No, not the 24 Stanley Cups. It's the memory of coming back from 2-0 and 3-1 down in the opening round against Boston.
By TOM JONES
Published April 27, 2004
MONTREAL - They've played two games and lost them both. They haven't led even for a second. They've scored one measly goal.
So what are the Canadiens thinking right now? We can win this series.
"It's hard, but not impossible," Montreal coach Claude Julien said.
The Canadiens must win four of the next five against the hottest team in the NHL, but they believe they did enough good things in Game 2's 3-1 loss that prove they can still win the series.
Follow Montreal's reasoning:
Forget Game 1. They were out of juice after an emotional seven-game series against Boston and figured to come out flat against a well-rested Lightning team that had been off for a week. A blowout was almost expected.
Now to Game 2. Throw out the first 10 minutes, when the Lightning took a 2-0 lead, lop off the last six seconds of the second period, and the Canadiens have reason to feel good. They dominated those 30-odd minutes between the Lightning's second and third goals.
"We were better in Game 2 than Game 1," Julien said. "And now we have to be even better in Game 3. But I think we're slowly finding ways to create offense."
Now factor in this: the Canadiens are at home with their banners and fans for the next two games. Plus, being down 2-0 in a series is old hat, or, should we say, old Hab. They overcame 2-0 and 3-1 deficits in the first round against Boston.
"The thing is we'll have to make sure we adjust," Montreal goalie Jose Theodore said. "Against Boston, the second game we did dominate from beginning to end, but (in Game 2 against the Lightning) if you look at the first period, we didn't play well.
"It's going to be tough to win games if we get down 2-0 or if we give them breakaways. It's going to be up to us to really adjust and make sure that we play like we did in the second period (of Game 2). We need to be patient in creating some chances."
The Canadiens created dozens of scoring chances for both teams in Game 2. Bad penalties led to the Lightning's first goal and a horrible giveaway by defenseman Sheldon Souray led to Vinny Lecavalier's back-breaking goal with 2.4 seconds left in the second period.
"We knew they were quick like that, but they really do capitalize on your mistakes and make you pay for it," Souray said. "We just got to cut down on our mistakes."
The Canadiens are far from planning parade routes or figuring out where to hang a 25th Stanley Cup banner, but they didn't leave Tampa on Sunday night as down as you might think.
The look on the faces in the locker room after Game 2 was serious, but not sullen. It was determined, not depressed. Their attitude appears more committed to getting better in the next four days, not hopeless because of the past four.
"Yes, they are a great team, but there's a reason we are here, too," Souray said. "We can get better."
Lightning coach John Tortorella is sure of that. He believes his team hasn't seen Montreal's home run swing.
"They'll be a better team," Tortorella said. "I think both teams will be better. As the series goes on, I think both teams will get better and I think this will be a heck of a series."
