Fans saw the usual Atlantic Division animosity in a back and forth game at Benchmark International Arena on Tuesday, a matchup in which the Tampa Bay Lightning fell to the Montreal Canadiens 4-1.
Tampa Bay is now 46-22-6 this season.
Montreal grabbed the first goal on a 5-on-3 power play in the first period, but Jake Guentzel tied the score just over a minute later. Cole Caufield’s goal in the second period stood as the winner for the visitors, who added a pair of empty-net goals.
Zemgus Girgensons and Ryan McDonagh each had an assist for Tampa Bay, and goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy made 19 saves.
Scoring summary
First period
MTL 1, TBL 0
12:25 Juraj Slafkovsky (29) - Ivan Demidov, Cole Caufield - PP
The Canadiens took advantage of a power play for the game’s first goal, this one on a Juraj Slafkovsky one-timer in the right circle.
MTL 1, TBL 1
13:41 Jake Guentzel (36) - Zemgus Girgensons, Ryan McDonagh
The Lightning tied the game just over a minute after the opening tally thanks to Jake Guentzel’s wraparound goal.
Shots on goal: MTL 9, TBL 8
Second period
MTL 2, TBL 1
12:49 Cole Caufield (47) - Slafkovsky, Mike Matheson
The Canadiens restored the lead on a rush look that ended with a Cole Caufield shot near the right goalpost.
Shots on goal: TBL 12, MTL 6
Third period
MTL 3, TBL 1
17:55 Mike Matheson (7) - Unassisted - EN
A full-ice shot into the empty Lightning net added to the scoring.
MTL 4, TBL 1
18:54 Nick Suzuki (27) - Unassisted - EN
Another empty-net goal ended the offense.
Total shots: TBL 37, MTL 23
