The Lightning overcame a sluggish start and an early deficit to score six of the game’s next seven goals. Later, they withstood a third-period Montreal surge and secured their second straight win on the road trip.
The Canadiens netted the game’s first goal when Joel Armia batted in a rebound at 2:37 of the opening period. The Armia shot was Montreal’s fifth of the game, but the Canadiens recorded just three additional shots on goal during the remainder of the frame. The Lightning found their legs after those early minutes and improved their overall play. They tied the score at 9:45 when Nick Paul finished a rebound of a Brayden Point shot during a Lightning power play. Before the first period ended, they took the lead. From the neutral zone, Tyler Motte chipped a puck off the glass (past a Montreal defenseman) and set up Mikey Eyssimont on a two-on-one with Paul. Eyssimont drove to the net and lifted the puck into the top of the goal at 16:24.
The Lightning decisively controlled play in the second period. Although they allowed a tying goal to Armia at 4:42, they regained the lead soon after. A quick passing sequence in the offensive zone led to a goal for Steven Stamkos off a one-timer at 7:58. Just over a minute later, Eyssimont disrupted a Montreal clearing attempt, and Paul roofed a shot from the slot over the glove of Cayden Primeau. They made it 5-2 at 13:18 – six seconds after a Lightning power play ended, Brandon Hagel fired a shot that deflected off Primeau’s blocker and fluttered into the net. They added one more before the period ended. During another Lightning power play, Stamkos won a puck battle along the boards and fed Point at the left circle. Since three Montreal penalty killers were involved in the puck battle, they were out of position once the Lightning gained possession. This created a two-on-one down low for Point and Nikita Kucherov. Point fed Kucherov, who finished a one-timer from the right circle. It was a dominant frame for the Lightning, who outshot the Canadiens, 20-6, and outscored them, 4-1.
The Lightning, who were playing the second half of a back-to-back against a rested opponent, would have liked to have had a drama-free third period. That didn’t happen. The Canadiens cut the deficit to 6-3 when Juraj Slafkovsky tipped in a point shot at 8:40. Sloppy puck play from the Lightning led to an extended offensive-zone shift for the Canadiens’ top line, and Cole Caufield snapped a left-circle shot into the top of the net at 11:51. The Habs pressed in the closing minutes — they received a power play with 7:07 remaining and later had an extended sequence with a sixth attacker on the ice. But Matt Tomkins made 14 third-period saves to preserve the two-goal lead. Kucherov set up Stamkos for an empty-netter in the game’s final minute, setting the final at 7-4.
With the victory, the Lightning reduced their magic number to two points. A win in Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon clinches a playoff berth for Tampa Bay.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game:
- Nick Paul — Lightning. Two goals.
- Matt Tomkins — Lightning. 26 saves.
- Joel Armia — Canadiens. Two goals.
