J.J. Moser ripped a wrist shot home at 12:48 of overtime to give the Tampa Bay Lightning a 3-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday at Benchmark International Arena, knotting their first-round series at 1-1. The sudden-death winner capped a tense, bruising night in Tampa that swung back and forth before it was finally settled in extra time.
How the Game Unfolded
Montreal struck first. Lane Hutson opened the scoring on the power play, and Josh Anderson added a third-period tally that put the Canadiens in control. Tampa Bay clawed back behind Brandon Hagel and Nikita Kucherov, whose third-period goal pulled the Lightning even and forced overtime. The full sequence and box score are laid out in the game recap from CBS Sports.
Key Moments That Decided It
Tampa forward Scott Sabourin took a late third-period penalty that handed Montreal a power-play chance and tilted momentum in the closing minutes, a turning point flagged by postgame reporters. Kucherov’s tying goal did more than just extend the night; it also snapped a 16-game playoff goal drought for the star winger, according to Yahoo Sports.
Injury Watch: Hedman Remains Doubtful
Coach Jon Cooper said defenseman Victor Hedman, who has been out in recent weeks with illness and personal leave, is unlikely to play in the opening-round series. He put Hedman’s status “on the doubtful side for this series,” according to NHL.com. Tampa Bay’s blue line depth will be closely watched if Hedman cannot return.
What It Means Going Forward
Brandon Hagel’s physical presence has paid off early. He has three goals across the first two games and has been one of the most influential forwards in the series so far. Tampa’s special-teams performance remains a major tactical hinge in the matchup, according to postgame analysis from The New York Times. The series now shifts to Montreal for Game 3 on Friday, when both teams will look to grab early momentum in the best-of-seven.
.jpg){kind=link}