By On April 29, the Tampa Bay Lightning delivered their worst performance of the series. After falling 3-2 to the Montreal Canadiens, it’s hard to imagine what could help them tie the series again and force Game 7 back home. At this point, only a miracle might save them.
For someone who didn’t watch Game 5, the score may look like a very close session. But it wasn’t the case if you were attending the contest.
Lack of Depth
Slow starts have become the norm for the Bolts, especially in the first period. Just as puzzling is head coach Jon Cooper’s decision to limit one of the team’s most effective players, Corey Perry. In Game 5, the energetic and gritty veteran logged less than seven minutes of ice time. Meanwhile, there was no one battling in front of Jakub Dobeš, no one screening the goalie, and no one stepping up physically to protect teammates. Max Crozier was hunted for most of the game for his brutal but clean hit on Slafkovsky in Game 4. Additionally, Anthony Cirelli (2 assists) has disappeared from the series.
At the same time, despite repeated defensive breakdowns, players like Moser, Cernak, and Lilleberg continue to see regular ice time. The team hasn’t added any defensive depth before the NHL trade deadline, and nothing has been done to reinforce the position before or during the playoffs. With Victor Hedman’s absence, there is no leadership, depth, or structure on the blue line.
The departures of Mikhail Sergachev and Steven Stamkos are now clearly haunting the team—decisions made years ago are coming back to bite.
Net-minding
In Game 5, Andrei Vasilevskiy made many outstanding saves. But as usual in this series, there was rarely someone to clear the zone or pick up the rebounds. The Tampa Bay Lightning essentially handed the Montreal Canadiens three ugly goals at home. Once again, Vasilevskiy seemed isolated, left alone to clean up defensive mistakes and control the crease without support. In two key moments on Wednesday, no one was there to help after his initial saves. The Russian netminder has kept the team afloat through five games, but the Montreal Canadiens have simply been faster, sharper, and more determined.
Montreal has shown they can handle this struggling Tampa team in all situations—both on the power play and at even strength. While the Lightning keep searching for perfect plays and forcing passes to a covered Nikita Kucherov, the Canadiens take shots from everywhere, capitalizing on every opportunity. It’s a basic strategy for playoffs – a leader is under constant pressure, so others have time to rise and shine. There are so many questions for the coaching staff, who have clearly been avoiding facing the reality.
Game 6 Perspectives
The Lightning don’t shoot enough. For some reason, the post-game protocol lists Tampa Bay as having 40 shots. It wasn’t simply the case.
In a must-win Game 5, Tampa lacked leadership, energy, and tactical creativity. Jon Cooper has clearly lost the coaching battle to Martin St. Louis. The Lightning legend-turned-Habs-coach is engaged throughout every game, challenges his players and referees, and communicates with them. His passion is out there, while Cooper just stands on the bench.
Now, the series shifts to Montreal for Game 6, where the Canadiens will do everything possible to close it out on home ice. Every piece of their game is working, from structure to execution, and their goaltender continues to deliver.
Game 6 will be played in one of the loudest and largest hockey arenas in North America, the Bell Centre. The home team holds all the cards: physical dominance, speed, confidence, and consistency in the first round of the playoffs.
Yes, things have come together almost too easily for the Montreal Canadiens in this series, but they look like a better team playing for their highly motivated coach. And that factor becomes even more powerful on home ice.
Will Friday be the Lightning’s last day of the 2025-2026 season?
