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‘Too many passengers’ for Lightning in shutout loss to Habs

Slater Koekkoek

Tampa Bay Lightning’s Slater Koekkoek skates away as the Montreal Canadiens celebrate a goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, March 31, 2016, in Tampa, Fla. The Canadiens won 3-0. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

AP

The Tampa Bay Lightning are likely going to the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Montreal Canadiens, like every other Canadian team, are not.

Yet, it was the Habs who managed a 3-0 victory over the host Lightning on Thursday, giving goalie Mike Condon his first National Hockey League shut out after he stopped all 26 shots he faced.

Meanwhile, the result and the effort left the Lightning, Eastern Conference champs from a year ago, searching for answers following such a disappointing outing.

Tampa Bay managed only three shots in the final period, and 12 shots combined over the final 40 minutes in a losing cause.

With five games remaining on their schedule, the Lightning are just 5-5 in their last 10 games. This loss, plus Florida’s win over New Jersey, bumped Tampa Bay two points back of the Panthers for first place in the Atlantic Division.