Kirby Dach Got Hammered Online, Montreal Just Gave Him the Best Response Possible

Kirby Dach made two brutal mistakes in Game 2. He got destroyed for it online. So he shut down his Instagram and dreaded walking into the Bell Centre for Game 3. Then the Montreal fans showed up and changed everything.

The 25-year-old forward didn't know what kind of reception he'd get when the series shifted home on Friday night. But when the warmups started, the crowd was chanting his name. And Dach? He responded like a guy who just got reminded his city has his back. He had a monster night in a 3-2 overtime win that gave Montreal a 2-1 series lead over Tampa Bay.

The Dark Hours Between Games

Let's be real about what happened in Game 2. In overtime, Dach iced the puck and gave Tampa Bay a faceoff in the attacking zone. While the Lightning controlled play, Dach couldn't contain defenseman J.J. Moser, who ripped a shot past goalie Jakub Dobes for the game winner. One play. One loss. And suddenly the internet decided Dach was the problem.

The online harassment got so bad that the forward deactivated his Instagram account. His coach and teammates could see he was in a rough place, and they rallied.

Montreal Fans Remind Their City What It Means to Stick Together

"Didn't really expect it. It was nice. The fans have been unbelievable all year and have been by my side," Dach said after the win.

Before the game, coach Marty St. Louis had actually asked the crowd to back Dach. "It's tough. We need all-hands on deck. Fans included," St. Louis said. "We're not perfect. Guys are going to make mistakes, but we have good intensions out there. I would say 'stick together.'"

The fans listened. And Dach listened to his teammates too. Center Nick Suzuki saw the shift: "It was unfortunate what happened in the previous game. It was great to see the fans support him tonight. Got some 'Kirby' chants going in warmups."

"I think as a competitor, you want to be able to bounce back and put your best foot forward. But at the same time, we have such a great group of guys here. Everybody was lifting me up and helping me out, training staff and coaches," Dach said. That's what winning teams do. They don't fracture when one guy stumbles. They carry him through it.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.