The Montreal Canadiens had a chance to take a commanding 2-0 lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night. However, a bad third period and a disastrous overtime allowed the Lightning to tie it up, and NHL analyst Pierre McGuire is singling out one player in particular.
In overtime, Kirby Dach made two costly mistakes that allowed the Lightning to get the win when J.J. Moser scored the game-winning goal. It started with Dach icing the puck and setting up a faceoff in their end.
The Lightning would win the faceoff and J.J. Moser would take the puck from one side of the ice to the other, skating around Dach, and scoring the goal.
THIS SERIES IS TIED ⚡️
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 22, 2026
J.J. Moser wins Game 2 for the Lightning with the Subway Canada OT winner! pic.twitter.com/3AV8HF4Pa6
After the game, Pierre McGuire was on The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro and got fired up about the play of Dach. "Then Dach with absolutely no pushback, zero pushback at all on J.J. Moser. That can't happen. In zone coverage, if you are the winger that d-man coming off the wall can't beat you to the other side of the ice. He can't and he did, and that is unacceptable," McGuire said.
At the end of the clip, McGuire apologized for how fired up he got but it was due to the effort he saw collectively from the team. The problem was that a few players seemed to cost them and Dach is one of those players.
"I am sorry to get upset. This team played their butts off, and they deserved a better fate, but they didn't get it because certain guys didn't play the rope."
Montreal Canadiens need to consider making lineup changes for Game 3
It is tough to know how Dach's performance was viewed by the coaching staff or within the locker room and it isn't fair to blame the loss entirely on Dach. The Canadiens had no shots on goals or scoring chances in the extra period.
With that said, it would make sense for there to be some lineup changes going into Game 3. Dach has struggled through the first two games with no points, a +/- of -1, and five hits.
The Canadiens have some players currently sitting in the press box who could dress for Game 3 in place of Dach. It wouldn't be surprising if Brendan Gallagher or Joe Veleno saw the ice for the first time this series on Friday night.
There certainly isn't any reason to panic but Martin St. Louis needs to be comfortable making lineup changes when needed, and this is a moment in the series where it warrants a change.
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