The Montreal Canadiens opened their first-round series with a dramatic statement, edging the Tampa Bay Lightning 4–3 in overtime on Sunday night to grab a 1–0 series lead in the NHL playoffs.
Rookie sensation Juraj Slafkovsky delivered the decisive blow just 1:22 into overtime, completing a historic performance with his third power-play goal of the night. Slafkovsky fired a quick snap shot from the left circle that beat Andrei Vasilevskiy cleanly to the far side, sealing his first career postseason hat trick and sending the Canadiens bench into celebration.
Montreal now leads the series 1–0, with Game 2 set for Tuesday night at Benchmark International Arena, a building where Tampa Bay has struggled mightily—losing nine of its last 10 home playoff games.
Slafkovsky was at the center of everything offensively for Montreal. He first struck late in the second period, hammering a perfect seam pass from Ivan Demidov from the right circle to tie the game at 2–2. Earlier, he had already shown his scoring touch with a power-play goal that helped keep Montreal within striking distance.
In overtime, he capped his breakout performance by snapping home the winner, completing a night that firmly announced his arrival on the playoff stage.
The game featured constant swings in momentum.
Montreal struck first when veteran forward Josh Anderson buried a top-shelf chance on a fourth-line push to make it 1–0. Anderson later had another goal waved off after a video review determined his stick was above the crossbar on a deflection attempt off a Mike Matheson shot.
Tampa Bay responded quickly in the second period. Darren Raddysh blasted a slap shot past rookie goaltender Jakub Dobes to tie the game 1–1, and just 29 seconds later Brandon Hagel pounced on a loose puck behind the net to give the Lightning a 2–1 lead.
But Montreal answered again late in the period, setting the stage for the wild third.
Hagel struck again in the third, redirecting a precise pass from Jake Guentzel on the power play to even the score at 3–3 just minutes after Slafkovsky had briefly given Montreal the lead.
That goal came shortly after Slafkovsky’s go-ahead strike from the high slot, a shot that slipped under Vasilevskiy’s left pad before Tampa quickly responded.
Dobes held firm down the stretch, finishing with 20 saves in his playoff debut to help Montreal survive Tampa’s late push and force overtime.
The loss continues a troubling postseason pattern for the Lightning. Tampa Bay has now been eliminated in the first round in three straight seasons after falling just short of a potential three-peat in 2022. Even more concerning, the Lightning are now 1–11 in their last 12 playoff overtime games.
Montreal, meanwhile, continues its push toward a return to championship relevance under head coach and former Lightning star Martin St. Louis. The Canadiens are chasing their first Stanley Cup since 1993 and have not won a playoff series since falling to Tampa Bay in the 2021 Final.
Game 2 shifts to Tampa, where pressure is already mounting. The Lightning will need to overcome their recent home struggles and OT woes to avoid heading to Montreal in a 2–0 hole.
For the Canadiens, Slafkovsky’s breakout performance has instantly changed the tone of the series. If Montreal continues to get timely scoring and steady goaltending from Dobes, this opening-round upset is quickly becoming more than just a possibility—it’s a statement.
