Lightning vs. Canadiens Game 6: Takeaways as Tampa wins in overtime to force Game 7

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The series so far has featured four overtime games and four road wins by the visiting team, and there has only been a two-goal lead once over all six games, Montreal leading 2-0 in Game 4 and losing that game. Otherwise, it’s been tied or a one-goal game the entire series. It’s been that tight. The Canadiens now have to attempt to win for a third time this series in Tampa in Game 7 on Sunday. Rookie Ivan Demidov made an incredible move to drive the net in the dying minutes of regulation, but he plowed into Vasilevskiy and was called for goaltender interference with 3:18 to play in the third period. The Lightning spent almost the entirety of the power play in the Canadiens’ zone but missed the net five times as Montreal did a great job occupying the shooting lanes. It was an excellent opportunity for the Lightning to avoid overtime, but instead, we got our fourth overtime of the series. And at 5:30 of the first overtime, Nikita Kucherov was called for tripping Alexandre Carrier behind the Canadiens’ net, not a penalty anyone can afford to take, let alone a leader. But the Lightning bailed him out, killing off the penalty by pressuring the Canadiens puck carriers and with one particularly good save from Vasilevskiy off a Lane Hutson one-timer from the top of the slot. Goncalves won it for the Lightning 93 seconds after the Kucherov penalty expired. This was playoff hockey at its absolute finest right from puck drop, tight-checking and perfectly reflective of the urgency the situation called for. We got treated to a scintillating goalie duel Friday night, Vasilevskiy and his counterpart Jakub Dobeš going save for save in a game that should never have still been 0-0 through two periods. And both goalies needed to be on their game, as there were more Grade A chances in this game than in the previous few games in the series. Vasilevskiy stopped Demidov point-blank in the first period with a beauty, staredown save; but kept his best for late in the second period on a Montreal power play when he stoned Demidov again, not once but twice in what looked like would have been a sure goal. The Canadiens rookie looked up to the rafters in disbelief after No. 88 made the second save, flashing the glove. It was a strong response for Vasilevskiy, who gave up a soft goal to Texier in what ended up being the game-winner in Game 5. “Vezina Vasy” was back on this night. Meanwhile, the rookie Dobeš continues not to look like one; his breakaway save on Jake Guentzel 5:11 into the third period kept the game 0-0 at that point. Montreal’s 51-goal man, Cole Caufield, still doesn’t have an even-strength goal in the playoffs, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying Friday night. It was by far his most dangerous game in terms of looks. He hit the post in the first period on a wicked wrist shot that beat Vasilevskiy stick side. He got a few other looks, the kind he has rarely gotten in this close-checking series. Tampa superstar Nikita Kucherov had his moments Friday night, including an amazing chance from the slot in the third period, but overall, the frustration continued for him. He was held to one shot on goal through 40 minutes, but got four more in the third. The Canadiens once again were mostly effective in staying close to him and taking time and space away from the dangerous No. 86. Kucherov did hit the outside of the post during a Tampa Bay power play in the third period, his patented wrist shot finding its way through the bodies in front and beating Dobeš, but hitting the post. And then with 7:20 left in the third period, Kucherov got a pass alone in the slot and got thwarted by Dobeš. More bad in overtime as Kucherov took a penalty 200 feet from his net, tripping Alexander Carrier. The ref had no choice but to call it, but the Lightning bailed Kucherov out by killing the penalty. The pre-series narrative was the experienced Lightning against the youngest of the 16 teams to qualify for the playoffs and how much of a factor that may be. It really hadn’t played a part through five games as the young Canadiens looked poised on the big stage. The question is how much Tampa could tap into that massive playoff experience in a do-or-die game? “Everybody talks about experience and stuff like that, that can get you through a series,” Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said pre-game. “You know what gets you through a series? Execution. Playing hard. Finishing checks. All the things you do in a hockey game. That’s what gets you through. Getting a big goal when you need it, or getting a big save when you need it. “Really, we’re saying to ourselves, ‘What are we? This is our time. It is time to rise to the occasion. I look back at training camp, just so many things that have gone on with this group. They literally fought their way to this point. That’s what we’re talking about, was it all for naught?” It wasn’t just the season on the line for the veteran Lightning; it was their legacy. Are they just first-round fodder now? Or is there still a championship pulse at the heart of that roster, five years past their last Stanley Cup championship? Cooper said Friday morning that defenseman Victor Hedman was going to be an option “soon” and while he wouldn’t commit to him being able to make his series debut in a potential Game 7, he did not discount that possibility. Hedman was again on the ice for over an hour on Friday, working with the scratches. For the Canadiens, defenseman Noah Dobson has been ramping up as well and was seen shooting pucks with some purpose at the morning skate. Dobson appeared to injure his left hand when he blocked a shot from Zack Werenski in front of his own net at home against the Columbus Blue Jackets on April 11. Dobson’s first time on skates since the injury was April 25, exactly two weeks after the injury. It is debatable who would provide a bigger boost to his team. Hedman is the Lightning’s captain and leader, but the Canadiens have leaned very heavily on Dobson all season and they might in fact miss him more than the Lightning have missed Hedman, who did not play with his typical excellence in an injury-plagued season. Hedman’s last game was March 19, which is when he left the team to attend to a personal matter. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms