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Related video: Lightning drop Game 1 to Canadiens 4-3 in overtime
In Montreal, Lane Hutson delivered a game-winning slap shot in overtime, propelling the Canadiens to a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. This win on Friday night gives Montreal a 2-1 lead in their tightly contested first-round series, which has seen all three games stretch into extra time.
Hutson’s decisive shot came at 2:09 into overtime. Positioned at the top of the right circle, he unleashed a powerful strike through traffic, finding the top left corner of the net past Tampa Bay’s goalie, Andrei Vasilevskiy. Remarkably, this was the only shot on goal during the overtime period.
The Canadiens’ Kirby Dach had earlier equalized the game with 7:17 remaining in the second period. His precise snap shot, also from the top of the right circle, threaded through traffic to beat Vasilevskiy on the short side, tying the score at 2-2.
With the series now leaning in favor of Montreal, the Canadiens are set to host Game 4 on Sunday night. The series kicked off with Montreal securing a 4-3 victory in the opener last Sunday, followed by a 3-2 response from the Lightning 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.