Lightning gets early test vs. Canadiens

TAMPA — Wing Ryan Callahan said getting swept by the Canadiens in the first round of the playoffs in April served as fuel all summer for the Lightning. But as Tampa Bay hosts Montreal tonight at Amalie Arena, it's not about revenge.

Both teams have changed, and it's a new season. And the Canadiens (3-0-0) are atop the Eastern Conference, making this an early season measuring stick for Tampa Bay, which won't face the division rival again until Jan. 6.

"It's probably going to be a good gauge for us," coach Jon Cooper said. "Clearly, they're setting the bar in the Eastern Conference. They're kind of the team to beat right now, so I guess we'll see where we're at."

"If we want to be one of the top teams in the East, you've got to beat the top teams in the East," captain Steven Stamkos said. "So it'll be a good test for us."

The Lightning (1-0-1) learned a few lessons from the humbling postseason sweep, with several rookies making their playoff debut.

"I don't think we were completely ready for the playoffs," wing Alex Killorn said. "It seems like we play a certain way all year and we kind of lost it in the playoffs."

"We weren't good enough; that's what we learned," Callahan said. "We didn't play well enough. I think that experience is going to help us down the road."

The Lightning addressed some deficiencies in the offseason, bolstering the blue line by adding defensemen Jason Garrison and Anton Stralman. It added needed experience and grit in veterans Brian Boyle and Brenden Morrow, plus a more reliable backup goalie in Evgeni Nabokov.

But the biggest difference for Tampa Bay in tonight's reunion is that it'll have goalie Ben Bishop, who had to miss the playoffs after dislocating his left elbow in the final week of the season. Bishop, who was 3-0-1 with a .940 goals-against average against Montreal during the regular season, had to watch from the press box as Tampa Bay lost four straight.

"It wasn't any fun," Bishop said.

The Canadiens are rolling, rallying from a three-goal, third-period deficit in Philadelphia on Saturday to beat the Flyers 4-3 in a shootout. They have a slightly different look, with former captain Brian Gionta and veteran defenseman Josh Gorges now with the Sabres.

But Montreal still has Carey Price, one of the league's top goaltenders, and P.K. Subban, the 2012-13 winner of the Norris Trophy as the league's top defenseman. And the Canadiens remain built on speed, much like the Lightning, which is coming off a disappointing 3-2 shootout loss to Ottawa on Saturday.

With a regulation win tonight, Montreal would take a five-point lead in the Atlantic Division over the Lightning, which has a game in hand but hosts the Devils (2-0-0) on Tuesday.

"I'm sure (the Canadiens) want to come in here and show us they haven't changed much since we played them in the playoffs," Cooper said. "And we want to show them we've definitely changed. It should be fun."