Lightning rally for 4-3 win over Montreal

In Tampa, after a scoreless first period, the visiting Montreal Canadiens scored twice in the middle frame to take a 2-0 lead on the Lightning.

The problem for the Habs was that was all they scored until late in the third period as the Lightning replied with four straight markers to take a 4-2 lead in the game, and an eventual 4-3 win.

Jonas Johansson made 27 saves in the win.

The Lightning improved to 18-15-5, snapping a two-game skid.

After falling behind 2-0, Tampa replied with a pair of goals in the second period to tie it, 2-2.

Brayden Point scored at 14:01 of the period to trim the deficit to 2-1.

Austin Watson potted a goal at 17:36 for the 2-2 tie.

In the third period, Calvin de Haan scored at 7:49 to give Tampa a 3-2 lead.

Nikita Kucherov pushed the lead out to 4-2 at 14:54 the third.

Montreal dropped to 15-16-5 off their third straight loss.

“I think the first two periods the shots were on our side, we spent a lot of time in their zone and we were creating a lot,” Montreal defenseman David Savard said. “We had some good chances. Their goalie made some awesome saves and kept them in the game. It’s a team that’s going to come back and haunt you when you can’t score those.”

The Canadiens took the 2-0 lead in the middle frame on goals from Cole Caufield at 3:58 of the middle frame, and Jonathan Kovacevic at 11:59.

Kovacevic’s goal came after save in the Habs’ end, there was no whistle on the play and Kovacevic took the loose puck and fired from his zone to the Tampa net for the goal, uncontested.

“The building was loud, so I couldn’t hear if there was a whistle or not,” Kovacevic said. “I saw that no one was really in the area for the whistle to go, so I said ‘Let’s go, let’s play it’. I saw the goalie go in for a skate and … I might as well shoot it. I was pretty sure he didn’t blow the whistle and we could just catch them by surprise.”

Tampa players were skating to the bench as the puck went into the net.

“I thought the whistle was blown and the music was playing and all,” Johansson said. “At the end I felt like it gave us some energy. We came back and won the game and that’s the biggest thing. The whole team played better after that situation.”

Montreal’s Nick Suzuki made the last two minutes more interesting when he scored at 17:55 for a 4-3 score to Tampa.

“We had control over a long period of the game,” Suzuki said. “I thought we deserved to win, but they found a way. They are a good team.”