from Dave Stubbs of the Montreal Gazette,

Lars Eller wore a peaceful, almost amused smile with his remarkably good playoff beard Tuesday noon-hour. “I started it earlier this year,” he said brightly.

In a few hours, Eller and his teammates would be walking back into Amalie Arena, wearing their game faces. But for now, hemmed into his dressing-room stall by the media, the 26-year-old centreman was happy to consider the challenge that lay ahead.

It was no greater or no less a challenge than what the Canadiens had faced in Games 4 and 5, also elimination matches against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

“I guess not,” Eller said, asked whether there was anything left to say about his team’s rally to make a tremendous series out of something that nearly was a blowout.

“We’ve just got to go out and enjoy it, keep playing like we’ve been playing this whole series. We played our best hockey this season in this series and now we’re starting to get the results.

“At the same time, once this game starts, whatever happened in the past doesn’t matter. I expect this to be the hardest game so far for us.”

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