The Associated Press
Mark Didtler
TAMPA, Fla.—The Tampa Bay Lightning dropped to second place in the Atlantic Division after a disappointing loss to Montreal.
Rookie Mike Condon made 26 saves for his first NHL shutout as the Canadiens blanked the Lightning 3-0 last night.
Tampa Bay is two points behind Florida after the Panthers edged the New Jersey Devils 3-2.
“There’s no excuses here,” Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos stressed.
“Look yourself in the mirror time,” he noted. “If you’re not giving the effort, then you’re letting your teammates down.
“That’s not acceptable at this time.
“I still have 100 percent belief that this group is special and can get it done,” Stamkos added. “We have the guys.
“I believe in them and we’ve got to start believing in ourselves.”
David Desharnais, Torrey Mitchell, and Phillip Danault scored for the Canadiens, who will not make the playoffs.
“I thought we competed,” said Habs’ coach Michel Therrien. “We played the right way.
“I’m happy for Condon for his first NHL shutout. It’s good for him,” he added.
Condon stopped Ondrej Palat’s penalty shot with 11:08 left in the second.
He also made a save on Nikita Kucherov’s in-close backhander during a power play late in the period.
“Fortunately I was able to get a pad on it,” Condon said about his save on Palat.
It was Condon’s 52nd NHL game—all coming this season.
“It was a fun game,” he said. “It’s a special feeling.”
Alexei Emelin played in his 300th game and had two assists.
Playing in his 400th game, Desharnais got his first goal in 13 contests off a rebound to put Montreal up 1-0 at 9:11 of the first.
Mitchell skated into the slot from the left wing and made it 2-0 when he lifted a shot over Ben Bishop 52 seconds into the second.
Danault added a late empty-netter.
Tampa Bay had just three third-period shots and didn’t get one during a late power play.
Elsewhere in the NHL, Buffalo beat Toronto 4-1, Ottawa edged Minnesota 3-2, Vancouver doubled San Jose 4-2, and L.A. blanked Calgary 3-0.
The N.Y. Islanders nipped Columbus 4-3, Pittsburgh beat Nashville 5-2, Carolina shaded the N.Y. Rangers 4-3, and Dallas downed Arizona 4-1.
