Canadiens v. Lightning: Another playoff game, another overtime thriller, Bolts win this one

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman J.J. Moser (90) celebrates after scoring the game-winning goal against the Montréal Canadiens during overtime in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Tuesday, April 21, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (Chris O'Meara/The Associated Press)

For the second game in a row, the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning needed to battle it out in an extra frame to decide the contest.

After the regular season’s second-highest points man, Nikita Kucherov, tied the game in the third period for the Lightning, more minutes were needed after the 60 to settle a hard-fought game two at the Benchmark International Arena in Tampa.

This time, defenceman J.J. Moser scored the winner on a wrist shot at 12:48 of the frame to tie the series at one game apiece.

Fists, fights and fouls

The game started scrappy with both teams ready to hit, fight, chirp and claw their way through the first period.

The Habs racked up 12 minutes worth of time in the sin bin in the frame, and the Lightning went for 16.

The second period continued where the first left off when Juraj Slafkovsky and Brandon Hagel squared off to fight five minutes into the period.

After taking a right from Hagel that put him on the ice, the Slovakian star got right back up and continued the donnybrook.

Bolts come back

In and among the roughhousing, Hagel scored his third of the series at 8:40 of the first.

Defenceman Lane Hutson answered back on the power play off assists from Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield.

“Hutson is my player,” said fan Sam Boileau from Saint-Jean-sur-Richeleau. “Can you imagine the guy, the way he handles the puck, like a bee. It’s wonderful.”

The Habs regular season leading scorer (Caufield, 51) and points person (Suzuki, 101) have yet to score a goal in the series, though both have three assists.

Suzuki admitted that his line needs to do more.

“Personally, I thought on my line, I think we could definitely do a better job, and help the guys out,” he said.

Josh Anderson scored his second of the series with under two minutes to play in the second.

Things were cagey in the third until Kucherov evened it up with a wraparound goal past Habs goalie Jakub Dobes.

Hagel got an assist on the play, completing the “Gordie Howe hat trick”: a goal, an assist and a fight.

After an even first two frames, Tampa Bay took control of the game in the third period and dominated in overtime.

In game one, Dobes didn’t need to make a save, but in Tuesday night’s game, he saw 10 shots, while Andrei Vasilevsky faced none on the other end of the ice.

“They played harder than us a little bit,” said Dobes. “I feel like their backs were against the wall, and it showed. They really wanted it.”

Suzuki said the team could have done a better job when they were leading.

“There’s fine lines out there and we just weren’t able to put them away,” said Suzuki. “We’re just excited to get back to Montreal and get ready for game three.”

Game three is Friday at the Bell Centre in Montreal.