Canadiens Win Third Overtime Game, Lead Series 2-1
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.
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Montreal Canadiens Lead Series 2-1 After Third Straight Overtime Win
Introduction
On April 24, 2026, the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 in overtime at the Bell Centre. This victory gives Montreal a 2-1 lead in the first-round series. Notably, all three games in this series so far have been decided in extra time.
Main Body
The game included several key moments. Montreal defenseman Lane Hutson scored the winning goal early in overtime with a powerful shot. Earlier in the game, Alexandre Texier had given Montreal an early lead, but Tampa Bay responded with two goals to take the lead. Kirby Dach eventually tied the game in the second period when his shot hit a defender and went into the net. Montreal’s rookie goalkeeper, Jakub Dobes, made 15 saves, while Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 26 shots. Kirby Dach’s performance represented a significant comeback. After making mistakes that led to a loss in Game 2, Dach faced such heavy online criticism that he deactivated his Instagram account. However, head coach Martin St. Louis publicly supported him, stating that he would not give up on a player who continues to work hard. In Game 3, Dach responded by recording both a goal and an assist. Fans at the Bell Centre even chanted his name to show their support, a gesture Dach described as unexpected and very meaningful. The consistency of the officiating was also a point of discussion. Some analysts argued that the referees called penalties in Game 3 that were ignored in the first two games. Furthermore, performance statistics showed a clear difference between the players. For example, the pair of Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble controlled the game much better than their teammates. Historically, this is the first time in Tampa Bay’s history that a series has started with three consecutive overtime games, a rare event that Montreal has not experienced since 1993.
Conclusion
Montreal currently holds a 2-1 series lead, with Game 4 scheduled for Sunday. The series remains extremely competitive, as every game has been decided by just one goal. Experts suggest that the final result will depend on how well the teams play during power plays and the continued success of key players like Dach and Brandon Hagel.
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Montreal Canadiens Take 2-1 Series Lead Over Tampa Bay Lightning After Third Consecutive Overtime Game
Introduction
The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 in overtime in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference First Round series on April 24, 2026, at Bell Centre. The victory gave Montreal a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, which has seen all three games decided in extra time.
Main Body
Game 3 featured a sequence of pivotal events. Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson scored the game-winning goal at 2:08 of overtime, firing a slap shot from the right point through a screen of bodies past Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy. Alexandre Texier had opened the scoring early in the first period, converting a pass from Zachary Bolduc. The Lightning responded with goals from Brayden Point (power play) and Brandon Hagel (unassisted) to take a 2-1 lead in the second period. Kirby Dach tied the game at 12:43 of the second period with a shot that deflected off Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh. Vasilevskiy finished with 26 saves on 29 shots, while Montreal rookie goaltender Jakub Dobes stopped 15 of 17 shots. Kirby Dach’s performance constituted a notable reversal of fortune. In Game 2, Dach committed an icing and a defensive lapse that led to the Lightning’s overtime winner, resulting in extensive online criticism that prompted him to deactivate his Instagram account. Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis publicly supported Dach, stating he would not abandon a player who had not given up on himself. In Game 3, Dach recorded a goal and an assist, and his line with Texier and Bolduc was on the ice for all three Montreal goals. Fans at Bell Centre chanted Dach’s name during warm-ups and throughout the game, a gesture he described as unexpected and meaningful. Dach credited his teammates and coaching staff for helping him recover from the previous defeat. Officiating consistency emerged as a point of contention. One analyst (Brian Wilde) argued that the standard of penalty enforcement varied between games, with Game 3 featuring four first-period penalties that would not have been called in the prior two contests. Wilde characterized this as “game management” by officials, asserting that the NHL lacks a consistent standard for infractions beyond the puck-over-glass rule. The Lightning, however, successfully killed all four Montreal power plays in Game 3, after having allowed four power-play goals on the Canadiens’ first six opportunities earlier in the series. Analytical metrics highlighted divergent performances among defensive pairings. According to Money Puck, the pair of Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble posted an expected goals share of 87% through the first three games, while the pairs of Lane Hutson with Kaiden Guhle (39%) and Mike Matheson with Alexandre Carrier (27%) recorded significantly lower shares. The Dach-Texier-Bolduc line achieved an 82% expected goals share in Game 3. These figures, while subject to sample size limitations, suggest a pronounced disparity in territorial control. Historical context: The series is the first in Lightning franchise history to open with three consecutive overtime games. The Canadiens last achieved this in Games 2, 3, and 4 of the 1993 Stanley Cup Final, which they won. Brandon Hagel has scored four of the Lightning’s eight goals in the series and has been on the ice for all eight. His line with Nikita Kucherov and Jake Guentzel has accounted for 14 points, while the remaining three forward lines have combined for three points. Regular-season data show the Canadiens tied for the second-best road record (24-9-8) and the Lightning ranked third in goals-against average (2.79). Montreal’s power play operated at 23.1% during the season, while Tampa Bay led the league in penalties per game (5.2). Injuries include Canadiens forwards Patrik Laine (abdomen) and defenseman Noah Dobson (thumb), and Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (personal).
Conclusion
The Canadiens hold a 2-1 series lead with Game 4 scheduled for Sunday, April 26, in Montreal. The series remains highly competitive, with all three contests decided by one goal in overtime, and the outcome likely to hinge on continued special-teams execution and the performance of key players such as Dach and Hagel.