TAMPA, Florida – The Lightning returned home from a successful series opening in Montreal with two hard-fought road victories. While the 6-2 game two win came a little easier than the 2-1 overtime victory of game one, the Lightning were still riding a wave of momentum as they returned to home ice at the Amalie Arena. 
Both teams started strong in game three, but the Lightning opened the scoring first before surrendering that momentum to the visitors. Montreal began generating energy just after Tampa Bay’s opening goal, dominating the last 47:58, but it wasn’t enough to defeat Tampa Bay who scored with two ticks left on the clock to win 2-1.
The game opened with spirited end-to-end action. A little more than five minutes into the game, Tampa Bay orchestrated a stretch pass up ice, eluding the outstretched stick of Brian Boyle. J.T. Brown recovered the puck from the corner and went in alone on Montreal goaltender Carey Price. The Vezina-trophy nominee stopped the initial shot to his chest and then the rebound to his right thigh before saving the best for last, a left leg kickout on Valtteri Filppula’s follow-up shot.
While Tampa continued building a flurry of opportunity in the Montreal zone, the Canadiens did not register their first shot on goal until nine minutes into the period. Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos fired a shot which Price deflected with his blocker. Then Alex Killorn held the puck in at the near boards, dishing it back off Stamkos. He found a cycling Killorn all alone and advancing on Price, beating him low glove side for the 1-0 lead. It was the Tampa Bay center’s third snipe of the playoffs, culminating from several forced turnovers by Montreal and driven by the intense pressure and speed of the Lightning.
Montreal continued their run of playing with little discipline, taking their second penalty of the opening period. Tampa was relentless on the man-advantage, but Carey Price held his composure, particularly on a miraculous save on a mid-air shot by Ryan Callahan from in front. The Canadiens had their goaltender to thank as he made sure the game did not get out of hand.
Montreal’s late-period pressure in the Tampa Bay zone led to a face-off in the Lightning zone. Right off the draw, Filppula was called for holding David Dasharnais. The power play came late in the period, but the Canadiens could not convert. The visitors held the edge in shots 8-6, but the home team held the advantage in the most important measurement; the 1-0 lead.
Although Montreal failed to convert as the second period began, the momentum was beginning to shift the Canadiens’ way. Montreal was dominant and the only thing standing in their way from tying the score was Lightning goaltender Ben Bishop.
The Montreal defense was tightening up, too, limiting the Lightning to just 3 shots in the period with their first shot coming off the stick of Nikita Kucherov nearly 16 minutes in. While neither team scored in the middle frame, Montreal limited Tampa Bay’s chances holding the edge in shots 8-3 in the period and 16-9 for the game.
Montreal would continue to press and midway through the final period, earned their just reward. While keeping the puck in the Tampa Bay zone, Greg Pateryn held the puck at the right point. He sent a pass over to a waiting Tom Gilbert at the left point where the defensive anchor sent a one-timer on net. Bishop punted the drive away with his left pad, sending the puck out front. Montreal’s Brendan Gallagher corralled the bouncing puck, firing a shot which Bishop stretched out his right pad to stop. Gallagher pursued and lunged toward the bouncing puck, sending the rebound through a gap, just under the right pad to tie the game. It was the result Montreal needed after dominating since the latter part of the first period.
Thirty seconds later, Tampa Bay had a golden chance to take the lead when Brian Boyle was stationed unmarked in front of Price. The centering pass was directed by Boyle right on net, but Price was there to make the save, one of his 17 for the night.
But it would not be the Lightning’s last effort of the period. In the closing seconds, Ondrej Palat carried the puck over the Montreal line and skated high, above the circles. He found a streaking Victor Hedman on the far side. Hedman joined the play and as he approached the end line, waited for a sprawling Andrei Markov to commit in defending the pass. He then sent the puck to a wide open Tyler Johnson. The leading playoff goal scorer with 8 goals made no mistake, slipping the puck past Price into the open side for the 2-1 lead with just 1.2 seconds left to play.
All-Star defenseman P.K. Subban trailed the play, missing coverage on the goal. It was Johnson’s 3rd game-winning goal of the playoffs and sent a deflated Montreal which battled enough to have a chance at sending the game into overtime.
The jubilant Lightning and their fans celebrated a game three victory as the two second ticked away after the resuming face-off. The Canadiens entered their locker room crushed after the evening’s result. While Montreal competed valiantly in the game one overtime loss, they were badly outplayed and undisciplined in a lop-sided loss in game two.
Their effort in game three was enough to get them back into the series, but now they need to win four games in a row to win the second round tilt. It seems the Canadiens might have a difficult time delivering on what was at one time a promising season. Montreal has put together six winning streaks of four games or more (two each of 4-game, 5-game and 6-game winning streaks), but none of them have involved Tampa Bay. The Lightning now enjoy an eight-game winning streak against the Caandiens.
Game four is Thursday, May 7th at 7:00 PM in downtown Tampa where the Lightning will look for the series sweep. Should the series continue, game five returns to Montreal at the Bell Centre on Saturday, May 9th. A game six would be played back in Tampa Bay on Tuesday, May 12th and a seventh game back in Montreal on Thursday, May 14th.
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