TSN's Dave Hodge issues a "thumbs down" to the Montreal Canadiens:

There is seldom a way to recover from a 3-0 deficit in a Stanley Cup playoff series, and the Canadiens don't even have time to regroup. With Game 4 coming 24 hours after the most stunning loss imaginable, the Canadiens will feel as though they never left the ice.

So this is no ordinary deep hole that requires a ladder made of four straight wins. This makes down and out feel like the same thing. And the very worst of it is that the Habs can't even tell themselves things should be different. Surely they could see it coming.

Too often they've relied on Carey Price to win a game with saves that should have been won more easily with goals. With an overtime goal against Ben Bishop, this would have been another typical Montreal win - except that Price couldn't make the last save. And suddenly - 1.1 seconds later - the game was over. There was no more time and no time for overtime.

The Canadiens have been described as a mediocre team with a great goalie. Harsh as that might sound, any argument is hollow. Thumbs up and down accordingly.

Continued