What. A. Series. Seven one-goal games. Four overtimes. And one extremely happy Canadian team is moving on to the second round. The Montreal Canadiens persevered in a game where they only managed to put nine shots on net to eliminate the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 7. This sets a new record for the lowest amount of shots in a victory in Stanley Cup Playoffs history. Alex Newhook played hero for the Canadiens, banking a puck off a cold Andrei Vasilevskiy to secure the win. However, it was Jakub Dobes who stole the show the entire series to help the Canadiens advance to the second round. It’s the first time the Habs have done so since 2021. In doing so, they avenged their Stanley Cup Final loss from that same year against the Lightning.
David Defeats Goliath: Jakub Dobes the Star as Canadiens Eliminate Lightning
It was a back-and-forth affair the entire series. Both teams went game for game until the series ended with a Canadiens victory. The Lightning’s star players were phenomenal the entire series and threw everything they had at the Canadiens; however, it was Dobes who dug deep to find a way to outduel the Vezina trophy nominee on the other side of the ice. Dobes finished the series with a 4-3 record with a goals-against average of 2.04 and a save percentage of .923. He was nothing short of amazing, especially when his team needed him most after only being able to fire nine shots on net in Game 7. Dobes put the team on his back and held the Canadiens in it as they went over 26 minutes without putting a shot on net.
Dobes’ play as a rookie netminder was nothing short of spectacular and was a key part of why the Canadiens were able to hold off the high-powered Tampa Bay offence. In the final three games to close out the series, Dobes posted a goals-against average of 1.27 and a save percentage of .961. He showed confidence and proved why coach Martin St. Louis has trusted him to take over the starting job and roll with a rookie tandem in the playoffs.
Canadiens Depth Help Secure Victory
During the regular season, it was the usual suspects who got the job done for the Canadiens. However, during this series, the Lightning shut down the Canadiens’ top line for the majority of the series outside of Game 1. The Canadiens’ depth was tested, and they passed with flying colours. Zachary Bolduc, Alexandre Texier, Kirby Dach, Josh Anderson, and, of course, Game 7 hero Alex Newhook, all put their stamp on the series, scoring timely goals, coming through when the Canadiens top line couldn’t find production.
The Canadiens proved that they are able to compete with the top dogs in the league and are more than just a one-line team. This bodes well for them entering their second round matchup against the Buffalo Sabres, as surely Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky and Nick Suzuki are going to start leading the charge offensively. But to be able to get the job done while they’re not scoring is a testament to how good this team really is.
Noah Dobson’s Defensive Play in Game 7 Key to Victory
Not to be outdone, Noah Dobson made his return to the Canadiens lineup in this elimination game. His defensive effort really shone through. Dobson made an incredible diving play and a two-on-one, negating the Lightning’s offence led by Brandon Hagel. He then went on to have four hits and two crucial blocked shots, one off a hand in which he was just returning from injury for the exact same reason. He put it all on the line for his team and proved how important he is on the Canadiens back end.
Next Up, Buffalo
With the series win, the Canadiens will now head to Buffalo to face the first-place Sabres. The Sabres are coming off a 4-2 series win against the Boston Bruins. The two teams split the season series 2-2, each game ending with the other winning by two goals. There were 26 goals scored over the course of the season series; however, with the way Dobes and Alex Lyon are playing, we expect that number to be much less during the series. The series gets underway on Wednesday, May 6th.
Main Photo: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images
