Here's link to this week's Hockey Inside/Out Show as I join former Canadiens' Chris Nilan and Rick Green to discuss Habs OT loss in Game 2 vs. Tampa Bay Lightning and a couple of big mistakes by Juraj Slafkovsky and Kirby Dach that gave series momentum to Tampa: www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHl6...

Cowan: Tripped up by mistakes, it's time for Canadiens to make lineup changes Habs should switch out Kirby Dach and Alexandre Texier for Joe Veleno and Brendan Gallagher in Game 3 against Lightning.

My column on lineup changes Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis should make for Game 3 vs. Tampa Friday night at Bell Centre after a couple of big mistakes proved very costly in 3-2 OT loss in Game 2 that handed the series momentum to Lightning #Habs: montrealgazette.com/sports/hocke...

THIS DATE IN #HABS HISTORY
April 22, 1979: Larry Robinson scored in OT and goalie Ken Dryden earned his 72nd playoff win in 5-4 victory over Leafs in Toronto to sweep Stanley Cup quarterfinal. Dryden retired with 80 wins in 112 playoff games, which ranks seventh in NHL history.

THIS DATE IN #HABS HISTORY
April 22, 2003: Patrick Roy played his final NHL game as his Colorado Avalanche lost 3-2 in OT to Minnesota Wild in Game 7 of Western Conference semifinal. Roy retired after winning four Stanley Cups - two with the Canadiens and two with Avalanche.

Stu Cowan: Guy Lafleur left a legacy of love toward Canadiens fans "He wanted to make people happy all the time, whether it was an autograph or a picture — and was happy to do that," Chantal Machabée says.

It was four years ago today that Canadiens legend Guy Lafleur died at age 70 after battling lung cancer. Here's column I wrote following his death on the impact he had on Chantal Machabée, the #Habs vice-president of hockey communications: montrealgazette.com/sports/hocke...

Stu Cowan: Guy Lafleur was the last of the Canadiens' legends Lafleur and Jean Béliveau were different people from different eras, but fans loved them in a way no future Canadien will ever be loved.

THIS DATE IN #HABS HISTORY
April 22, 2022: Canadiens legend Guy Lafleur died at age 70 after battling lung cancer. Here's column I wrote following his death: montrealgazette.com/sports/hocke...

GOT A QUESTION ABOUT THE CANADIENS?
If you have a question about the Canadiens you'd like me to answer in my weekly #Habs Mailbag this weekend you can post it below or send an email to montrealcanadiens@postmedia.com.

Lightning captain Victor Hedman expected to miss series against Canadiens Tampa Bay defenceman hasn't played since March 19 after leaving the team because of personal reasons.

My story setting up Game 2 of Canadiens vs. Lightning tonight in Tampa (7 p.m., CBC, SN, TVA Sports). The Lightning don't expect to have captain Victor Hedman back in this series and will have to find a way to stop Juraj Slafkovsky and #Habs power play: montrealgazette.com/sports/hocke...

Cowan: Canadiens' Josh Anderson is built for the playoffs "I look at a guy like Josh Anderson as one of the best playoff players in hockey," Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk says.

My column on how the Canadiens' Josh Anderson is showing how he is built for the playoffs and making #Habs GM Kent Hughes look good for not trading him away early in the rebuilding process: montrealgazette.com/sports/hocke...

THIS DATE IN #HABS HISTORY
April 21, 1985: Chris Chelios had a goal and two assists in 6-4 win over Quebec Nordiques in Game 2 of Adams Division final at Forum. Mats Naslund scored twice for Canadiens while Serge Boisvert, Bob Gainey and Mike McPhee added singles.

THIS DATE IN #HABS HISTORY
April 21, 2008: Carey Price made 25 saves and Andrei Kostitsyn had a goal and an assist in 5-0 win over Boston Bruins in Game 7 of Eastern Conference quarterfinal at Bell Centre. Sergei Kostitsyn, Mike Komisarek and Mark Streit also scored for Habs.

Happy birthday to Vincent Lecavalier, the No. 1 overall pick at 1998 NHL Draft by Tampa Bay Lightning who now works for the Canadiens as a special adviser to hockey operations. He turns 46 today #Habs

Team rosters and stats ahead of Game 2 of first-round playoff series tonight between the Canadiens and Lightning in Tampa (7 p.m., CBC, SN, TVA Sports) #Habs:

Hall of Famer Chris Pronger details how hockey greatness comes with a price Former defenceman writes about the highs and lows of his hockey journey in new memoir.

My Q&A with Hall of Fame defenceman Chris Pronger and the story behind his new memoir titled Earned: The True Cost of Greatness from One of Hockey’s Fiercest Competitors: montrealgazette.com/sports/hocke...

Cowan: Hall of Famer Chris Pronger can relate to Juraj Slafkovsky's Canadiens journey Decorated defenceman and Canadiens winger both faced the pressure of being top NHL draft picks.

My column on Hall of Famer Chris Pronger @chrispronger relating to the pressure on Juraj Slafkovsy after being No. 1 overall pick at NHL Draft and liking the way the Canadiens were patient with his development, which is now paying off big-time #Habs: montrealgazette.com/sports/hocke...

THIS DATE IN #HABS HISTORY
April 20, 1968: Jean Béliveau had the only playoff hat-trick of his 20-year NHL career and added an assist in 4-1 win over Chicago Blackhawks in Game 2 of Stanley Cup semifinal series at the Forum. Jacques Lemaire also scored for Canadiens.

THIS DATE IN #HABS HISTORY
April 20, 1958: Bernie Geoffrion scored twice and had an assist in 5-3 win over Bruins in Boston in Game 6 of final series as Canadiens won their third straight Stanley Cup. Goalie Jacques Plante made 31 saves for the win.

Laughed hearing Lightning fans in Tampa chanting "U-S-A! U-S-A!" during last night's 4-3 OT loss to Canadiens. The Lightning roster last night had 10 Canadians on it and three Americans. Their head coach is also Canadian and their goalie and best player are both Russian. #Habs

THIS DATE IN #HABS HISTORY
April 19, 2007: Carey Price made his AHL playoff debut, making 34 saves for Hamilton Bulldogs in 2-0 win over Rochester in first-round series. Price would lead Bulldogs to Calder Cup, posting 15-6 record with a 2.06 GAA and .936 save pct. Gazette photo

THIS DATE IN #HABS HISTORY
April 19, 2004: José Theodore made 32 saves for his first NHL playoff shutout and Richard Zednik scored twice in the third period for a 2-0 win over Bruins in Boston in Game 7 of Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.

THIS DATE IN #HABS HISTORY
April 19, 1989: Pat Burns became second coach in NHL history to win his first six playoff games when Bobby Smith scored in OT at Forum for 3-2 win over Boston Bruins in Game 2 of Adams Division final, which Habs would win in five games. Gazette photo.

Happy birthday to the Canadiens' Patrik Laine, who turns 28 today. Photo by The Gazette's John Mahoney #Habs

Team rosters and stats ahead of Game 1 of first-round playoff series today between the Canadiens and Lightning in Tampa (5:45 p.m., CBC, SN, TVA Sports) #Habs

Stu's Slapshots: Young and hungry Canadiens ready for playoffs Kaiden Guhle looking forward to being 'a prick' against Lightning, while Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble add some muscle.

My weekly Stu's Slapshots notebook, including young & hungry Canadiens being ready for challenge against Lightning, Kaiden Guhle ready to be "a prick", Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble being defence partners, the Corey Perry Factor, goalie matchup and more: montrealgazette.com/sports/hocke...

THIS DATE IN #HABS HISTORY
April 18, 1959: The Canadiens won their fourth straight Stanley Cup by beating the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3 in Game 5 of the final at Forum. Bernie Geoffrion scored twice and rookie Ralph Backstrom had a goal and three assists.

Happy birthday to former Canadiens forward Oleg Petrov, who turns 55 today #Habs

Habs Mailbag: Goaltending, defence and jam keys to playoff success for Canadiens Bleu-blanc-rouge showed they're on cusp of becoming legitimate Stanley Cup contenders — perhaps as soon as this year.

My weekly #Habs Mailbag answering questions about Canadiens chances vs. Lightning, playoff strategy, Brendan Gallagher, the Habs rebuild and when it might pay off with a Stanley Cup, Ivan Demidov's next contract, David Reinbacher and more: montrealgazette.com/sports/hocke...

They won't fix it because it's exactly how they want it so they can set up a playoff bracket like they have in NCAA basketball.

Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki becomes a father ahead of playoff series "My wife, she was awesome," he says after birth of daughter Maya. "It was definitely a special day for us and both our families."

My story on Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki becoming a first-time father just before start of NHL playoffs with his wife, Caitlin, giving birth to daughter Maya on Wednesday #Habs: montrealgazette.com/sports/hocke...

We finally have schedule for Canadiens’ first-round playoff series against Tampa Bay Lightning.