Kirby Dach stars in Canadiens' Game 3 win after harsh online criticism
MONTREAL (AP) — What a difference 72 hours made for Kirby Dach. On Tuesday, the Montreal forward drew the ire of fans after an ill-timed icing and a defensive lapse in overtime led to J. J.
Moser’s winning goal in a 3—2 Game 2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. By Friday night in front of a roaring Bell Centre crowd, Dach flipped the script, turning frustration into redemption with a goal and an assist in the Canadiens’ 3-2 overtime win that gave Montreal a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven matchup. “I think you take that night (Tuesday) and you kind of sit on it, dwell on it and understand what you could have done better,” Dach said.
“Come Wednesday morning, you’ve got to be able to move on and get ready for tonight’s game. " The vitriol spewed online toward the Dach following the Game 2 loss, forcing the 6-foot-4 center to delete his Instagram account. Many Canadiens fans also took to social media and local sports talk radio phone lines, calling for coach Martin St.
Louis to scratch the forward in favor of Joe Veleno or veteran Brendan Gallagher. St. Louis wasn’t having any of it.
“I’m not going to give up on a player unless he gives up on himself,” St. Louis said. “Kirby Dach is a really good hockey player.