The recent clash between the Montreal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning was nothing short of a nail-biting thriller
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! On January 21, 2025, the Canadiens staged an incredible comeback to defeat the Lightning 3-2 at the Bell Centre in Montreal
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The game started with the Lightning taking an early lead, thanks to Nikita Kucherov, who scored the opening goal at 14:20 of the first period
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. The Lightning extended their lead to 2-0 early in the second period when Jake Guentzel capitalized on a rebound from a faceoff win
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. However, the Canadiens were not ready to back down
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The turning point came when the Canadiens pulled within one goal thanks to Juraj Slafkovsky, who found a small opening and threaded the puck past Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy
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. Just a minute later, Alex Newhook tied the game with a well-placed shot from the slot
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. The Canadiens’ resilience and determination were on full display as they fought back from a 2-0 deficit
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The third period was a tense affair, with both teams battling hard
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. The Canadiens managed to take their first lead with just 2:15 remaining in the game when Jake Evans scored the game-winning goal
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. Evans’ goal came from a feed by Joel Armia on an odd-man rush following a faceoff deep in the Canadiens’ zone
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. This goal not only secured the win but also showcased the Canadiens’ never-say-die attitude
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The Canadiens’ goalie, Sam Montembeault, stood tall, making 33 saves, including 15 in the third period, to secure the victory
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. On the other hand, Vasilevskiy made 19 saves but couldn’t prevent the Lightning from falling short
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This victory was particularly significant for the Canadiens as it moved them back into the second wild-card spot in the standings, tied with the Ottawa Senators, each holding 52 points
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. The Lightning, with 53 points, remain a strong contender in the Atlantic Division
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The game was a testament to the Canadiens’ resilience and their ability to come back from behind
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. It also highlighted the importance of strong goaltending and timely scoring, which ultimately made the difference in this closely contested match.
For more details and highlights, you can watch the full game recap on the NHL’s official YouTube channel here.
What did you think of the game? Were you cheering for the Canadiens or the Lightning?
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TheHockey Writers
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The Hockey News | MSN
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