Ya, you can say Habs are dominating (although I'd say it's a bit more even). So I guess people were right to complain this season and say the Habs can play a much better game.
We're losing this series because of bad luck and Bishop has won the goaltending match up so far.
It's been pointed out that despite Montreal outshooting Tampa so significantly, their actual high quality scoring chances have been quite low.
You aren't going to beat a goalie like Bishop with just your standard shots looking for rebounds (well most nights anyways).
They fired in a lot of shots, but how many grade A scoring chances did Bishop stop in the series?
I hate hearing Therrien talk about how the team deserved better in games 1 and 3, it is such miserable little whiny nonsense.
Teams that score 1 goal in 80 minutes do not deserve better than a loss.
Teams that leave one of the top scorers in the NHL today wide open 10 feet from the net wtih 2 seconds to play do not deserve better than a loss.
The truly deplorable part is how this excuse making nonsense from the coach seems to have filtered down into the players. As seen by Subban talking after game 2 about how they were even at 5 on 5, as though it has some sort of relevance.
Do you know why the habs are down 3-1 so far?
Because they made things easy on Bishop through the first 3 games.
I also find it incredibly amusing that so many of the people who were so vocal all season long about shot totals not being that important now suddenly want to prattle on at length about how the Habs are winning the shot battles and "deserve better".
This team has been anemic offensively for the entire playoffs, outside of last game, which came against a goalie playing his first back 2 back all season long, and a back up who hadn't played in quite a while.
Has the power play strategy changed?
Have they given Parenteau a chance to play with top offensive players, where he's had his most success?
Has Galchenyuk been tried at center where before last night they had all of 2 goals from their top 9 centers?
With a competent power play this team probably beats Ottawa in 4, and that extra rest could have paid off huge for Markov.
With a competent power play, game 1 and 2 could have gone differently.
Why is Smith Pelley in the line up?
With all of the bottom 6 grinder guys this team has in the line up, why is it that they can't find room for a young guy like Sven Andrighetto who might provide an offensive spark?
Why does Pacioretty continue to go out for EVERY SINGLE POWER PLAY with 2 small forwards with him?
Why is it that uneducated fans like me can see that their forward trios on the power play aren't working and are illogical, yet the coaching staff continues to do the exact same thing over and over?
How does any of this make sense?