Hockey players dream about the opportunity that lies ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday night at Benchmark International Arena.
It’s a Stanley Cup Playoffs Game 7 on home ice with the chance to advance. Tonight’s puck drop opens the ultimate chapter of what’s been a storybook first round series between the Lightning and Montreal Canadiens.
Opportunity awaits.
“It’s been a tight series and it’s awesome that we got to bring them back here for Game 7,” Lightning forward Zemgus Girgensons said on Sunday. “But we’ve still got a job to do here.”
The Lightning will play in their first Game 7 since 2022 tonight as they seek to eliminate the Canadiens in the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Tampa Bay forced tonight’s matchup with a 1-0 overtime road victory in Game 6 on Friday at the Bell Centre. Forward Gage Goncalves scored the only goal of the game 9:03 into the extra period, and goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy finished with a 30-save shutout.
“We were in high urgency the last game, so it's gonna be important that we have the same urgency, same kind of desire to be in the game tonight as the last game,” defenseman Erik Cernak said Sunday. “We just have to put everything into it and play the right way so we can bring the W.”
Four of the six games this series have required overtime, and every game has been decided by a single goal. The Lightning expect Game 7 to be just as close.
“It’s pretty much the same position we were in last game,” Girgensons said. “It’s a do-or-die situation for us, but nothing really changes. You just do your thing.”
Forward Corey Perry said prior to Game 6 that Tampa Bay's sole objective was to get the win and “drag” Montreal back to Benchmark International Arena.
They did their job. Now it’s about finishing what they started.
“There’s a lot of confidence,” Girgensons said. “There’s a lot of experience that you've seen throughout the regular season, the comebacks we've had. There's always a belief and a trust that we can get it done.”
Puck drop is set for 6 p.m. as both the fans and Lightning seek to extend their season in a situation hockey players dream about.
“Look, when you’re a kid pretty much everyone’s in the street or you’re in your bedroom and it’s Game 7 in the playoffs,” Lightning forward Jake Guentzel said. “So this is what we all dream about and I’ve been fortunate enough to play in a couple, and there’s nothing better, especially at home. It’s going to be an electric atmosphere and we obviously can’t wait.”
