Martin St-Louis’ surprising decision with Gallagher sparks debate vs Tampa
Brendan Gallagher is back in the Canadiens lineup tonight, with Martin St-Louis leaning on the veteran to help close out the Lightning at the Bell Centre.
The signal came at the morning skate. Oliver Kapanen was on the ice with the extras, and that's usually all you need to know about who's dressing.
This indicates there will be no changes to the Canadiens’ lineup, and that Brendan Gallagher will play his second consecutive game."
- Patrick Friolet
Montreal leads the series 3-2. One more win, and the Lightning are done. Game 6 is at home, and the building is going to be loud from the anthem on.
St-Louis has decided he wants Gallagher's mileage in that environment. Hard to argue with the call when you look at how the alternative has performed.
Kapanen has played four games in this series and posted zero points. No goals, no assists, an even rating. For a 22-year-old coming off a 22-goal regular season, the playoff version hasn't shown up.
That's a tough fall from a 37-point year. And it explains why the head coach is willing to roll with a 33-year-old winger who only just got into the series.
Why a 33-year-old winger gets the nod over a 22-goal scorer
Gallagher's playoff line so far is one game, one goal, plus-one. Modest on paper. But it's exactly the kind of contribution St-Louis was hunting when he slid him back in.
This is the editorial part. Putting Kapanen back in for Game 6 would have been the wrong move. You don't elevate a guy who's been invisible for four games into the loudest night of the year.
Gallagher knows what win-or-go-home feels like. He's been through it. Most of this Montreal room hasn't.
The Canadiens finished 48-24-10 in the regular season with 106 points and a plus-27 goal differential. They were sixth overall. None of that matters if they don't finish the job tonight.
Tampa has been here before too. A team with this much playoff scar tissue isn't going to roll over because it lost Game 5. The Lightning will push back hard early.
That's the bet St-Louis is making. He wants a guy on the right wing who won't shrink when the building shakes. He picked the obvious one.
Now Gallagher has to deliver one more time.
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YESTERDAY
APRIL 30, 2026
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Quinn Hughes | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Leo Carlsson | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Chris Kreider | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Troy Terry | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Matthew Boldy | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Cutter Gauthier | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Mavrik Bourque | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Wyatt Johnston | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Connor Murphy | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Vasily Podkolzin | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Ryan Poehling | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Vladimir Tarasenko | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Michael Bunting | - | 1 | 1 | |
| John Carlson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Colton Dach | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Leon Draisaitl | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Matt Duchene | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Brock Faber | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Marcus Foligno | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Kasperi Kapanen | - | 1 | 1 | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||