If Alexander Ovechkin is the rising star of these NHL play-offs, then Steven Stamkos is the falling star.
The Tampa Bay Lightning forward scored 43 goals in the regular season, exceeded only by Ovechkin’s 53, but Stamkos’s goal in Montreal on Sunday was his first in nine play-off games.
That is one goal on 27 shots. In his defence, he has contributed five assists.
Yet more is expected from Stamkos than contributing assists. Highlight packages regularly introduce the team as “Steven Stamkos and the Tampa Bay Lightning”. In truth, though, the star has melted into the supporting cast. If this post-season were Age of Ultron, he would be, at best, Captain America; at worst, whatever the character is that Don Cheadle plays.
The Lightning’s real leaders so far have been Tyler Johnson and Nikita Kucherov on offence, Ryan Callahan on defence and Ben Bishop in net.
Tampa Bay also has had luck on their side. Their 2-1 double-overtime victory over the Canadiens in Game 1 was only the second time in this post-season’s 56 games that the winners trailed in shots, blocked shots, hits and face-off wins (the other was Chicago’s 4-3 Game 1 win in Nashville in the first round, also in double overtime).
In a way, though, this is a strong scenario for Tampa Bay. Their best scorer is misfiring yet they have found a way to topple Detroit in the first round (in seven games) and now are up 2-0 on the Canadiens.
And it is not as if Stamkos perennially disappoints in the post-season. In his two prior play-off campaigns, he has eight goals in 22 games. Good, if not great.
If Stamkos heats up, Montreal is sunk.
rmckenzie@thenational.ae
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