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Juraj Slafkovsky netted his third power-play tally just 1 minute and 22 seconds into the extra period, propelling the Montreal Canadiens to a 4-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in the inaugural game of their first-round playoff series on Sunday evening.
From the left face-off circle, Slafkovsky launched a slapshot that bypassed Andrei Vasilevskiy on the far side, completing his hat trick.
The second game is scheduled for Tuesday evening at Benchmark International Arena, a venue where Tampa Bay has suffered defeats in eight of its most recent nine home post-season contests.
Josh Anderson also contributed a goal for Montreal, while rookie netminder Jakub Dobes stopped 20 shots. Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield each provided a pair of assists.
Brandon Hagel notched two goals, and Darren Raddysh also found the back of the net for Tampa Bay. Jake Guentzel recorded three helpers in the defeat.
Tampa Bay’s team, the Lightning, has been eliminated from the initial playoff round for three consecutive seasons, having previously missed a potential third consecutive championship by two victories in 2022.
The Canadiens, under the guidance of former Lightning star and Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Martin St. Louis, are aiming for their first Stanley Cup triumph since securing their record 24th NHL title in 1993. Their last playoff series victory dates back to 2021, when they were defeated by the Lightning in the Cup final.
Hagel’s power-play marker — a deflection originating from an accurate feed by Guentzel at 8:58 of the third period — leveled the score at 3-3, occurring shortly after Slafkovsky had given Montreal the lead.
A shot from Slafkovsky, delivered from the high slot, slipped beneath Vasilevskiy’s left leg pad, granting a momentary advantage. He then converted a seamless pass from Ivan Demidov with a one-timer from the right circle, evening the score at 2-2 during the waning moments of the second frame.
The Montreal Canadiens are competing against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the initial stage of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Local businesses anticipate benefiting from their prospective playoff achievements, and supporters hold strong expectations, given the Habs concluded the regular season as one of the league’s premier teams.
Raddysh equalized the score at 1-1 with a forceful slapshot in the second period. The Lightning swiftly took a 2-1 advantage only 29 seconds afterward when Hagel retrieved a free puck near the net and backhanded it beyond Dobes.
The Canadiens’ fourth forward unit established a 1-0 lead in the opening period, as Anderson lofted a shot into the top corner of an unguarded net.
An additional goal by Anderson was disallowed after a video review during the midpoint of the second period. He redirected Mike Matheson’s slapshot past Vasilevskiy, but the goal was invalidated due to his stick being positioned above the crossbar.
