Amalie Arena.

The Lightning blew a chance to sweep the Eastern Conference semifinal series and now must pack its bags for Montreal for Game 5 on Saturday night, with the Canadiens very much alive.

"We got what was coming," Stamkos said. "They deserved to win."

The Lightning is still in an enviable position, up 3-1, but in an evenly played series, it has now played back-to-back uncharacteristic games. And now the Canadiens, which beat Tampa Bay and goalie Ben Bishop for the first time in nine tries this season, "aren't going to go quietly," Montreal forward Brandon Prust said.

"I don't think we thought (the Canadiens) were just going to lay down and go down like that," said forward Alex Killorn, a Montreal native. "We realized they were going to bring it (Thursday). We didn't really have a pushback. So we've got ourselves a series now. We've got to be better."

Much better. This one wasn't even close.

The Canadiens scored on their first shot, Andrei Markov taking advantage of a complete defensive breakdown 2:44 into the game. Montreal was up 5-0 by the middle of the second, when Bishop was pulled after allowing three goals on 14 shots 5:08 into the period. Rookie Andrei Vasilevskiy, in his first game action since late March, allowed three on 26.

"I thought maybe we'd get a spark out of this," coach Jon Cooper said of the goalie change. "But it was definitely not because of Bishop's play.

Said Stamkos: "We can't expect our goalie to stop everything every night."

The Canandiens outplayed, outskated and outmuscled the Lightning, winning puck battles and faceoffs (52 percent). And the Lightning played "slow," as Cooper put it, making too many unforced errors.

"It's the old, 'Make one mistake, not two,' " Cooper said. "We were making two, three, four and all of a sudden, chasing the game."

Cooper pointed out that for many of his young players, this is their first playoff run and the first time his team has to close out another after taking a 3-0, 3-1 series lead. It's learning on the fly, and it better learn fast.

Thought the Lightning had a league-best 32 home wins in the regular season, it has been better on the road this postseason (4-1), including two wins at the Bell Centre in Games 1 and 2. That is one bit of solace it can take out of a forgettable two game-stint in Tampa.

"We've got to be better; we've got to be sharper," said Stamkos, who was held without a shot for the second straight game. "Just come willing to compete. We had too many passengers the last couple games. The team will address that.

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"Nobody every said it was going to be easy."

Canadiens2316
Lightning0112

First Period1, Montreal, Markov 1 (Subban, Pacioretty), 2:44. 2, Montreal, Pacioretty 4 (Gilbert), 8:43 (sh). PenaltiesMarkov, Mon (cross-checking), 7:54.

Second Period3, Montreal, Desharnais 1 (Weise, Galchenyuk), 5:08. 4, Montreal, Petry 2 (Galchenyuk, Subban), 9:39 (pp). 5, Montreal, Gallagher 3 (Pacioretty, Plekanec), 9:54. 6, Tampa Bay, Kucherov 4 (Palat, Stralman), 12:26 (pp). PenaltiesCallahan, TB (high-sticking), 8:01; Markov, Mon (tripping), 11:35; Weise, Mon (roughing), 19:39.

Third Period7, Tampa Bay, Palat 2 (Johnson, Stamkos), :17 (pp). 8, Montreal, Prust 1 (Eller, Parenteau), 4:52. PenaltiesSustr, TB (slashing), 6:20; Carle, TB (hooking), 12:41; Galchenyuk, Mon (roughing), 19:13; Namestnikov, TB (roughing), 19:13. Shots on GoalMontreal 9-15-16—40. Tampa Bay 8-10-6—24. Power-play opportunitiesMontreal 1 of 3; Tampa Bay 2 of 3. GoaliesMontreal, Price 5-5-0 (24 shots-22 saves). Tampa Bay, Bishop 7-4-0 (14-11), Vasilevskiy (5:08 second, 26-23).