Report: Smith-Pelly doesn't want to “Jinx” Stamkos's scoring slump.

Report: Smith-Pelly doesn't want to “Jinx” Stamkos's scoring slump.

Leading up to tonight's Game 2 matchup between the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning, there seems to be only one question on everybody's mind. How long can Steven Stamkos's scoring slump actually last? It seems unfair to assume he has not pe

HockeyFeed

HockeyFeed

Leading up to tonight's Game 2 matchup between the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning, there seems to be only one question on everybody's mind. How long can Steven Stamkos's scoring slump actually last? It seems unfair to assume he has not performed well simply because he has zero goals, as he has managed three assists. However, it is uncharacteristic of Stamkos to this long without a single tally. He failed to generate a point in a 2-1 double-overtime win for the Bolts, his second straight contest without a point, and has one assist in the past six playoff games. In total Stamkos hasn't scored in nine straight games dating back to the regular season. Montreal Canadiens forward Devante Smith-Pelly was asked by NHL.com today about Stamkos's struggles. He didn't want to say the wrong thing. "I don't really want to talk about it," Smith-Pelly said with a smile. "Maybe jinx it." He knows all it takes is one goal to open the floodgates. "You look at the stat sheet and you see Stamkos didn't have a goal, but at the same time that's the guy you're really worried about," Smith-Pelly said. "If he gets one, chances are it's going to snowball the wrong way for us. We did a good job and we're going to continue to play hard on all their guys." Habs centerman Tomas Plekanec knows the Canadiens will have to make sure to limit Stamkos as much as possible.
"When you go out for a faceoff, you know he's [there]," Plekanec said. "So every time you know he has his spots, or you know where he's standing. It's not like he's there every single time, but you know about where he's trying to find his spot. When his guy has the puck in the corner, he's probably in his one-timer position or he's in the slot ready to shoot the puck. "But again, it's not like you're thinking about it 100 percent. You know, you're aware." The feeling is that Stamkos may be "due" for one, it's just a matter of when.  

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