The Montreal Canadiens faced the Tampa Bay Lightning in the playoffs, winning Game 1 and losing Game 2 in overtime. Juraj Slafkovsky stood out with key performances, while the team looks to adjust ahead of Game 3.
Key points
Montreal Canadiens won Game 1 against Tampa Bay Lightning
Juraj Slafkovsky scored three powerplay goals
Canadiens lost Game 2 in overtime
Potential lineup changes for Game 3
Cole Caufield praised team atmosphere and scoring achievements
Mentioned in this story
Martin St-Louis
Montreal CanadiensTampa Bay LightningJuraj SlafkovskyCole Caufield
Habs Wrap: Playoff Coverage, Hutson Heroics, Anderson Impact
Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
**MONTREAL —**It feels like every hour features more Montreal Canadiens news, and we’re all bound to miss a story or two. On Sundays, we always recap the relevant NHL news you may have missed, to help you stay in the Canadiens loop.
Seeing as the Habs played on Sunday, this edition of the Wrap is scheduled for Monday morning.
Make sure you don’t miss any Canadiens news by signing up to our weekly newsletter! You can also sign up for various other NHL teams, or the daily newsletter covering the most exciting developments in sports.[**Sportsnaut**]
Montreal Canadiens News And Notes
Juraj Slafkovsky’s three goals came on the powerplay, but it was actually Montreal’s work at 5v5 that should be considered the most encouraging aspect of the Game 1 win. The Habs outchanced the Tampa Bay Lightning, and by a wide margin, too. [**Canadiens Playoff Analysis: The Key Statistic From Game One Win**]
Slafkovsky was quick to praise head coach Martin St-Louis for his wise use of a timeout versus the Lightning. Rather than waiting for another opportunity, or losing it to the time clock, St-Louis decided to call a timeout early in the overtime, which immediately led to Slafkovsky’s game-winning goal.
— NHLonTNT (@NHL\_On\_TNT) April 20, 2026
He also noted the Canadiens work as a pack, with every player driving the prey towards the same direction.
Juraj Slafkovsky on the Habs post-win wolf hat:
“Wolves attack together as a big group and we try to be the same.”
Q&A
What were Juraj Slafkovsky's contributions in the Canadiens' playoff games?
Juraj Slafkovsky scored three goals on the powerplay in Game 1 and was the team's best player at 5v5, generating more high-danger scoring chances than the entire Lightning lineup.
How did the Canadiens perform against the Lightning in Game 2?
The Canadiens lost Game 2 to the Lightning 3-2 in overtime, with several costly mistakes contributing to the defeat.
What lineup changes might the Canadiens consider for Game 3?
Head coach Martin St-Louis may consider inserting Joe Veleno or Brendan Gallagher into the lineup for Game 3, potentially replacing Kirby Dach.
What did Cole Caufield say about his playoff experience?
Cole Caufield expressed that scoring 50 goals was a team accomplishment and highlighted the incredible atmosphere at the Bell Centre during the playoffs.
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— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) April 20, 2026
Speaking of Slafkovsky, even with the excellent work on the powerplay, he was clearly the team’s best player at 5v5. He had more individual high-danger scoring chances at 5v5 (three) than the entire Tampa Bay Lightning lineup (one).
NHL Game Score Impact Card for Montréal Canadiens on 2026-04-19: pic.twitter.com/7Quxe29znP
— HockeyStatCards (@hockeystatcards) April 20, 2026
The vibes were immaculate at practice following the 4-3 overtime win versus the Bolts.
Surtout, ne change pas Juraj! 😆 pic.twitter.com/8HAt7kCgjR
— TVA Sports (@TVASports) April 20, 2026
The Canadiens did not put together a terrible effort versus the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game Two, however, a few costly mistakes led to the 3-2 overtime win for the Bolts, including a terrible pass attempt by Juraj Slafkovsky. That being said, Slafkovsky was far from the only player who made a mistake on Tuesday night. [**Canadiens Highlights: Exciting Overtime Loss**]
The Habs players were fairly level-headed following the frustrating loss. As Mike Matheson explained, they always knew they were going to face a talented team in the Lightning.
Écoutez les disponibilités médias suivant le match 2 de ce soir contre Tampa Bay
Tune in now to live postgame media ops following tonight’s Game 2 against the Lightning#GoHabsGo
— x – Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 22, 2026
It remains to be seen whether head coach Martin St-Louis will make any lineup changes ahead of Game Three on Friday, but there are a few decent options should he decide to shake things up.
I think we might see Joe Veleno or Brendan Gallagher in #Habs lineup for Game 3 taking Kirby Dach’s spot.
— Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) April 22, 2026
While the Canadiens did generate more high-danger chances than the Lightning at 5v5, the momentum swung firmly in Tampa Bay’s corner roughly midway through the game. [**NST**]
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) April 21, 2026
Sniper Cole Caufield was the latest athlete to pour his heart out for the Players’ Tribune, in a fantastic piece that can only be described as heartfelt and honest. “To me, hockey is the best sport because you really can’t do it alone. Scoring 50 this year was awesome, but it was such a team accomplishment. And really, it’s about the whole atmosphere that you’re in. The Bell Centre has been incredible all season, and to score number 50 there in front of all you guys, and with my dad in the building … that was such a great wave to ride into these playoffs.” [**Players’ Tribune**]
Caufield also discussed the upcoming game at the Bell Centre, and the impact the Canadiens fans will have on the team’s motivation.
Cole Caufield on the Habs playoff home game tomorrow:
“We saw Game 3 at the Bell Centre on a Friday night, everybody was just grinning ear to ear, like….
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) April 23, 2026
The top four has struggled when it comes to shutting down the Lightning, however, the third pairing of Jayden Struble and Arber Xhekaj has been elite. Take a look at how the Canadiens defencemen have performed so far in the playoffs. [**Canadiens Need Better Results From Top Four**]
With the series tied at 1-1, we also took a look at which forward lines have performed well, and which trio needs to improve their play versus the Bolts. [**Which Canadiens Lines Are Performing Best In Playoffs**]
Xhekaj doesn’t seem particularly worried about Tampa’s consistent greasiness. He’s got a point, since the Habs have generated a lot more high-danger scoring chances than the Bolts, but walking the line is always a difficult proposal, especially when you’re dealing with habitual line steppers.
Arber Xhekaj today on the Tampa Bay Lightning referring to themselves as the “villains” vs the Habs:
“If they wanna think that, that’s okay. We’re here. We’re ready for whatever they have to offer to us.” pic.twitter.com/1cktWPcG71
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) April 23, 2026
Head coach Martin St-Louis joins Xhekaj when it comes to not losing any sleep over Tampa’s tactics.
Habs coach Marty St. Louis today on the Lightning’s intimidation tactics:
“We’ve talked about that. Did we seem intimidated? I don’t think so. If they wanna play that game, we’re capable of playing that game. We’re equipped for that.” pic.twitter.com/wdH47yGu2X
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) April 23, 2026
t was yet another evenly-matched game, at least on the scoreboard. The Habs emerged with a 2-1 win, and a 2-1 series advantage thanks to Lane Hutson‘s overtime goal. All things considered, the scoreline was a little flattering towards the Tampa Bay Lightning, a team that generated a grand total of one high-danger scoring chance at 5v5. [**Canadiens Highlights: Hutson Plays The Hero In Big Win**]
Hutson’s game-winning goal was so nice, it’s worth watching twice.
LANE HUTSON IS YOUR @ENERGIZER OVERTIME HERO! 🔵⚪️🔴 #StanleyCuppic.twitter.com/nJCmLD0jod
— NHL (@NHL) April 25, 2026
It should also be noted that Hutson somehow managed to call his own goal. This may come off as arrogant to some, but we all know that’s not Hutson’s style. He’s simply confident in his game, and he has the results to back it up.
Lane Hutson joked about feeling like he had the game-winner tonight to his teammates before OT.
According to Jayden Struble, Lane just dropped an "I think I got this tonight," and went out and scored the GWG.
— Marco D'Amico (@mndamico) April 25, 2026
Captain Nick Suzuki‘s dry humour was at play following the exciting win.
#Habs Nick Suzuki on Lane Hutson's bomb from the point in overtime: "I didn't think he could shoot it that hard…" the captain said with a smirk
— Priyanta Emrith (@HabsInHighHeels) April 25, 2026
While the first line struggles to create much offence at even-strength, Kirby Dach has done a great job helping the Canadiens win, including a two-point effort on Friday night. It was one of his best games in a Habs uniform since joining the team in 2022.
Cole Caufield on the Habs playoff home game tomorrow:
“We saw Game 3 at the Bell Centre on a Friday night, everybody was just grinning ear to ear, like….
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) April 23, 2026
It’s very easy to dismiss the play of Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble on the third pairing, but it would be intellectually dishonest to ignore the fact that they lead all NHL defencemen in expected goal share. Yes, it’s easier to play on the third pair, but it’s never easy to control over 80% of the expected goals. [**Canadiens Need Better Results From Top Four**]
Xhekaj and Struble are currently 1st and 2nd in xGF%.
Yes, the usage is easier on the third pairing, but it's also true they've been excellent.
If it were so easy to produce those numbers, they wouldn't be leaps and bounds ahead of the entire NHL.
— Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) April 25, 2026
Ivan Demidov sat down with Elliotte Friedman to discuss his rookie season with the Habs, and how they’ve quickly become a part of his family.
Tampa Bay’s strategy of running players, taunting goalies, and punching opponents in every scrum is backfiring spectacularly. In fact, on top of having a series lead, the Canadiens have actually landed more hits than their opponents through three games. [**Tampa Bay’s Strategy Is Backfiring In Series Versus Canadiens**]
The discrepancy in high-danger shots in the series is hard to ignore. In fact, after three games, the Canadiens held a 75% advantage in high-danger scoring chances at 5v5, the highest mark of all teams in the NHL playoffs.
For fun, here's the HDCF% from the various teams in the playoffs after three games. This represents the share of high-danger scoring chances a team will generate.
— Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) April 25, 2026
Beyond the physical battle, which the Habs are winning, there are several other reasons why the Canadiens have managed to establish a series lead, including the excellent play of the third pairing, featuring Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble. [**Top 3 Reasons The Canadiens Have A Series Lead**]
Believe it or not, Xhekaj leads the entire NHL in expected goal share, with an impressive 83.8%. [**NST**]
Kirby Dach discussed the support from head coach Martin St-Louis as he navigated the seemingly endless list of injuries in recent seasons.
Kirby Dach yesterday on getting the vote of confidence from Habs coach Marty St. Louis:
“I think as a competitor, you want a chance to respond. You want to be able to go out there and prove your worth. This game is hard, there are a lot of mistakes out there, it’s not like… pic.twitter.com/uYFCvEuOqz
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) April 25, 2026
This is clearly trolling, but it’s quality trolling, relatively speaking. Besides, given that Brady Tkachuk seems to be one of the worst leaders in the league, it’s probably time his position in the Senators organization comes under scrutiny. Or maybe he’s a great leader that never seems to have any semblance of luck when it comes to leadership. Hard to say.
Arber Xhekaj has more points than Brady Tkachuk in the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/t1j569ZKzS
— Alex (@ivandemigoal) April 25, 2026
The clip embedded below doesn’t have anything to do with the Habs, but it’s hard not to roll your eyes when a dirtbag like Ridley Greig starts punching a player who is being held down. That’s pure cowardice.
Ce geste vicieux de Ridly Greig sera-t-il sanctionné par la LNH?🤔 pic.twitter.com/drSzZb6KrY
— TVA Sports (@TVASports) April 25, 2026
The Canadiens actually managed to establish their first two-goal lead of the series on Sunday night, but it was not enough, as a late-game surge by the Lightning led to a 3-2 loss, tying the series at two games a piece in the process. [**Canadiens Highlights: Late-Game Collapse Costs Habs**]
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