Kirby Dach stars in Montreal Canadiens win following online abuse
Montreal Canadiens forward Kirby Dach answered severe online abuse with a standout performance to secure a 3-2 overtime victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning in game three of their play-off series.
The 25-year-old was targeted by fans after making two costly errors during Tuesday’s game two defeat in Florida.
His misplaced icing clearance and subsequent failure to defend J.J. Moser directly led to the game-winning goal for Tampa Bay, prompting a deluge of hostile messages.
The harassment forced the Canadian to deactivate his social media accounts before the series shifted back to Quebec.
However, an impassioned home crowd chanted his name during warm-ups on Friday, sparking a resilient display from the centre.
Bouncing back from adversity
Dach contributed an assist on Alexandre Texier’s opening goal before scoring his first of the series to tie the contest at 2-2 in the second period.
He was also on the ice for Lane Hutson’s decisive overtime strike, finishing the night with a positive plus-three rating in just over 11 minutes of action.
The crucial home victory gives Montreal a 2-1 lead over the Lightning in the best-of-seven series.
“Didn’t really expect it. It was nice. The fans have been unbelievable all year and have been by my side.” – Kirby Dach
Team-mates and coach rally around
Montreal head coach Marty St. Louis had publicly urged the fanbase to support their struggling player before the puck dropped.
Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki praised the home faithful for their swift change in tone and vocal backing.
“It was unfortunate what happened in the previous game. It was great to see the fans support him tonight. Got some ‘Kirby’ chants going in warmups.” – Nick Suzuki
Dach acknowledged that the backing of his coaching staff and fellow players was vital in helping him navigate a challenging few days.
“Everybody was lifting me up and helping me out, training staff and coaches. So it definitely wasn’t just me kind of digging myself out of that hole. I had a lot of support.” – Kirby Dach
The forward will look to continue his resurgence when Montreal host game four on Sunday evening.
