The Tampa Bay hockey players defeated Montreal in the third final match of the NHL playoff 6: 3 and the only win separates them from defending the Stanley Cup.
Defender Jan Rutta and Ondřej Palát contributed a 3-0 lead to the 3-0 lead in the series. The first star of the match, Tyler Johnson, scored twice for the winning team, and Victor Hedman and Nikita Kučerov also scored two points for the goal and the recording.
Lightning was only enough for the first goal 112 seconds from the opening bull. Palát passed on the opposite side to Rutt, whose shot from the fence fell into the upper corner of Price’s goal.
95 seconds later, he hit the home goalkeeper with a blow in the power play Hedman. Like Rutta, the Swedish bek scored for the second time in this playoffs.
Montreal striker Caufield then hit the post. In the 12th minute, the “Habs” received after Danault’s shot from the left circle. The Canadian center rejoiced in the prime minister’s intervention in this year’s elimination round.
Also in the first four minutes of the middle act, the Florida team struck twice. First, Černák found over two thirds with a passport on the blue Palát, who recorded in front of the goal on the ending Kučerov. Palát improved his balance in these elimination fights to 13 points (5 + 8), the leader of Canadian scoring Kučerov to 32 points (8 + 24).
Then Joseph’s shot bounced towards Johnson and he increased it to 4: 1 with a backhand. “The entries into the thirds were very important for us. Scoring two goals at the beginning of the first two periods is a huge encouragement for the team. On the contrary, it was very difficult for them. The only thing is that we have such good entries into the thirds,” Rutta told line press conference. The black man then fired a stick. With 39 minutes played, the home side managed to get a 1 – 0 lead as Suzuki flipped the ball in after a cross from the right.
In the final period, the guest striker Maroon stamped the goal construction. In the 56th minute, Johnson caught Gustafsson’s pass and overtook Price more than twice. “I’m very happy to win, but maybe I’m even bigger with Tyler Johnson,” said Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper.
In the history of the NHL elimination fights, only four of the teams managed to turn the state of the series from 0: 3 to 4: 3, most recently in 2014. In the final, only Toronto succeeded in 1942 against Detroit. The fourth duel is scheduled for the night of Sunday to Monday from 2:00 CEST again at the Bell Center.
“We have no choice. We are overcoming adversity all season and now we are cornered. We have to start showing the best of us,” said Canadiens goalkeeper Carey Price.
Rutta and Palát could deal with two rings for the triumph in the Stanley Cup to Jaromír Jágr, Robert Holík, Patrik Eliáš, Petr Sýkor, Dominik Hašek and Michal Rozsíval. The record holders among the Czech champions are three-time winners Jaroslav Pouzar and Jiří Hrdina.
Twice in a row, Pouzar with Edmonton and Jáger and Hero in 1991 and 1992 with Pittsburgh managed to win only in 1984 and 1985.
Forwards, Michael Frolík is in the wider cadre of the Canadian team, but in the case of the triumph of Montreal, he would count among the winners only if, unlike the course of the elimination fights so far, he intervened in the final series.
The “Bolts” are close to the third Stanley Cup. The first won in 2004, the second last September against Dallas. Pittsburgh last won two championships in a row in 2016 and 2017.
The Canadiens, whose coach Dominique Ducharme returned to the bench after six games missed due to a coronavirus infection, are in the finals for the first time since 1993, when they won the twenty-fourth hockey trophy in history. In this respect, they are by far the best.
NHL Playoff Final – Match 3:
Montreal Canadiens – Tampa Bay Lightning 3:6 (1:2, 1:2, 1:2)
Goals and recordings: 12. Danault (Weber), 39. Suzuki (Petry, Caufield), 56. Perry (Gallagher, Chiarot) – 2. Rutta (Palát, Hedman), 4. Hedman (Kučerov, Cirelli), 22. Kučerov (Palát, Černák), 24. T. Johnson (M. Joseph, Savard), 56. T. Johnson, 57. Coleman (Goodrow). Judges: Dwyer, Charron – Cherrey, Murchison. Exclusion: 1: 1. Utilization: 0: 1. Shots on goal: 35:30. Attendance: 3500 (limited number). Match stars: 1. T. Johnson, 2. Kučerov, 3. Hedman (all Tampa Bay). The score is now 0: 3.
Assemblies:
Montreal: Price – Weber, Chiarot, Petry, Edmundson, Gustafsson, Merrill – Gallagher, Danault, Lehkonen – Caufield, Suzuki, Toffoli – J. Anderson, Kotkaniemi, Byron – Perry, E. Staal, Armia. Trainer: Dominique Ducharme.
Tampa Bay: Vasilevsky – Rutta, Hedman, Cernak, McDonagh, Savard, Sergachov – Kucherov, Point, Palat – Stamkos, Cirelli, Colton – Coleman, Gourde, Goodrow – M. Joseph, T. Johnson, Maroon. Coach: Jon Cooper.
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