Canadiens Win Third Overtime Game, Lead Series 2-1
Introduction
The Montreal Canadiens beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 in overtime on April 24, 2026. The game was in Montreal. Now the Canadiens lead the series 2-1. All three games went to overtime.
Main Body
Lane Hutson scored the winning goal in overtime. He shot the puck past the Lightning goalie. Earlier, Alexandre Texier scored first for Montreal. Then the Lightning scored two goals. Brayden Point scored when Montreal had a player in the penalty box. Brandon Hagel scored alone. Kirby Dach tied the game for Montreal. The goalies made many saves. Kirby Dach made a big mistake in the last game. People criticized him online. He stopped using Instagram. His coach supported him. In this game, he played very well. He scored a goal and helped another goal. The fans cheered for him. He said he was happy. Some people said the referees called penalties differently in this game. In the first two games, they did not call many penalties. In this game, they called four penalties in the first period. The Lightning stopped all of Montreal's power plays. Earlier in the series, Montreal scored many power play goals. Numbers show that some players played better than others. The pair of Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble controlled the game very well. The line of Dach, Texier, and Bolduc also played well. This is the first time the Lightning had three overtime games in a row. Brandon Hagel scored four of the team's eight goals. Some players are hurt for both teams.
Conclusion
The Canadiens lead the series 2-1. Game 4 is on Sunday, April 26, in Montreal. The games are very close. All three games ended with one goal in overtime. The next game will be important.