Marc Dumont
The Montreal Canadiens faced the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night, hoping to re-establish their one-game advantage in the series.
Prior to puck drop, head coach Martin St-Louis made a few lineup changes, including the return of veteran Brendan Gallagher on the fourth line.
The Canadiens emerged with a hard-fought 3-2 win, not to mention a 3-2 advantage in their first-round series.
Let’s dive into the highlights!
Welcome Back, Gally
It did not take Gallagher very long to make an impact, as he opened the score in his very first shift, scoring a goal with his very first shot.
Full marks to Alex Newhook for creating havoc with speed through the neutral zone, however, we must give the lion’s share of the credit to Gallagher, who had not played a game since mid-April.
Welcome back to the lineup, Brendan Gallagher!#GoHabsGo are up 1-0 thanks to a goal via their hardworking veteran. pic.twitter.com/KxnD1PhdtH
— Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) April 29, 2026
Depth Scoring
Seeing as the first line is having a hard time finding the back of the net at 5v5, the Habs have had to rely on secondary and tertiary scoring throughout the series. That’s usually a recipe for disaster, but Montreal’s depth has performed with aplomb, providing key offensive contributions when the team needs it most.
It was Kirby Dach who would go on to restore Montreal’s one-goal lead, with a strong individual effort that featured a great drive to the net. It was Dach’s second goal of the series.
Kirby Dach restores the #GoHabsGo lead with a strong individual effort. pic.twitter.com/yuHmCBYByK
— Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) April 30, 2026
Another One
The Lightning did not enjoy their best game from the series, and yet, they quickly erased Montreal’s leads via a pair of odd-man rushes in the second period. All things considered, Jakub Dobes had a good game, but he could have done better in both scenarios.
The good news for the Habs is that their depth once again came to the rescue, when French forward Alexandre Texier scored his second of the series early in the third period. It wasn’t a particularly heavy shot, but it did involve a quick release.
Alexandre Texier restores Montreal's one-goal lead with a shot off the rush.#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/lV2ldQfPe8
— Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) April 30, 2026
The Montreal Canadiens will be back in action on Friday, facing the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Bell Centre for Game 6. The puck drop is scheduled for 7 pm ET.
All Montreal Canadiens statistics are 5v5 unless otherwise noted, via Natural Stat Trick.
