Canadiens beat Lightning 3-2 in OT to take 2-1 lead in all extra-time
series
[April 25, 2026]
MONTREAL (AP) — Lane Hutson scored on a slap shot at 2:09 of overtime
and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on Friday
night to take a 2-1 lead in the first-round series that has opened with
three extra-time thrillers.
“That honestly might have been my first slap shot all year,” Hutson
said.
Hutson fired a shot from the top of right circle that went through
traffic and found the top left corner behind goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy
on the only shot on goal in overtime. |
Montreal Canadiens' Kirby Dach, left, and Tampa Bay Lightning's Emil
Lilleberg (78) look on as Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88)
is scored against by Canadiens' Lane Hutson during overtime of Game 3 in
a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series in Montreal, Friday,
April 24, 2026. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP) |
|
“Didn’t think he could shoot it that hard,” Canadiens captain
Nick Suzuki said. “Huge play for us.”
Kirby Dach tied it for Montreal with 7:17 left in the second
period. He fired a snap shot through traffic from the top of the
right circle that beat Vasilevskiy on the short side.
Game 4 is Sunday night in Montreal. The Canadiens took the
opener 4-3 on Sunday and the Lightning countered 3-2 on Tuesday
night.
Dach assisted on Alexandre Texier's opening goal at 4:53 of the
first period. Jakub Dobes stopped 15 shots,
Brayden Point and Brandon Hagel scored for Tampa Bay, and
Vasilevskiy made 26 saves. In the third, Vasilevskiy stymied
Cole Caufield and Josh Anderson on breakaways.
Point tied it on a power play at 7:42 of the first. After Dobes
was penalized for tripping Yanni Gourde, Point took Jake
Guentzel’s centering pass and ripped a shot past Dobes’ blocker
from the high slot.
Hagel gave Tampa Bay the lead at 4:47 of the second with his
fourth goal of the series. After a Montreal turnover at its own
the blue line, Hagel beat Dobes with a snap shot to the short
side from the top of the left circle.
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