Nikita Kucherov’s controversial Game 2 sequence could now draw league attention

Kaiden Guhle was called for hooking at 8:20 of the second, and the online pushback came fast because the reaction looked theatrical.

That does not prove league discipline is coming, but it's a possibility.

It does show why Montreal cannot spend another night chasing the refs instead of killing the next shift. Tampa lives on those momentum swings, especially when Kucherov is on the ice.

The danger for Martin St-Louis is not one call.

It is the chain reaction, a penalty, a matchup reset, and suddenly the Lightning top unit gets the puck in space with Brayden Point and Jake Guentzel hunting seams.

You can see the exact snap of Guhle's stick and the oversized reaction that lit up hockey fans.

Montreal fans have a right to be furious, because the league already fined Beckett Sennecke $2,000 in March under Rule 64 after a Canadiens game.

That is why people are connecting dots now.

You can watch the league's recent standard on embellishment here.

The mood around this series changed because stars get the benefit of hesitation, and everyone in the building feels it.

Kucherov finished the regular season with 44-86-130, then scored in Game 2 as Tampa evened the series 1-1 on April 21.

So the real plan ahead for Montreal is simple.

Do not wait for player safety to rescue you. Win body position sooner, keep sticks out of hands, and deny Kucherov the second touch that turns a soft call into a hard loss.

That is the playoff tax against elite talent, and the Canadiens just got the reminder before Game 3.

Also read on House Of Hockey :
Why the anthem controversy erupted before Canadiens vs. Lightning Game 2