The margin between hero and scapegoat in playoff hockey is razor-thin, and for Kirby Dach, that line blurred in a matter of seconds Tuesday night.
The Montreal Canadiens forward found himself at the center of a storm after a costly overtime sequence helped the Tampa Bay Lightning secure a 3-2 Game 2 win, tying the series at 1-1. But what followed off the ice may have been even more telling than the mistake itself.
Kirby Dach Leaves IG Amid Criticism
Game 2 had all the makings of a classic postseason battle, physical, emotional, and chaotic. The two teams combined for 52 penalty minutes and 77 hits, with tensions boiling over throughout the night.
Brandon Hagel opened the scoring for Tampa Bay before Lane Hutson answered on the power play. Josh Anderson gave Montreal a 2-1 edge in the second, only for Nikita Kucherov to even things up in the third and force overtime.
Then came the turning point. In OT, Dach attempted a clearing play that resulted in an icing call, trapping a fatigued Canadiens unit in their own zone. Moments later, a defensive lapse allowed J.J. Moser to slip behind coverage and bury the game-winner in front of goaltender Jakub Dobes.
The reaction was immediate and intense. Analysts, including longtime insider Pierre McGuire, pointed to multiple breakdowns on the play, singling out Dach’s defensive awareness.
But the criticism didn’t stop at analysis.
Within hours, Dach had deactivated his Instagram account following a wave of backlash from fans. According to reports, the response crossed a line, from frustration to personal attacks, including direct messages and threats. His girlfriend’s account was also reportedly taken down after facing similar harassment.
It’s an unfortunate but increasingly familiar reality in modern sports: one mistake, amplified by social media, spiraling into something far more personal.
Amid the noise, Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis made it clear where he stands. Speaking to reporters via Zoom the next morning, St. Louis defended Dach, emphasizing that the overtime icing was just one moment in a much larger game. He highlighted Dach’s physical presence and competitiveness, especially in recent weeks since returning from injury.
The message was simple: this isn’t on one player.
Playoff series often hinge on how players respond to adversity, and Game 3 now looms as a critical test, not just for Montreal, but for Dach personally.
How Dach channels this moment, whether it fuels a bounce-back performance or lingers as pressure, could shape not only the series but his narrative moving forward.
