In the sixth round of the shootout, Hedman’s goal secures a 4-3 victory for the Tampa Bay Lightning against the Montreal Canadiens
Victor Hedman’s shootout goal in the sixth round ended the Tampa Bay Lightning’s four-game home losing streak, securing a 4-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. The win propelled the Lightning into a tie with Detroit for the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot, although the Red Wings have two games in hand. Hedman emphasized the importance of securing the two points in any way possible. Tampa Bay’s goals came from Brayden Point, Anthony Cirelli, and Tyler Motte, while Andrei Vasilevskiy made 28 saves in regulation to tie Tiny Thompson for 49th place in career wins with 284.
NHL points leader Nikita Kucherov extended his tally with an assist, bringing his total to 105 points for the season. Despite a brief scare when Kucherov collided with the boards, he quickly returned to the game. Montreal’s goals were scored by Joel Armia, Jake Evans, and Josh Anderson, but they fell short as their struggles continued, going 2-7-2 over their last 11 games. Cayden Primeau made 30 saves in regulation for the Canadiens.
Montreal coach Martin St. Louis praised his team’s competitiveness despite the recent losses, emphasizing the collective effort of the players. The Canadiens successfully killed off a crucial penalty in overtime, denying Tampa Bay the opportunity to secure victory with a man advantage. Anderson briefly put Montreal ahead in the third period, but Motte’s short-handed goal leveled the score with less than ten minutes remaining in regulation.
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Brayden Point and Anthony Cirelli scored for Tampa Bay in the second period, erasing Montreal’s early lead. Point extended his impressive home point streak to 11 games, matching Kucherov’s season-high streak, while also maintaining a nine-game point streak overall. Despite the comeback, Lightning coach Jon Cooper expressed concern over the team’s slow start, acknowledging that spotting an opponent a two-goal lead is not a winning strategy.
Next up, the Canadiens will face off against the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night, while the Lightning will host the Calgary Flames on Thursday night.
