Update:
The Tampa Lightning are one loss away from being knocked out f the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Montreal Canadiens are now owners of a three games to none lead over the Bolts.
Carey Price made 27 saves and Tomas Plekanec scored what turned out to the be game winning goal early in the third period of a 3-2 win for the Canadiens in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference First Round series against the Lightning on Sunday night.
Game 4 is in Montreal on Tuesday night.
Rene Bourque scored his third goal in two games and P.K. Subban had two highlight-reel assists for the Canadiens, who were fueled by a raucous sellout crowd of 21,273 at Bell Centre.
Ondrej Palat and Matthew Carle scored and Steven Stamkos assisted on each goal for the Lightning, who had losing streaks of at least three games on two occasions in the regular season, and have now had one at the worst possible time in the playoffs.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: this series is over. The Canadiens are the better team by virtue of Carey Price's brilliance and the superior forward play of the Habs.
Its unfortunate that the Bolts were screwed over on the disallowed Callahan goal which would have given them a second period lead. The Habs always get favorable calls in their barn. Jon Cooper should know this by know. When you play in Montreal, you play two teams: the guys in black and white and the other team.
The Bolts do not have an answer for the power and passion of the Canadiens.
**
Steven Stamkos emerged from the quiet room and onto the Bolts' bench to begin the third period.
That's a man.
**
As Steven Stamkos go, so go the Tampa Lightning.
Stamkos has been silent through the first two plus game of the first round series versus Montreal.
Stamkos needed assistance to get off the ice and to the quiet room for observation after Alexei Emelin's knee blasted him in the back of the head.
Thanks, @MyRegularFace
The Bolts snatched control of the game midway through the second period when Palat scored the first Tampa goal. To that point the Habs were dominating the puck and were controlling the game.
It was a bizarre final five minutes of the second period that saw the Lightning have a sure Ryan Callahan goal disallowed due to Alex Killorn's interference with Carey Price.
Then Stamkos was knocked out of the game.
Montreal took a 2-1 lead and stole all of the momentum back from the Bolts.
#BecauseItsTheCup
***
The NHL acted swiftly on the Brent Seabrook hit on David Backes.
The veteran Chicago defender and two time Stanley Cup champion had his phone hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety at Noon EDT on Easter Sunday. Seabrook has been suspended for three games effective immediately. The Blue lead the series 2-0 with the series heading back to Chicago for the next two games.
Thanks, NHL
I still don't understand what Seabrook was thinking taking such a stupid run a t a defenseless opponent with hi steam leading 3-2 late in the third period in St. Louis.
The Blackhawks D rightfully earned a five-minute major and game misconduct for charging St. Backes.
Thanks, NBC Sports Network
You better believe that Blues GM Doug Armstrong was lobbying hard for a suspension to be handed to Seabrook for his gratuitous head shot on the Blues captain.
No word yet from the Blues on Backes' status for Game 3.
I like this suspension because it sends the message that heavy hockey is fine and encouraged in the playoffs, however, stupid, dangerous hockey will not be tolerated.
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