Lightning expect Canadiens to 'up the ante a little bit' as series continues

The Tampa Bay Lightning could be forgiven for thinking they have the Montreal Canadiens figured out after two games of their second-round series.

The Lightning prevailed in double-overtime in Game 1 and cruised to a 6-2 victory in Game 2, both on the road. Tampa Bay has won seven consecutive games against Montreal since the Canadiens eliminated them from the playoffs last season, but the team isn't taking anything for granted as this year's series shifts to Florida.

Lightning forward Brian Boyle believes the team is up 2-0 in the series by taking advantage of opportunities and he doesn't expect Montreal, who finished the season with the best record in the Atlantic Division, to implode and hand his team a berth in the Eastern Conference final.

"As the series goes on we've got to expect they are going to up the ante a little bit and we have to match that," Boyle told Corey Long of NHL.com.

According to Boyle, the most positive development of Game 2 for the Lightning was Steven Stamkos snapping his 11-game goal drought.

"(Stamkos) is going to be huge for us going forward, and if we want to continue to do damage in the playoffs he's going to lead the way," Boyle said. "It doesn't matter how well he does the other things, he wants to score goals and we're going to need him to, so it was big for us."

Tampa Bay has not lost consecutive games at home since December and did not drop three consecutive games all season, so even one victory over the next two contests will put the team in prime position to advance. Coach Jon Cooper is trying to keep that thought from distracting his team from the task at hand.

"It's still a race to four and we're only halfway there," Cooper said. "We've beat Montreal seven straight times and that's great, but we need two more wins. What's in the past is in the past."