Three Moments that Mattered in the Lightning’s Heartbreaking Game 7 Loss
The Tampa Bay Lightning gave it their all in their do-or-die Game 7 against the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday night at Benchmark International Arena. Despite holding Montreal to just nine shots on goal, including a mere four through two periods, the Lightning came up short, losing 2-1 in a NHL playoff thriller.
The series was a nail-biter, with all seven games decided by a single goal, and four going to overtime. The Lightning’s 106-point regular season seems like a distant memory now, as they face a fourth consecutive first-round playoff exit. Here are three moments that mattered in Game 7:
A Seeing-Eye Puck
Andrei Vasilevskiy, the Lightning’s star goaltender, didn’t have much to do all game, but the shot that decided the series was one he likely never saw coming. With the game tied 1-1 and just over nine minutes left, Vasilevskiy blocked Lane Hutson’s wrister from the top of the left circle, sending the puck high in the air and hard off the end boards. However, Alex Newhook skated around the back of the net and found the puck in front of him at the left post, batting the bouncing puck toward the net and off Vasilevskiy’s back for the game-winner.
A Reward for the DOGs
The Lightning’s fourth line, consisting of Gage Goncalves, Dominic James, and Oliver Bjorkstrand, was dominant in the first two periods, carrying the team’s 5-on-5 play. When the team got its second power play of the second period, down a goal with 7:27 left, the second power-play unit took the ice. James tied the game with 6:33 left, redirecting Charle-Edouard D’Astous’ puck toward the net from the center point, with Goncalves receiving the secondary assist.
Another Early Hole
The Lightning outplayed the Canadiens for much of the first period but couldn’t score the opening goal. They had nine of the game’s first 12 shots but fell behind with 1:21 left in the period on an unfortunate bounce. Nikita Kucherov lost coverage on Montreal defenseman Kaiden Guhle, allowing him to send a slap shot toward the net. Nick Suzuki’s redirection from the left hash was going wide, but the puck hit off Tampa Bay defenseman J.J. Moser’s left skate, then his right skate, and went into the net.
While the Lightning’s season may be over, they can take solace in the fact that they outplayed the Canadiens in every way except puck luck. As they head into the offseason, they’ll be looking to regroup and come back stronger next year.
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