The Bolts are in the sky.
The Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday departed from Tampa as their First Round Stanley Cup Playoffs matchup shifts to Montreal.
Tampa Bay split a pair of emotional games, both of which required overtime, at Benchmark International Arena. Game 1 ended in a 4-3 overtime loss for the Bolts last Sunday before Tuesday’s tale of overtime redemption.
Now, the action shifts to the Bell Centre.
“We’re excited. They’re a great team over there,” Bolts forward Gage Goncalves said from the airport. “You know the fans are going to be buzzing, but that’s kind of what we live for and what I think every guy lives for. I mean, if you don’t like going over there and playing in front of a sold-out barn with really passionate fans and against a really good team, you’re probably not in the right business.
“We’re definitely excited for the challenge ahead.”
Tampa Bay can build on the strong overtime effort they put forth in Game 2 on Tuesday—the Lightning outshot Montreal 9-0, with the final shot being defenseman JJ Moser’s game-winning goal 12:38 into the extra period.
Multiple Bolts said that overtime reflected the game they aim to play and featured a blitzing attack, puck battles and a tight defensive structure that helps break the puck out of their own end quickly.
Head coach Jon Cooper applauded that effort as the series shifts to Quebec in a 1-1 deadlock.
“We had a great overtime, there’s no question,” Cooper said. “I actually didn’t mind most of our third (period) or the second half of our third, but that’s not going to guarantee future success. There’s a mentality there as well. I just thought we were a driven group (that) didn’t want to go down 0-2, and fortunately they got it done.”
If Game 3 requires extra hockey, it would mark the first time in franchise history that the team has played in a series which opened with three consecutive overtime games.
The Lightning were one of the league’s best teams on the road during the regular season, going 24-12-5 for a .646 points percentage that tied for fourth in the NHL. The team went 1-1-0 at the Bell Centre in 2025-26.
