Takeaways From Lightning’s Game 1 Loss vs. the Canadiens

The Tampa Bay Lightning lost to the Montreal Canadiens in dramatic fashion, 4-3, in overtime. In a tight, back-and-forth bout, their first-round woes still look prevalent after one game.

After one game, they’ll look to make the needed adjustments to get over the top in Game 2. In the meantime, we’ll do our part in doing a deep dive into the early going of the series.

Without further ado, here are some Lightning-focused takeaways. These are the impressions after just one game.

Get Mad at Officiating, But The Lightning Still Need to Tighten Up

The chant, “refs, you suck,” was heard loud and clear at Benchmark International Arena. Perhaps seeing multiple calls overturned in favor of the Lightning validated some of their feelings. That doesn’t mean this team lost because they got the raw end of it.

This is still a team that got in its own way for much of the game. The offense missed some key scoring chances, especially when it was 5-on-5. They took some unnecessary penalties, one of which put them at a disadvantage in sudden-death overtime. Juraj Slafkovsky took those opportunities and lifted the Canadiens to a win with a hat trick of power-play goals.

After the two quick goals to take the lead in the second period, the Lightning looked to have the wind in their sails. They had the chance to set the tone for the remainder of the game and cruise to a Game 1 win. However, they committed a penalty, and the Canadiens were right back in it.

The Lightning played good defense, and Vasilevskiy made some good saves, even on the penalty kill. There was more to it than what the final stat line will tell you. In the end, the Canadiens’ high tempo made it hard for the Lightning to keep up when down a man.

The Lightning need to stay out of the box. This is a team that led the league in penalty minutes this season, and it showed. Reduce the easy opportunities they give to the opponent, and this series is winnable.

Brandon Hagel Played With a Chip on His Shoulder

Last year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs got as bad as it could have gotten for Brandon Hagel. He went scoreless in three games played. He missed one game due to a suspension, and then another due to an injury.

He can’t directly get payback against Aaron Ekblad in the playoffs this time around. However, he played like he had something to prove. He scored two of the Lightning’s three goals on the night.