Lane Hutson scores overtime winner as Montreal Canadiens beat Lightning to series 2-1 series lead
MONTREAL — Lane Hutson scored the winner 2:09 into overtime as the Montreal Canadiens edged the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 in an exhilarating Game 3 of their first-round playoff series on Friday evening.
Hutson took a go from Alexandre Texier earlier than blasting a slap shot from the purpose previous Andrei Vasilevskiy to give Montreal a 2-1 lead within the best-of-seven matchup.
Kirby Dach and Texier added a aim and an help every for Montreal, which overcame missed breakaway probabilities from Ivan Demidov, Cole Caufield and Josh Anderson.
Zachary Bolduc had two assists and Jakub Dobes made 15 saves.
Brandon Hagel and Brayden Point replied for Tampa Bay, whereas Vasilevskiy stopped 26 pictures.
It marked the third consecutive overtime recreation to open the series after the groups cut up two in Florida. Montreal took Game 1 with a 4-3 victory earlier than falling 3-2 in a heated Game 2. Game 4 takes place Sunday on the Bell Centre.
Dach tied the sport 2-2 at 12:43 within the second interval together with his first of the playoffs, redeeming himself after his icing and missed protection led to JJ Moser’s winner in Game 2.
His shot beat a screened Vasilevskiy as the group erupted into “Kir-by! Kir-by!” chants in assist for the injury-plagued ahead, who has struggled to keep wholesome the previous three seasons.
The momentum swung in Montreal’s favor with the Lightning committing three consecutive penalties within the second half of the interval — however the Canadiens failed to capitalize, going 0-for-4 on the evening.
Four minutes into the third, Canadian sharpshooter Caufield broke alone on a transparent breakaway solely to fan on his shot as he closed in on aim.
Anderson, after placing the Lightning on the ability play with 11 minutes left within the interval, then obtained a breakaway go when he exited the penalty field, however Vasilevskiy held the fort once more as the sport finally wanted overtime.
The crowd was amped up earlier than puck drop as Canadian nice Ivan Cournoyer carried a torch into the stands and flames shot up close to the rafters.
The 21,000 followers contained in the constructing — with a flurry of white towels rippling by way of the seats — then belted chants of “Go Habs Go!” and “Olé, Olé!” to drown out public handle announcer Michel Lacroix and delay the nationwide anthems.
Thousands extra packed the streets outdoors for an enormous social gathering, filling the realm between the Bonaventure and Lucien L’Allier metro stations, the place voice-overs from 4 Canadian gamers announce the subsequent stops in French.
“I walk in this morning, get a coffee, and there’s, I don’t know, 20-30 porta-potties outside,” Canadians coach Martin St. Louis stated following the workforce’s morning skate. “I mean, this place is ready to erupt.”
The fervor stretched 40 kilometers south to Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., the place followers have cheered on the Habs from church pews at Cathédrale Saint-Jean-l’Évangéliste, and throughout a province that treats the Canadiens as a cultural establishment.
And it was an ideal begin Friday till the Lightning pushed again.
Texier raised the roof with the opening aim 4:53 into the primary interval, firing a wrist shot previous Vasilevskiy’s blocker to end a good looking passing play from Dach and Bolduc.
Tampa Bay evened the rating on the ability play at 7:42 when Point took a go from Jake Guentzel within the slot and beat Dobes, who put the Canadiens down a skater with a tripping penalty.
Hagel then put the Lightning forward 2-1 at 4:47 of the second interval, trickling a weak wrist shot by way of Dobes after choosing off Jake Evans’ breakout go for his fourth aim of the playoffs.
The Canadiens returned to the playoffs this spring after final yr’s surprising Berth signaled a brand new chapter within the workforce’s full-scale rebuild.
This time, they don’t seem to be simply completely satisfied to be right here. The Canadiens posted 106 factors — their highest whole in additional than a decade — in an everyday season stuffed with milestones not seen in a era, from Caufield’s 50 objectives and Nick Suzuki’s 100 factors to Hutson’s record-tying numbers from the blue line.
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed April 24, 2026.
Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press
