Alex Newhook broke a third-period tie with the game-winning purpose to present the visiting Montreal Canadiens a 2-1 Recreation 7 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday.
Nick Suzuki additionally scored for the Canadiens, who have been outshot 29-9 and outplayed for a lot of the deciding sport, however now face the Buffalo Sabres, who completed atop the Atlantic Division, in a best-of-seven second-round collection that begins Wednesday in Buffalo.
The Canadiens set a Stanley Cup playoff file for fewest photographs on purpose in a win, per Sportsnet.
Montreal goaltender Jakub Dobes made 28 saves, standing particularly tall whereas Tampa Bay peppered him with photographs within the second interval.
“I really feel we’re such an excellent group, it doesn’t matter what the state of affairs or circumstances, we’ll discover a approach to win,” Dobes stated. “Now we have to go to Buffalo. We can’t get glad, we now have to maintain going. I am actually excited in regards to the second spherical.”
With additional time on the horizon, Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped some extent shot, sending the puck bounding to the top boards. However Newhook batted it out of the air towards the entrance of the cage, banking it off Vasilevskiy and into the cage for his first purpose of this yr’s playoffs with 8:53 remaining in regulation.
Montreal had final gained a collection in 2021, the yr the Canadiens misplaced to Tampa Bay within the Stanley Cup Ultimate.
“It feels superb,” Suzuki stated. “We had quite a lot of darkish days after (going to the Stanley Cup Ultimate in 2021) and going into the rebuild. This second positively makes up for lots of it and we wish to maintain this journey going.”
Dominic James scored for the Lightning, who have been eradicated within the opening spherical of the playoffs for a fourth consecutive yr.
“You aren’t getting any youthful, that is for certain,” Tampa Bay ahead Brandon Hagel stated. “Pay attention, I acquired one purpose on my thoughts and one purpose on my thoughts each single yr … I simply wish to win.”
Vasilevskiy stopped seven of 9 photographs within the sport.
The Canadiens opened the scoring on the sport’s first massive break. Suzuki netted his first purpose of the collection when he deflected Kaiden Guhle’s level shot off Lightning defenseman J.J. Moser and into the web at 18:39 of the opening body.
James tied the sport with a deflection tally of his personal, tipping a Charle-Edouard D’Astous level shot for a power-play marker at 13:27 of the second interval.
The Canadiens didn’t register a shot on purpose within the center interval, even with two energy performs, whereas the Lightning fired 12 on the Montreal internet within the interval. It’s the first time the Canadiens didn’t internet a shot on purpose in a interval in the course of the playoffs since photographs have been counted in 1955-56.
The Canadiens lastly put a puck on internet greater than 5 minutes into the third interval, going practically 27 minutes between photographs. That sparked Montreal to realize some momentum and ultimately Newhook’s successful purpose.
The Lightning pushed, and even pulled the goalie for the additional attacker with greater than two minutes remaining, however couldn’t discover the equalizer.
“It isn’t the films,” Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper stated. “It isn’t one thing the place you may retake it and get the scene proper. It’s dwell theater proper there in entrance of you and also you by no means know what’s going to occur. That’s the reason it is unbelievable to be part of, to be part of one thing like this, nevertheless it rattling effectively stings if you find yourself on the unsuitable aspect of it.”
Montreal benefited from the return of defenseman Noah Dobson, who had been out since being hit within the left hand by a slap shot April 11. Dobson blocked a shot together with his proper hand within the waning minutes of regulation.
–Area Degree Media
