Canadiens Rookie Dobes Confident for Lightning Playoff Opener

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes expressed confidence Friday as the team prepares to face Andrei Vasilevskiy and the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the NHL playoffs, with Game 1 set for Sunday in Tampa.

Dobes, a 24-year-old rookie from Czechia with fewer than 60 regular-season games, will start against the two-time Stanley Cup champion Vasilevskiy, who boasts 113 more playoff appearances. Despite the experience gap, Dobes drew reassurance from Montreal's recent successes against Tampa Bay, including a 36-save performance in a 4-1 victory on March 31. "There's still a lot of respect. He's a great goaltender," Dobes said after practice in Brossard, Quebec. "But I don't think the fear is there as much as it was the first couple of times we played them."

The 24-year-old's poise stems from a strong finish to the regular season. After the NHL's Olympic break in February, Dobes went 11-5-0 with a .916 save percentage and 2.49 goals-against average, solidifying his role as the Canadiens' primary starter amid earlier struggles in net. He began the year as a backup to Sam Montembeault before sharing duties with prospect Jacob Fowler. "The way he works every day, his...