The Tampa Bay Lightning are back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions. After winning Game Five over the Montreal Canadiens, the Lightning officially clinched the series with a 4-1 win. It ultimately was a dominant victory, one that the Lightning essentially controlled from the Game One puck drop. It shocked many people including myself not that the Lightning won (I predicted that) but how they dominated every facet of the game. How did they win this series? Moreover, how did they dominate the series, making it non-competitive?
Andrei Vasilevskiy & the Vasi Effect
All doubt was erased in this series about whether Andrei Vasilevskiy is a world-class goaltender. The Cup run not only showed how great he is as the Lightning goaltender, but it might also have cemented his status as the best goaltender in the NHL right now. Vasilevskiy only allowed 1.9 goals per game in the playoffs and saved .937 percent of shots with five shutouts. Moreover, Vasilevskiy only allowed 8 goals in the 5 games in the Stanely Cup Final, making the Canadiens offense feel hapless. His play, however, speaks greater volumes than just the numbers.
The run itself might have been the best ever by a goaltender in the playoffs but the calmness and technique put him over the top in the Final. Vasilevskiy is great in the top half and eliminates shots to the top shelf. The Canadiens couldn’t score to the top half and were forced to take lower shots, something the forwards are not accustomed to doing. Likewise, Vasilevskiy covered up the shots on the net better than usual and wouldn’t allow for second chance opportunities.
The play from the Lightning goaltender, however, allowed the Lightning to play this series differently and with an edge. The Lightning play more aggressively in the offensive zone. The defensemen play for the turnover. The team dares their opponent to take the direct shot rather than the cross-ice pass. All this was possible with the knowledge that Andrei Vasilevskiy will bail them out with great play as the world-class goaltender.
Defensive Pressure
In addition to Vasilevskiy taking off, the NHL was reminded how good the Lightning defense is in the playoffs with the Final being no exception. The defensemen continued to control the middle of the ice and dared the Canadiens to shoot from the wings. The Canadiens were forced to take shots from difficult angles which were easily saved by Vasilevskiy. The Lightning continued to receive great play from Victor Hedman, who stepped up from the point in this series on the offensive end of the ice. Likewise, the continued dominance of Mikhail Sergachev cemented his status as one of the best young defensemen in the NHL.
The Final series only reminded everyone how dominant this defense can be. Likewise, it showed the depth of the unit as all three pairings constantly created turnovers and forced tough angles in the neutral zone for the Canadiens forwards. Vasilevskiy won the Conn Smythe Trophy s the best player in the playoff, understandably so. However, this series also proved how great a defense the Lightning possesses.
Wearing Down The Canadiens Defense
It’s safe to say that Game Three was when everything fell apart for the Canadiens. The 6-3 loss was bad enough for them already but we saw a defense that frankly, looked broken and worn down. The Lightning carried the puck through the neutral zone with ease and establish the odd-man rush. Likewise, the Lightning no longer needed to rely on “fluke goals” rather they could just fire quick shots on the net. The Lightning were faster, had better puck movement, and better overall play.
The first few games, the Canadiens felt in the series. The problem is that they were being worn down and losing the drive with each goal, each defeat. By the time Game Three came along, the team was just beaten, especially defensively. The Lightning pressure was overwhelming and the shots on the net eventually piled up. The Canadiens won Game Four, inking out a win in overtime. That one win felt like an outlier and the outlier. This series ended quickly because the Lightning overpowered the Canadiens, especially in the offensive zone. The Canadiens tried to make this a series but they were facing a complete team and it showed.
