Is Martin St-Louis Out-Coaching Jon Cooper So Far In The NHL Playoffs?
Five games in, Montreal's Martin St-Louis is winning a coaching battle against Tampa Bay's Jon Cooper - and it's not even really close.
Then again, it probably shouldn't be close.
While Cooper has spent more than 700 games behind the bench than St-Louis has as a coach, Cooper cannot compare to what St-Louis has been through during a 16-year career as a Hall of Fame winger.
It's that in-game experience that has led St-Louis into making the kind of gut-instinct decisions that have been the difference maker in a back-and-forth series that is tilted 3-2 in Montreal's favor.
Canadiens Steal Home-Ice Back And Push Tampa To The Brink Of Elimination
It was another hotly contested affair between the Montreal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning, but in the end, the Canadiens signed a 3-2 win, and will have the opportunity to wrap up the series on Thursday night.
Gallagher should also be thankful he's got St-Louis as a coach.
At his age, the 33-year-old has looked to slow and too old to make an impact in these playoffs. But with the series tied 2-2, St-Louis knew the Habs needed an emotional boost for Game 5 in Tampa, Fla. - something that rookie Oliver Kapanen might not have been able to provide. And so he rolled the dice on Gallagher.
Once again, it was the right call, as Gallagher drove hard to the net on his first shift and potted in a rebound to give Montreal a 1-0 lead.
"It came time in the series where I felt like we probably needed a little more of that, and I know Gally is gonna give you that," St-Louis told reporters after the game. "I'm really happy the way he's handled everything and not surprised about how he did tonight."
In the playoffs, the difference between winning and losing often comes down to goaltending, line-matching and special teams. The Xs and Os of coaching are obviously important. But equally important is the emotional side of the game.
You need to know what levers to pull and what buttons to push - and when to do nothing.
The Canadiens are one win away from advancing to the second round, mostly because their goalie has better than Tampa Bay's goalie and because their power play has been more dangerous and because they have Lane Hutson on defense. But really, they're in the driver's seat because of their depth and the decision-making of the Canadiens coach.
While Cooper has stubbornly relied heavily on his top-two lines for 10 of the team's 13 goals, St-Louis has squeezed every little bit of life out of his bottom two lines, which have combined for seven of their 14 goals.
Put Away The Whistles! Questionable Penalties Decide Outcome In Canadiens' Game 4 Loss
After four games, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens have each taken an NHL-leading 32 minor penalties. They have also combined for nine power play goals. That's a significant number in a series where each time has scored a total of 11 times.
In Game 5, it was Gallagher who did his coach proud. In Game 6 in Montreal, don't be surprised if St-Louis taps someone new to be the hero.
"I got some catching up to do," Gallagher, who scored his first playoff goal in five years, told reporters. "These guys have had some fun and been able to enjoy it. You grind all season to have this opportunity, you just want to enjoy it.
"You can't get lost in the importance of everything, you can't forget to have fun."
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This story was originally published April 30, 2026 at 10:40 AM.