Lightning Hold Off Canadiens to Win Fourth Straight – The Hockey Writers Tampa Bay Lightning Latest News, Analysis & More

They pick up the multi-goal win despite being outshot 35-21 and being without Nikita Kucherov.

Lightning Go Up Early and Hang On

Nick Paul (16) opened the scoring on a backhand shot up front to make it 1-0 for the Lightning. Following a scramble in front of the Lightning net, they took the puck across the ice and Victor Hedman (8) snapped a pass from Gage Goncalves to make it 2-0. Brendan Gallagher (13) got the Canadiens on the board in the final minutes of the first period with the score at 2-1 after 20.

The second period followed a similar pattern with the Lightning putting up two goals followed by the Canadiens answering with a goal of their own. Braydon Point (31) scored on the power play and Zemgus Girgensons picked up his first goal of the season.

Following Point’s goal, the Canadiens lifted Jakub Dobes for Sam Montembeault. This was the second straight game that the Lightning forced an opponent to substitute goalies. Christian Dvorak got one past Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy to make it 4-2 with one period left to go.

Gallagher scored his second goal of the game halfway through the third period to put the Canadiens within one. The Canadiens lifted Montembeault for the extra attacker with just under two minutes to go. Anthony Cirelli put a shot into the empty net to seal the win and wrap up the scoring.

Vasilevskiy saved 32 of 35 (.914 save percentage – SV%) on the afternoon. Dobes saved just five of eight shots against while Montembeault saved 11 of 12 (.917 SV%). The Lightning scored on their lone power-play opportunity and the Habs scored on one of two chances.

Both teams wrap up their pre-4 Nations Face-Off play. The Canadiens return to action with a road game against the Ottawa Senators on Feb. 22, while the Lightning resume play the following day at home against the Seattle Kraken.

Three Stars of the Game:

1. Victor Hedman (one goal, one assist)
2. Brendan Gallagher (two goals)
3. Brayden Point (one goal)