MTL@TBL: Game 1 Recap

TAMPA - The Canadiens suffered a 5-1 loss to the Lightning on Monday night at AMALIE Arena.

SHOP: CHic Playoff Line
Montreal trails the series 1-0.
The moment Canadiens fans were waiting for finally arrived.
Montreal was participating in the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1993, which resulted in the club's most recent Stanley Cup triumph.

After being sidelined temporarily because of the NHL's COVID-19 protocols, winger Joel Armia took a private jet to join the team in Florida.
His teammates were ecstatic to see him before puck drop.

Nevertheless, Jake Evans replaced Armia in the lineup.
It was Evans' first game since June 2 when he suffered a concussion against the Winnipeg Jets.
The 25-year-old forward started the contest alongside Eric Staal and Corey Perry.

For his part, goaltender Carey Price made his 18th consecutive playoff start.
The Anahim Lake, BC native was playing in his first Stanley Cup Final.

Tampa Bay opened the scoring at the 6:19 mark of the first period.
Defenseman Erik Cernak tipped a pass from Ondrej Palat by Price to give the home side the early lead.

It was Cernak's first career playoff goal.
Center Brayden Point also assisted on the tally.
That's the way things stood after 20 minutes. The Lightning also held a 7-5 advantage in shots at the break.
Jon Cooper's troops doubled their lead at the 5:47 mark of the second period courtesy of center Yanni Gourde.
Winger Blake Coleman's shot deflected off Gourde before beating Price to make it 2-0.

It was Gourde's sixth goal of the playoffs.
Coleman and Barclay Goodrow assisted on the snipe.
Price answered right back with a highlight-reel pad stop on forward Tyler Johnson to keep the Canadiens in the game.

The Canadiens got on the scoreboard with 2:20 left in the middle frame.
Defenseman Ben Chiarot's one-timer deflected off two Lightning players before beating goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy.

It was Chiarot's first career playoff goal.
Center Jesperi Kotkaniemi and defenseman Shea Weber assisted on the tally.
Montreal trailed 2-1 after 40 minutes. Tampa Bay was ahead 19-14 in shots at the break.
The Lightning restored their two-goal advantage just two minutes into the third period.
Chiarot accidentally tipped a pass attempt by winger Nikita Kucherov by Price.

It was Kucherov's sixth goal of the postseason.
Defenseman Mikhail Sergachev was credited with the lone assist on the sequence.
Kucherov added another goal with 8:35 left in regulation.
Point won an offensive zone draw that allowed the Russian star to beat Price with a shot upstairs.
For his part, Point collected his second helper of the game on the play.
Forward Steven Stamkos scored Tampa Bay's fifth goal with 1:10 left in regulation on the power play.
The one-timer from the Lightning captain beat Price under the arm.
Kucherov and Point collected the assists.
That's the way this one finished up.
Price made 21 saves in the loss.
Game 2 will be played on Wednesday night at AMALIE Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET.