A good start to the match and one of the luckiest goals of the season were not enough for the Montreal Canadiens who ultimately lost 4 to 3 against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday evening.
After taking a two-goal lead, the Canadian saw the Lightning come back on track by scoring four unanswered goals.
After an uneventful first period where the Canadian, above all, managed to limit the Lightning attack, Cole Caufield opened the scoring after taking the puck from Steven Stamkos, before projecting the puck behind Jonas Johansson.
Then, clearly still in the holiday spirit, the referees were slow to blow their whistle after a save by Samuel Montembeault, thus allowing the Canadian goaltender to give the puck back to Johnathan Kovacevic. The latter shot from one end of the ice to the other to score while Jonas Johansson, convinced that there was a stoppage in play, went for a walk in the corner of the ice.
Brayden Point responded for the Lighting two minutes later and the Éclairs did not let up after that.
Austin Watson, at the end of the second period, then Calvin de Haan and Nikita Kuchevov, in the third period, all scored in turn to give the Florida team an insurmountable lead.
Captain Suzuki did attempt a comeback with 2:05 remaining at the end of the third period with a shot from an impossible angle, but it was too little, too late.
THIRD PERIOD
17:55 – GOAL! Nick Suzuki scores from a tight angle on a pass from Juraj Slafkovsky.
14:53 – GOAL! Nikita Kucherov completes a nice pass from Victor Hedman.
12:03 – Tanner Jeannot is punished for obstruction.
10:21 – David Savard is kicked out for tripping Nikita Kucherov.
07:49 – GOAL! Calvin de Haan gives the Lightning the lead for the first time in the match. Nikita Kucherov gets his 60th point of the season.
00:00 – Start of the third engagement.
SECOND PERIOD
17:36 – GOAL! Austin Watson scores on a shot that bounces and that Samuel Montembeault would like to see again.
14:01 – GOAL! Brayden Point scores on a breakaway.
11:59 – GOAL! Johnathan Kovacevic scores the easiest goal of his career in an unusual situation.
04:07 – Josh Anderson throws down the gloves in front of Luke Glendening who jumped on him after a hard check against Erik Cernak.
03:58 – GOAL! Cole Caufield scores in a second straight game taking advantage of a Lightning error in the slot.
01:32 – Nick Suzuki is punished for hooking Brayden Point.
00:00 – Start of the second engagement.
FIRST PERIOD
20:00 – After 20 minutes of play, the Habs lead 10-4 in shots.
15:50 – Mike Matheson is punished for delaying the match.
00:00 – Start of the meeting.