The dynamic Canadiens defenceman had a strong debut season and was a frequent presence on the team's blue line during the regular season. Romanov appeared in 54 games for the Habs this season, scoring one goal and adding five assists, but for whatever reason, he has been virtually ignored in the playoffs. His high-octane, aggressive style of play could be beneficial to the Canadiens if properly utilised, but I see why the Canadiens have opted for more stable and experienced veterans thus far in the playoffs.
The superb play of Lightning star goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy has been one of the major difficulties for the Canadiens in this series. The Lightning goaltender is making a good case for the Conn Smythe Trophy, and there's no denying that he's outplayed Carey Price thus far in this series, and the Canadiens need to find a way to reverse that. If the 30-year-old Slovakian is inserted into the lineup, Tatar may be the answer. Tatar still possesses a scoring touch, despite being a long way from his goal-scoring days with the Detroit Red Wings. This might be crucial in a series where the Habs have struggled to score.
I believe Romanov will be the more likely choice come Monday night, but if Ducharme wants to keep his more steady and steady approach on the blue line, he could go with veteran Kulak instead. With 11 games under his belt already during this run to the final, the 27-year-old Canadian defenceman has played sparingly for the Canadiens during the playoffs, so it wouldn't be surprising to see Ducharme turn to him again for Game 4.
