Ivan Demidov’s second trip to the playoffs is off to a strong defensive start

MONTREAL — Just prior to the start of the Montreal Canadiens’ first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Canadiens rookie Ivan Demidov was asked about the opportunity to face one of his heroes in a seven-game playoff series.Nikita Kucherov has long been a model for Demidov, and the similarities between the two were impossible to deny for both Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis, who once played with Kucherov, and Lightning coach Jon Cooper late in the regular season.Advertisement