The Tampa Bay Lightning know exactly how the Montreal Canadiens feel right now.
A year ago, the Lightning dropped the opening two games at home in their first-round series against the Canadiens. They headed to Montreal ‘not dead to rights yet,’ as defenseman Matt Carle put it then, and despite losing goaltender Ben Bishop, felt they could turn things around.
They didn’t, and Montreal won a pair of one-goal games to complete the sweep.
Ahead of Game 3 Wednesday night at Amalie Arena in Tampa, the Lightning know what kind of Canadiens team they will see.