Lightning Canadiens – Tampa Bay won 1-0 in overtime against Montreal, scoring late to force a decisive Game 7 in the first round.
One late overtime goal was all it took to flip the pressure back to Tampa Bay.
In a tight first-round game in Montreal. the Lightning edged the Canadiens 1-0 in overtime when Gage Goncalves scored at 9:02. finishing a rebound that landed off his own stick.. It came shortly after Tampa Bay killed a penalty involving Nikita Kucherov’s tripping call on Alexandre Carrier. leaving the Canadiens scrambling late for space in front.
The result sets up Game 7 in Tampa on Sunday, with the Lightning trying to avoid a fourth consecutive first-round exit while Montreal pursues its first series win in five years.
That swing toward a winner-take-all matchup matters beyond the scoreboard: when a postseason series becomes this evenly matched, the margin for error shrinks to one shift, one bounce, or one sequence of penalty trouble.
Tampa Bay’s goaltending played a central role.. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 30 saves as the Lightning absorbed heavy moments, while Jakub Dobes recorded 32 saves for Montreal.. The game also continued a theme of overtime already present earlier in the series. adding to the sense that neither side has been able to create a lasting separation when the stakes rise.
Late in the game, Montreal weathered a surge of chances during a power play as Tampa sought a breakthrough.. Earlier. the Lightning earned opportunities as well. including a power-play chance early in the third after Kaiden Guhle was penalized for slashing Jake Guentzel.. On that best opening. Kucherov struck the post. a reminder of how quickly a single near-miss can become a decisive moment later.
With the game still scoreless for stretches, key saves and penalty kills shaped the rhythm.. Montreal had a power-play look early in the second and survived a handful of dangerous looks from close range. including two stops by Vasilevskiy against Demidov.. Meanwhile, both teams traded chances on special teams, and the late power-play tension only intensified before overtime finally settled it.
Now, all that uncertainty funnels into one final game. Game 7 often rewards teams that stay disciplined and execute through chaos, and for both franchises, this one will likely be remembered as much for its reversals as for its final outcome.
Meanwhile, as Misryoum readers turn their attention to Sunday, the biggest question is whether Tampa Bay can carry the momentum from its overtime finish—or whether Montreal’s near-miss overtime history will finally break the right way in front of its opponents.