Marc Dumont
It’s quite clear the Montreal Canadiens are dealing with a particular strategy from the Tampa Bay Lightning in their first-round series.
Whether it’s taunting goaltenders, taking runs at players from behind, or engaging in shenanigans after every single whistle, the Lightning have embraced the idea that they’re the villains in this series.
And yet, when evaluating the numbers at 5v5, it’s the Canadiens that have actually landed the most hits, and by a decent margin, too.
The Habs have averaged 37 hits per game, good for 7th among the 16 playoff teams. The Lightning, on the other hand, have landed just 33 hits per game, the fourth-lowest result in the NHL.
Arber Xhekaj today on the Tampa Bay Lightning referring to themselves as the “villains” vs the Habs:
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) April 23, 2026
“If they wanna think that, that’s okay. We’re here. We’re ready for whatever they have to offer to us.” pic.twitter.com/1cktWPcG71
Much of the heavy lifting has been done by Arber Xhekaj, who is currently tied for fifth in the NHL with 17 hits. He’s joined by Josh Anderson, who has thrown 13 hits, as the only Canadiens player to land 10 or more body checks in the series.
And yet, the wolf pack mentality is clearly in place. Every Canadiens player, including Oliver Kapanen, has managed to land at least one hit versus the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Habs coach Marty St. Louis today on the Lightning’s intimidation tactics:
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) April 23, 2026
“We’ve talked about that. Did we seem intimidated? I don’t think so. If they wanna play that game, we’re capable of playing that game. We’re equipped for that.” pic.twitter.com/wdH47yGu2X
You could argue that while the Bolts focus on attempting to throw the Habs off their game, they’re forgetting to focus on what matters most: creating scoring chances.
The Canadiens have controlled 75% of the high-danger scoring chances at 5v5, which means they’re not only out hitting the Lightning, they’re also creating the lion’s share of quality shots.
Montreal Canadiens Brass Tacks
Some of it has to do with the matchups, which have benefited the Canadiens considerably.
Reporter: “Are you getting sick and tired of Scott Sabourin yet?”
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) April 25, 2026
Josh Anderson: “I didn’t even notice him tonight. I didn’t see him on the ice pretty much…” pic.twitter.com/j0PMD9lghC
For the record, Jon Cooper has placed Scott Sabourin on the ice for nine minutes against Anderson. In that time, Anderson’s expected goal share was above 90%. Playing away from Sabourin, his xGF% drops to 43.8%.
In other words, having Sabourin on the ice at the same time as Anderson is actively hurting Tampa Bay’s chances of winning, in a desperate bid to win a Pyrrhic physical contest.
It’s a strange strategy from a coach with as much experience as Cooper, especially since the Lightning were clearly the favourites heading into the series.
That’s not to say the Habs have avoided taking the bait on every occasion, but they’ve done a very good job focusing about the big picture, while their opponents focus on greasy plays.
