J.J. Moser capped a late rally with a 12:48 overtime strike, giving Tampa Bay a 3‑2 win over Montreal and evening the Eastern Conference quarterfinal at 1‑1. The Lightning had trailed late in the third on home ice, fearing a 2‑0 deficit, but forced overtime after Nikita Kucherov’s wrap‑around tied the game. Montreal had seized a 2‑1 lead early in the third before Tampa rallied.

Brandon Hagel delivered a rare Gordie Howe hat trick, netting the opening goal, adding an assist and dropping the gloves with Juraj Slafkovsky. Kucherov recorded his first playoff goal since April 2023, while Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 25 shots. Montreal’s Lane Hutson and Josh Anderson scored, and Jakub Dobes posted 31 saves. His fight helped shift momentum as the Lightning surged.

The victory snapped Tampa Bay’s streak of four straight home playoff losses and 10 defeats in 11 home games dating back to the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. With the series moving to Montreal for Games 3 and 4, the Canadiens must rebound quickly, while the Lightning aim to capitalize on newfound momentum. It ends a decade‑long home playoff drought, boosting Tampa Bay’s confidence in Quebec.