MONTREAL — The Montreal Canadiens are keeping pace in their first-round playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning without any even-strength production from the team’s top two forward lines.
The teams are tied at two wins each heading into Game 5 on Wednesday in Tampa, Fla. The Canadiens are in the series despite not getting a single point in five-on-five play from their top six forward group.
“It would be nice to have more opportunities at 5-on-5,” Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis said during a virtual conference call with reporters Monday morning, hours after his team’s 3-2 loss to the Lightning in Game 4 at the Bell Centre. “I think it’s two teams that don’t give up much space.
“If you look at the goals scored yesterday (Sunday), we got one breakaway goal on a lucky bounce and we scored a power-play goal. They scored at 4-on-4, on the power play, and they took a shot from the boards that hit the face of a player at the front of the net.”
Montreal’s top line of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky have combined for 11 points in this series, all on the power play. Seven of those points came in Game 1 of the series.
The line’s failure to generate at 5-on-5 these playoffs is in sharp contrast to their offensive output during the regular season. Suzuki, Caufield and Slafkovsky combined for 162 points at even-strength, 62 per cent of their overall production for the season.
“It’s something we’re looking at,” said St. Louis. “We’re trying to find the formula. It’s not one player, it’s the group. We’re looking at it systematically. There are moments where they were able to find open space, but there weren’t enough of those moments. We’re going to continue to see what we can do.”
Canadiens forward Alexandre Texier says the top line is playing good hockey, despite the lean 5-on-5 numbers.
“It’s going to click at some point,” he said. “I’m not worried.”
St. Louis reunited his go-to second line of Alex Newhook, Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov for Game 3, a trio he used 34 times during the regular season with relative success.
It has been a different story in the playoffs, however. Newhook and Kapanen are scoreless through four games, while Demidov has just a lone assist to his credit, also coming on the power play in Montreal’s Game 1 win.
“I think it’s something that, us as a line, we definitely want to get a little bit more out of ourselves 5-on-5 in producing and in creating,” said Newhook. “It’s been a pretty tight-checking series and a lot of production has been coming on the power play from both teams, not that that’s an excuse.
“We know there’s some room for us to probably create a little bit more. We’ve got to turn the page and keep moving forward here for the next game.”
St. Louis reserved comment when asked about the play of his second line on Monday, saying he was still in the process of reviewing game film.
Newhook, however, is encouraged by the offensive looks his line has generated, including in spurts late in Game 3. While he says it’s much harder to generate offence come playoff time, Newhook has an idea on how he and his rookie linemates can get things going offensively.
“I think, fundamentally, getting back to basics is important,” he said. “I think we found some success when we were keeping it simple, throwing it behind them and being able to win a battle and create some offensive zone time that way.”
The Canadiens’ third-line of Texier, Kirby Dach and Zachary Bolduc has been on the ice for Montreal’s last four even-strength goals since being put together for the start of Game 3.
“The three of us together, we try to be connected in the offensive zone,” said Texier. “Bolduc finishes his checks, he’s tough. He’s more and more comfortable in the position. It’s nice to see, during the playoffs, when you need everyone. He’s elevated his game and it’s cool to see.”
While St. Louis and the Canadiens coaching staff were hard at work breaking down video on Monday, the players were given the day off in an effort to give them a breather from what has been an intense and emotional playoff series.
“I want the players to try to disconnect from the grind and from the roller-coaster of emotions,” said St. Louis. “It’s about coming back with purpose tomorrow (Tuesday). We’re going to watch the game and find an angle to address the team.
“We knew it was going to be a long series. It’s about staying on task, not getting caught up in the roller-coaster of emotions and staying even-keeled.”
Newhook called the chance for a break a “reset.”
“I think we remain very confident in our group. I don’t think anyone thought it was going to be a quick series. They’re a good team over there as well.
“I think we’ve played some good hockey here in the series. I think we know what we are capable of when we’re going and when we’re playing our game.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 27, 2026.
Jordan Stoopler, The Canadian Press
