Canadiens Still Face All the Same Questions After Surviving Lightning in Game 4

The Montreal Canadiens did something for the first time during the 2014-15 season on Thursday night, something the Buffalo Sabres, Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs all had accomplished previously.

They defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning.

After five losses in the regular season and three in the postseason, the Canadiens beat the Lightning 6-2 in Game 4 of their second-round series to stave off elimination and force a Game 5 back in Montreal Saturday night. 

The Canadiens entered the game with so much confidence that the win felt like the sports equivalent of the The Lego Movie scene when Batman needs nine Batarangs to hit the button that lifts the gate at President Business’ headquarters. 

First try!

As thorough as this victory was, it feels more like a death rattle, an inevitable outcome for a team that had run into a wall eight previous times and probably deserved a win in one of the first three games of this series, than the start of a historic comeback. 

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

Game 4 set up well for the Canadiens; the Lightning won Game 3 with 1.1 seconds remaining in regulation Wednesday night and had less than 24 hours to steady themselves emotionally and correct the mistakes that led to them being outshot 31-19. So not only were the Canadiens a wounded, desperate, cornered animal, but they had every right to feel good about their chances.

Lightning goaltender Ben Bishop has only played on back-to-back days three times in 2014-15, which put him in mostly uncharted waters at this time of year. He had won five straight, including two while staring down elimination during the first round.

It all translated into the Canadiens having more jump and a 2-0 lead in the first period. Bishop was woefully out of position when Andrei Markov opened the scoring, and the netminder was helpless to stop a short-handed breakaway by Max Pacioretty that all but ended the contest. 

After David Desharnais scored five minutes into the second period to make it 3-0, Bishop’s night was over.

The Lightning sagged, and the Canadiens made them pay.

The problem for the Canadiens will be repeating this performance three more times against a team that has owned them all season. 

Bishop rested the final 35 minutes of Game 4 and will be at full strength for Game 5. Coach Jon Cooper managed the minutes of a few key players; Anton Stralman (5:06), Tyler Johnson (2:35), Ondrej Palat (2:35) and Nikita Kucherov (2:35) barely touched the ice during the third period when the game was no longer in doubt. Brenden Morrow was a healthy scratch, probably because of his age (36) and the back-to-back situation, and he could return to the lineup with fresher legs Saturday.

Habs coach Michel Therrien did his horses no such favors in the third period. 

Billy Hurst/Associated Press

It’s nearly impossible to come back from a 3-0 deficit, and when the team that needs to win four straight has one win in nine cracks against the series leader, the odds are about as long as they get, even with Carey Price in net. The Habs have been right there in two of the three losses, are holding their own at five-on-five and have two of the final three games at Bell Centre and...

...It probably doesn't matter.

The Lightning have won 89 percent of their games against Montreal this season. They'll find a way to get one of the next three.

All statistics via NHL.com.

Dave Lozo covers the NHL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter: @DaveLozo.