The Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals on Monday night. Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point each had three point nights, helping the Bolts win 5-1 over the Canadiens.
Game Recap
Montreal was hot to start the game, however, Tampa Bay was getting many chances on short, quick counter attacks. On one counter attack, Ondrej Palat passed the puck to the middle where Cernak redirected it top corner. With a 1-0 lead, the Canadiens lost all momentum, and Tampa Bay had complete control of the game. Late in the period, Barclay Goodrow and Ben Chiarot each received penalties. Although they each had a power play chance, no more goals were scored in the first.
In the second period, the Lightning scored around six minutes into the period, once again. The puck was redirected into the net. This time the goal was scored by Yanni Gourde off of a Blake Coleman shot. With a 2-0 lead, Tampa Bay continued their momentum throughout the period. Nevertheless, Montreal worked their magic for a late Ben Chiarot goal, in which the puck ricocheted off two Lightning players before entering the net. Once again, the Bolts dominated the period, and made it out of the second frame up 2-1.
Tampa Bay made sure to finish the game on a high note with a three goal third period. Two minutes in, Kucherov extended the lead to two. Following that, Erik Cernak and Eric Staal each received roughing penalties on the same play for a scuffle in front of the net. Shortly after, Kucherov scored his second of the night and seventh of the playoffs, to ensure a Game 1 win. A few more penalties were taken, including a Joel Edmundson roughing penalty. Stamkos made sure to put Montreal in their place for the penalty with a one-timer power play goal from his traditional spot. In the end, the Lightning wrapped up Game 1 with a demanding 5-1 win.
Takeaways/Notes
- Tampa Bay recorded their fourth straight win on home ice.
- Nikita Kucherov has recorded 64 points over the last two postseasons. The only players to record more points over two postseasons are Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux.
- Nikita Kucherov became the fifth player in NHL history to register multiple 30-point playoff years. Kucherov has joined Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Jari Kurri, and Mario Lemieux as the only players to achieve this feat.
- Brayden Point became the first player in Lightning history to record three assists in a Stanley Cup Finals game.
- Brayden Point has five goals and six assists for eleven points in seven career games during the Finals. Point has notched at least a point in six of his seven Stanley Cup Finals games.
- Yanni Gourde is the second Quebec-born player in the last 41 years to score a goal against the Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Finals.
- Defensemen have scored nine of fourteen goals scored against Montreal in the playoffs this year. Erik Cernak is the sixth defenseman to do so.
Up Next
Tampa Bay will host Game 2 vs. Montreal on Wednesday, June 30th, at 8:00 PM EST.