Canadiens prevail in decisive Game 7 with just nine shots on goal

Montreal had last won a series in 2021, the year the Canadiens lost to Tampa Bay in the Stanley Cup Final.

"It feels amazing," Suzuki said. "We had a lot of dark days after (going to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021) and going into the rebuild. This moment definitely makes up for a lot of it and we want to keep this journey going."

Dominic James scored for the Lightning, who were eliminated in the opening round of the playoffs for a fourth consecutive year.

"You don't get any younger, that's for sure," Tampa Bay forward Brandon Hagel said. "Listen, I got one goal on my mind and one goal on my mind every single year … I just want to win."

Vasilevskiy stopped seven of nine shots in the game.

The Canadiens opened the scoring on the game's first big break. Suzuki netted his first goal of the series when he deflected Kaiden Guhle's point shot off Lightning defenseman J.J. Moser and into the net at 18:39 of the opening frame.

James tied the game with a deflection tally of his own, tipping a Charle-Edouard D'Astous point shot for a power-play marker at 13:27 of the second period.

The Canadiens failed to register a shot on goal in the middle period, even with two power plays, while the Lightning fired 12 on the Montreal net in the period. It is the first time the Canadiens failed to net a shot on goal in a period during the playoffs since shots were counted in 1955-56.

The Canadiens finally put a puck on net more than five minutes into the third period, going nearly 27 minutes between shots. That sparked Montreal to gain some momentum and eventually Newhook's winning goal.

The Lightning pushed, and even pulled the goalie for the extra attacker with more than two minutes remaining, but could not find the equalizer.

"It's not the movies," Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. "It's not something where you can retake it and get the scene right. It is live theater right there in front of you and you never know what is going to happen. That is why it's unbelievable to be a part of, to be a part of something like this, but it damn well stings when you are on the wrong side of it."

Montreal benefited from the return of defenseman Noah Dobson, who had been out since being hit in the left hand by a slap shot April 11. Dobson blocked a shot with his right hand in the waning minutes of regulation.

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Canadiens prevail in decisive Game 7 with just nine shots on goal