Nikita Kucherov scored the game-winning goal just 2:06 into the second overtime period to lift the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 2-1 road win over the Montreal Canadiens on Friday night at the Bell Centre.
The Lightning snag a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series with the win.
Tyler Johnson got the scoring underway early in the third period with his league-leading seventh goal of the playoffs on a deflecton of a Matt Carle blast that beat Montreal netminder Carey Price.
It appeared the lead would hold up, with Tampa Bay goalie Ben Bishop, who was a perfect 5-0 against the Canadiens during the regular season, stopping everything that was thrown his way.
But Max Pacioretty got a softie past Bishop with just over five minutes left in regulation to tie the game. The high-rising shot caught Bishop glove side and skipped past him to force overtime.
Kucherov nearly ended the game early in the extra frame.
He got the puck past Price but was ruled to have made contact that forced both the goalie and the puck into the net. It was a tricky call no matter how you look at it, but it was ruled n ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Kevin McRae
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