As the playoffs approach, the Tampa Bay Lightning look less and less ready for them.
The Bolts lost a 3-0 game to a Montreal team that has long since been eliminated from the post-season. But the Lightning, too, looks wobbly.
Tampa Bay got off only three shots in the third period, and had a power play when it didn’t get any. Tampa Bay has one more game at home, a Saturday night effort against New Jersey, before finishing the season with a four straight road games.
โWe just had too many passengers today,โ captain Steven Stamkos said. โWe’re at a point in the season that can’t happen. That’s not acceptable. I don’t care who we’re playing. We’re playing the best team in the league, we’re playing the worst team in the league. This is almost go time with the playoffs here.โ
โIt’s been our Achilles’ heel all season long. When we don’t compete and we don’t stick to the structure and the game play you’re a very beatable team. When you do, it’s special.โ
Still, it was the 19th time this season the Lightning have scored one goal, the 37th time they’ve scored two goals or fewer.
โA lot of people talking the talk, not many guys walking the walk,โ said goaltender Ben Bishop โWe’ve got five games left.โ
