The fourth, and potentially final, game of the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals is set for July 5 at 8:00 pm EST. The Tampa Bay Lightning currently hold a commanding 3-0 lead in the series and are looking to take the all-important fourth win on Monday night. The Montreal Canadiens hope to avoid being swept and work towards potentially the second-ever comeback from three games behind in the finals. Let’s take a look at the important parts of victory on each side.
Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy has proved repeatedly in this series why he is one of the best goaltenders in the NHL. In the majority of each of the three games, he looked confident and focused, turning aside shots from all over the ice. He turned away high-danger chances with ease and frustrated his opponents. While the Lightning were outshot by the Canadiens in games two and three, Vasilevskiy’s skill in net prevented Montreal from taking the lead at any point. A solid performance from Vaskilevskiy in game four will be crucial to Tampa Bay in securing a win.
On the other side of the ice, goalie Carey Price has been having some issues. The Montreal Canadiens’ goaltender was essential in their path to the finals, but in recent games, his play has not been enough. Price does stop solid opportunities from the Lightning, but he has also been letting in soft goals. He has been outplayed by Vasilevskiy so far in the series and it is hurting his team. If the Canadiens want to avoid a disappointing sweep, Carey Price will need to up his game.
Another strong point for the Lightning in this series has been their scoring ability. While they have been limited in terms of shots, they have still found the back of the net. Having the advantage of a lead in the series has given Tampa Bay players confidence. Smart and creative plays as well as individual efforts have come as a result of the confidence. This scoring ability, especially their tendency to score first, is demoralizing for their opponents as Montreal can never seem to get the lead. Scoring first and maintaining the lead in game four will help the Lightning to discourage the Canadiens and come out victorious.
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While they have not held the lead in any of the games this series, the Canadiens have been strong offensively. Maintaining control in the offensive zone, setting up clean zone entries and generating plays are all ways that Montreal has showed their offensive ability. The Canadiens have also outshot the Lightning in two of the three games, including several solid opportunities. They have thoroughly tested Andrei Vasilevskiy, but have come up short in terms of outscoring their opponent. Coming through offensively will help the Canadiens, but is not the only essential aspect of the game.
Strong and physical defense by the Lightning frustrated the Canadiens in game three. This defensive style takes away the time and space needed to develop complex plays. With such strong goaltending working against them, Montreal needs creative plays to score, so the Tampa Bay defense has been a big problem for them.
Lightning defensemen have also done a good job controlling the puck in the neutral zone. Establishing control in the neutral zone prevents the Canadiens from making full line changes or setting up zone entries. It is useful for the Lightning in both making line changes and cleanly entering the offensive zone. Continuing to have solid defense will help the Lightning protect their goalie and win game four.
Montreal defensemen have played a physical game, but it has not been enough to thwart the Lightning. Confusion over coverage and difficulty breaking the puck out have given Tampa Bay too much time on offense. If Montreal cannot prevent Tampa Bay goals they will not be able to take the lead and win the game. Stepping up defensively and avoiding mistakes will be crucial to the Canadiens.
