The Tampa Bay Lightning experienced one of the most devastating losses in franchise history in Game 7 of their first-round playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens. The defeat ended their season abruptly, leaving fans and players in shock.
In a post-game press conference, head coach Jon Cooper expressed the team’s disbelief, stating,
“We couldn’t have played it any better.”Despite the Lightning’s dominance in possession and shots, the Canadiens capitalized on two freak goals to secure a 2-1 victory.
Dominance in Every Metric Except the Scoreboard
The Lightning controlled the game from start to finish, outshooting the Canadiens 29-9. However, goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, a perennial Vezina Trophy finalist, faced an impossible night. His save percentage was worse than that of two NHL goalies who allowed eight and six goals, respectively, in other games that same evening.
The Canadiens’ goals were nothing short of fluke plays. In the first period, Kaiden Guhle’s shot deflected off Vasilevskiy’s pads and into the net, barely registering as a shot on goal. In the third period, Alex Newhook’s backhand attempt ricocheted off Vasilevskiy’s rear end and trickled past him.
Cooper Acknowledges the Unfairness of the Defeat
Cooper emphasized that the Lightning had no control over the outcome, despite their strong performance.
“It wasn’t even his fault, really,”he said, referring to Vasilevskiy’s efforts. The loss marked the second consecutive season where Tampa Bay’s season ended in a Game 7 defeat, leaving fans and players questioning their postseason fate.
What’s Next for the Lightning?
The Lightning will now enter the offseason with no playoff games to regret, a bitter pill to swallow after their dominant regular season. The franchise’s future plans remain uncertain, but one thing is clear: this loss will sting for a long time.
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