‘He doesn’t play much so maybe it makes him play a little more’: Canadiens’ Slafkovsky on hit from Lightning’s Crozier
From an opening game hat-trick, a fight and now a hit everyone’s talking about, there’s been no shortage of excitement surrounding Montreal Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky.
Slafkovsky was hit hard by Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Max Crozier in the closing stages of Game 4, changing the momentum around. The Habs held a 2-0 lead in that game, but the Lightning scored three unanswered goals to tie the series at 2-2.
Montreal went on to win Game 5, allowing for the opportunity to close the series tonight at the Bell Centre. Despite that, there’s no shortage of talk surrounding the big hit and how it changed the course of the game.
When asked about the hit, Slafkovsky wasn’t afraid to share his thoughts.
“He got a good hit. Good for the guy. He doesn’t play much so maybe it makes him play a little more,” Slafkovsky told reporters on Friday. “Gotta take it, it doesn’t matter if I get hit or anything, it’s (about) how I come back. I just wanna keep playing hard the same way. I think it’s all good.”
Slafkovsky, 22, hasn’t registered a point since Game 1 on April 19. He was involved in a fight with Brandon Hagel in Game 2, but has yet to hit the scoresheet in any meaningful way since. Regardless, the power forward is one of Montreal’s most important players, having set a career high of 30 goals and 73 points in 82 games.
Internationally, Slafkovsky also had four goals and eight points in six games at the 2026 Winter Olympics, falling short of a second consecutive MVP bid.
Crozier, meanwhile, had one goal and 10 points in 35 games in his first full year of NHL hockey. The hard-nosed defender is known for throwing his 6-foot-3 frame around any time he possibly can, and he’s been glued to Slafkovsky throughout the series.