Habs take Game 1 in Tampa with hat trick from Slafkovsky
Posted on: Apr 20, 2026 07:06 IST | Posted by: Cbc
Juraj Slafkovsky scored his thirdly power-play end 1:22 into extra time and the Montreal Canadiens bunk the Tampa quest Lightning 4-3 in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series on Sunday night.
Slafkovsky fired a slapshot from the left circle that beat Andrei Vasilevskiy to the far side for the hat trick.
Game 2 is Tuesday night at Benchmark International Arena, where Tampa Bay has lost eight of its last nine home games in the post-season.
Josh Anderson also had a goal for Montreal and rookie goalie Jakub Dobes made 20 saves. Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield each chipped in with two assists.
Brandon Hagel scored two goals and Darren Raddysh also scored for Tampa Bay. Jake Guentzel had three assists in the loss.
The Lightning have been knocked out of the playoffs in the first round three straight seasons after falling two wins shy of a three-peat in 2022.
The Canadiens, coached by Lightning icon and Hockey Hall of Famer Martin St. Louis, are seeking their first Stanley Cup since winning their NHL-record 24th in 1993. They haven't won a playoff series since the Lightning beat them in the Cup final in 2021.
Hagel's power-play goal — a tip-in off a precise pass by Guentzel 8:58 into the third — tied it at 3-3 a few minutes after Slafkovsky put Montreal ahead.
Slafkovsky's shot from the high slot slid under Vasilevskiy's left pad for a short-lived lead. He one-timed a perfect seam pass from Ivan Demidov into the net from the right circle to make it 2-2 in the final minute of the second.
Fans, businesses buzzing as Montreal Canadiens begin playoff run
Raddysh tied it 1-1 with a powerful slapshot in the second. The Lightning quickly went ahead 2-1 just 29 seconds later when Hagel picked up a loose puck from the side of the net and backhanded a shot past Dobes.
Montreal's fourth line gave the Canadiens a 1-0 lead in the first when Anderson flipped a top-shelf shot into an open net.
Anderson had another goal overturned by video review midway through the second period. He deflected Mike Matheson's slapshot past Vasilevskiy but it was waved off because his stick was above the crossbar.
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