Scott Sabourin just exposed Tampa Bay’s playoff plan for Josh Anderson
Photo credit: © Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Josh Anderson's exit turned Scott Sabourin's penalty into a playoff tell, and the Montreal Canadiens now know exactly where Tampa Bay wants this series.
This stopped being one bad hit the second Sabourin admitted the reason behind it.
"We didn’t like his hit on Charles-Edouard D’Astous.
It’s hard to find the right balance. You saw it, I hurt my team. Emotions run high in the playoffs, so you have to be careful. I made a mistake with that penalty and it could have cost us the game. I’ll try not to do that again going forward."
- Scott Sabourin
It’s hard to find the right balance. You saw it, I hurt my team. Emotions run high in the playoffs, so you have to be careful. I made a mistake with that penalty and it could have cost us the game. I’ll try not to do that again going forward."
- Scott Sabourin
When a depth winger says he went after Anderson because of the Charle-Edouard D'Astous hit, he exposes the emotional map of the series.
Montreal already stole Game 1 in Tampa, then lost Game 2 in overtime when J.J. Moser scored and the series tightened to 1-1.
Josh Anderson already had 14-9-23 in 72 regular-season games, and he scored in Game 2 before leaving late after Sabourin's interference minor.
You can see the moment the play crosses from hard playoff hockey into something personal.
Montreal should treat Sabourin's comments as information, not outrage.
The next move is tactical. Get Anderson's line out fast, force Tampa's fourth-line matchup, and make the Lightning defend instead of chase payback.
Josh Anderson Pushes Montreal Canadiens Into Control
Fans can smell when a series stops being about structure and starts being about nerve.
That is where Martin St. Louis can lean in. If Tampa keeps hunting hits, Montreal can keep hunting power plays and broken coverage.
Sabourin already admitted the penalty hurt his team.
Tampa dressed him to raise the temperature, but that plan backfired when Montreal got a late man advantage with the game tied. The Canadiens missed on the power play, but the opening stays there for Game 3.
Now the pressure flips. If Anderson is fine, Montreal brings emotion and speed home. If he is limited, the Bell Centre gets even angrier.
This series is no longer just Canadiens against Lightning. It is discipline against impulse, and that usually decides spring hockey.
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