Canadiens Take 2-1 Series Lead Over Lightning in Overtime Thriller

April 25, 2026 — The Montreal Canadiens secured a 2-1 series lead in their first-round Stanley Cup Playoffs matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning after a hard-fought 3-2 overtime victory in Game 3 at the Bell Centre. The win marks the third consecutive overtime game in the series, a first in Lightning franchise history for the start of a playoff series.

Montreal struck first when Alexandre Texier beat Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy 4:43 into the first period, finishing a rush after receiving a pass as the trailing forward in the offensive zone. Tampa Bay responded quickly, with Brayden Point tying the game at 1-1 on a power-play goal 7:42 into the period, snapping a shot inside the left goalpost after receiving a pass in the right circle.

The Lightning took their first lead of the night early in the second period when Brandon Hagel forced a turnover in the neutral zone, rushed into the left side of the offensive zone, changed the angle of his shot and beat Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes to make it 2-1 just under five minutes into the frame.

Montreal answered late in the second period to force a third straight overtime session. The game remained tied 2-2 through regulation, setting up another extra-period showdown.

In overtime, Lane Hutson delivered the game-winning goal for the Canadiens at 2:09 of the extra period. Hutson’s shot beat Vasilevskiy, ending the contest and giving Montreal a 2-1 edge in the best-of-seven series.

Despite the loss, Vasilevskiy was praised for his performance, denying three breakaway chances for Montreal and stopping numerous other high-quality opportunities throughout the game. Lightning head coach Jon Cooper acknowledged the team’s effort but stressed the need for improved execution moving forward.

“We’re three games in now. I consider we’ve got a pretty good feel for each other, we have a pretty good feel for what the environment’s like in this building,” Cooper said after the game. “But our execution has to be, we have to elevate now.”

The Canadiens now head back to Tampa Bay for Game 4 with a chance to extend their series lead, while the Lightning look to avoid falling into a 3-1 deficit and force a return to Montreal tied at two games apiece.

Key Takeaways

• The Canadiens won Game 3 3-2 in overtime to take a 2-1 series lead over the Lightning.
• This marks the third straight overtime game in the series, a Lightning franchise record to start a playoff series.
• Lane Hutson scored the overtime winner for Montreal at 2:09 of the extra period.
• Andrei Vasilevskiy made several key stops, including denying three Montreal breakaway attempts.
• The series shifts to Tampa Bay for Game 4, with Montreal looking to extend its lead and Tampa Bay aiming to even the series.