(Tampa) In the world of professional hockey, what does passing close mean, exactly?
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It depends. Sometimes it doesn’t work. Other times, it results in a point in a shootout, as was the case on Saturday night in Tampa, which ended with a 4-3 victory for the Lightning.
This is certainly not the first time that the Canadian has come close this season. On 19 occasions, the club has found itself playing overtime in 2023-24, with a record of 9 wins and 10 losses in these circumstances.
This is obviously not enough, and then one day, this club will have to move on to the next stage, that of maintaining leads and finishing off rivals.
PHOTO KIM KLEMENT NEITZEL, USA TODAY SPORTS VIA REUTERS CON
Tyler Motte (64) scored in the third period.
“We are very close, we have seen it since the last two games, both ended in a shootout,” noted Alex Newhook about this Saturday evening in Tampa and the previous match, Thursday at Sunrise. When we get to this point in a match, it can go either way, and it could have ended in our favor both times. »
Shooting is, at best, unpredictable, the greatest scientists on earth agree on that. But is it really necessary to get to this point?
Again on Saturday evening, the Canadian blew a very good two-goal lead. Later, the Canadian had another lead, this time by a goal in the third period, but a blunder by Nick Suzuki on the power play allowed the locals to make it 3-3, and then the rest is known.
PHOTO JASON BEHNKEN, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) makes the save from Joshua Roy (89) during the shootout.
“We talked about it a little bit recently, we’re probably the club that’s been involved in one-goal games the most this season,” Newhook added. Often, we find ourselves with a lead in these matches… you have to learn to close the books. We can’t let our opponents come back like this. »
A few steps away, Kaiden Guhle was talking about this inevitable nervousness that seems to inhabit the Canadiens players when they find themselves with a lead.
We are a little nervous in these situations. In junior hockey, I had the chance to play with very good teams, and we learned how to win. This is what needs to be done here. Learn to win, learn to play with a lead. We’re trying to get there, it’s not like we’re not trying. Once we learn how to do that, I think we’ll be okay.
Kaiden Guhle
And that, ladies gentlemen, will perhaps be the longest part of this reconstruction. How do we do that, learn to win? And above all, how long does it take?
At the end of the evening, the contrast could not have been clearer between the two bands. While the Canadiens players silently stored their equipment bags on a cart, heads bowed, Lightning players could be heard shouting from the corridor of the arena.
Clubs that have this killer instinct know how to take advantage of the slightest opportunity, like the Lightning did on Saturday night. The Canadian, obviously, is not there yet.
“We know we can beat good teams,” concluded Kaiden Guhle. That’s a bit of what’s hard to swallow; we know we are capable of doing it…”
Rising
Joel Armia
If only he could play like that more often… one goal and three shots on goal on this Saturday night in Tampa.
Falling
Johnathan Kovacevic
A rather difficult evening for him on the blue line.
The number
7
The number of shots by Brayden Point, who scored one goal.
In details
Primeau with confidence
PHOTO JASON BEHNKEN, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Cayden Primeau made some tough saves in the loss.
For a guy who plays very infrequently – he was only in his sixth game since the start of the new year – Cayden Primeau didn’t seem too rusty. In total, the young Canadian goalkeeper allowed 3 goals on 33 shots, and he made several not-so-easy saves. “I felt good throughout the match,” he commented at the end of the evening. I was in a good position in front of my goal, my skating was on point, my readings of the game too, but I could have been a little more patient on certain plays… it’s frustrating to lose like that after having had a lead of two goals, but I remember that we pushed them to a shootout in their own arena. It was a good test for us. »
A 100e match for Slafkovsky
Juraj Slafkovsky was at his 100th in Tampa on Saturday nighte game in the National Hockey League. It may not be a Saturday night that will be memorable for him, since he didn’t get a point, and he found himself on the ice for two of the Lightning’s three goals in regulation. Earlier in the day, coach Martin St-Louis talked about the ups and downs of such a player at such a young age, and this time, it was especially the downs that were evident. It will happen.
Finally, a goal for Anderson
PHOTO JASON BEHNKEN, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Josh Anderson (17) scored on a throw deflection.
After allowing the Canadian’s third goal to Cole Caufield, the NHL scorers eventually changed their minds and awarded the goal to Josh Anderson, a successful goal at 6:23 of the third period. For the Canadian forward, it was an 8e goal this season, and only a first goal in his last 15 games. Anderson had not scored since January 11, in a game against the San Jose Sharks at the Bell Centre.