The Canadiens didn’t lose because of the referees

Charles-Alexis Brisebois
The Canadiens didn’t lose because of the referees
Credit: Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

Was the officiating in yesterday's game between the Lightning and the Habs flawless? No.

But did the Canadiens, who lost 3-2 and saw the Lightning tie the series at 2-2 in Game 4, lose because of the referees?

The answer is no.

Martin St. Louis said it after the game: the Lightning (a veteran-led team) are excellent at drawing penalties from the Canadiens on the ice.

I see it more as a message to his team than a message to the referees—even if one doesn't preclude the other.

Yesterday, there were quite a few penalties, and the Habs capitalized on only one of six opportunities. They also gave the Lightning seven power plays, during which the Lightning scored once.

The Habs need to control what they can control: if they'd given the Lightning fewer chances and made better use of their own, it would've been a bit easier to try to win the game. Their chances of winning would've been better.

Because I'll say it again: the referees aren't the number one reason for the Canadiens' loss.

When Jake Evans received only a two-minute penalty for his dangerous hit on Nikita Kucherov, Lightning fans might have said that was unfair, too.

Kucherov faked it afterward, and we know that… but that's not the point.

When Oliver Kapanen was called for a controversial penalty (which set the stage for the Lightning's tying goal), well, the referees were right to raise their arms, after all.

This angle is clear.

We can try to pinpoint many moments to justify the Canadiens' loss, but the referees' performance shouldn't be at the heart of the equation this morning.

The Habs just need to play better (not that they played badly, but you know what I mean) and show more consistency over 60 minutes to beat a veteran-laden team like Jon Cooper's.

And on that note, here are a few takeaways—both positive and negative—from yesterday's game.

1. If there's one thing that really turned the tide yesterday, it was Max Crozier's hit on Juraj Slafkovsky. The Slovak didn't finish the second period, but he finished the game.

Some may say that it didn't change the momentum of the game, but…

2. The Canadiens' first line scored on the power play—and that's a good thing. But elite players need to be able to do it at even strength, too.

Do they think it will be easier in Tampa, without the latest change to Martin St-Louis's lineup?

3. Zachary Bolduc scored a goal he worked hard for. In the playoffs, you can't always play it safe: sometimes you have to pay the price to score.

That's exactly what the Quebec native did.

4. When Caufield scored, he made it 2-0. It was the first time in the series that a team had a two-goal lead. The game ended 3-2, but overtime wasn't needed after all.

The series is so close. Both teams deserve to win, and one of them will have their hearts broken in a few days.

5. Nikita Kucherov is quite the showman (for better or worse), but he also had two assists in the game. He remains a top-tier hockey player to keep an eye on.

But Brandon Hagel is THE offensive star of the series.

6. Once again, the Habs went above and beyond before the game by bringing Serge Savard to the pregame ceremonies. And what about the crowd—loud as can be?

Montreal is one of a kind. Especially in the playoffs.

7. No one's going to complain about Lane Hutson's hard work—he picked up another point yesterday. But he still finished the game in the minus column after 26:15 of ice time.

Noah Dobson's return (if he comes back) would be a welcome addition. Having two defensemen playing fewer than 10 minutes (even if they're doing an excellent job) isn't ideal.

(Credit: NHL.com)


overtime

In recent days, Josh Anderson and Juraj Slafkovsky have been among the players missing time in practice. And yesterday, they headed back to the locker room.

Since there won't be practice today, we don't expect any details about them—or about Noah Dobson, for that matter. But tomorrow, we'll be keeping an eye on them.

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