Lane Hutson’s slap shot ended Game 3 in overtime as the Canadiens took a 2-1 series lead over Tampa Bay.
The Canadiens delivered another overtime jolt on Friday, and Lane Hutson was the name on the highlight reel again—this time with the winner.
Montreal and Tampa Bay met in Game 3 of their first-round series. following a pattern that already felt set in stone: both teams won their previous games in extra time.. Game 3 didn’t break that rhythm.. It kept the pressure high, stretched the matchup beyond regulation, and ultimately swung the series advantage Montreal’s way.
The decisive moment came when the game turned into a familiar chessboard of space and timing.. In the overtime frame. the Canadiens worked the puck deep in the offensive zone. pushing the play until Hutson had the puck at the point.. From there. he loaded up and fired a heavy slap shot—clean. fast. and perfectly placed for the kind of finish that leaves a goaltender reacting too late.
That shot proved too much for Lightning netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy. Montreal’s victory in overtime moved them ahead 2-1 in the series, turning yet another sudden-death stretch into a statement that the Canadiens can win when the margin is razor-thin.
Hutson’s role in this series is starting to look less like coincidence and more like a team identity.. A player who can command the puck at the point in high-leverage moments gives a team options—entries. resets. and the kind of shooting lane that can turn a controlled possession into instant danger.. In a playoff run. that matters because opponents adjust to what you do well; the Canadiens are forcing Tampa Bay to defend not only for immediate chances. but also for the next one that follows the first.
For Tampa Bay, the loss stings in a specific way.. Vasilevskiy has built his reputation on responding to chaotic stretches and keeping teams in games.. But the Canadiens weren’t just floating for a lucky bounce; they created the shooting situation they wanted. then executed it with violence and speed.. When overtime ends with a point shot beating your goalie. it’s a reminder that series momentum can shift on one sequence—especially when both teams are already tied to each other by overtime results.
What’s striking, too, is how repeatable the storyline has become across the first three games.. Over 60 minutes and beyond, both clubs have been trading the kind of late pressure that turns mistakes into fatal plays.. Montreal’s ability to come out of those swing moments with a win suggests confidence is spreading through the lineup. not just skill.. When a team believes it can win in overtime. it often plays steadier in regulation because it trusts its structure—an intangible that shows up most clearly when the game refuses to end.
Looking ahead, Game 4 now carries a different weight for both sides.. Montreal enters with the series lead and the psychological edge that comes with having already solved Tampa Bay’s overtime equation.. Tampa Bay. meanwhile. must regroup quickly and decide whether its defensive attention should shift more toward defending the point and disrupting Hutson’s ability to load and fire.
The next matchup will test whether the Canadiens can keep manufacturing that same kind of overtime pressure without letting Tampa Bay adjust the game plan too aggressively. If they do, Hutson’s signature will become more than a highlight—it could become the defining thread of this series.