Lightning fans break out ‘USA’ chants in Game 1 loss to Canadiens

For the fourth consecutive NHL playoff series, the Tampa Bay Lightning dropped their first home game.

The Montreal Canadiens rolled into Benchmark International Arena and earned a 4-3 overtime victory on Sunday, April 19, in Game 1 of the first-round Eastern Conference playoff series.

Although Tampa Bay is making its ninth consecutive postseason appearance, the Lightning have been eliminated in the first round three straight times.

MORE: Jessica Pegula reacts to Buffalo Sabres’ playoff win

With Sunday’s game tied at 3 in the third period, Tampa Bay fans invoked their country’s Olympic success to boost the team.

As shared by the “Spittin’ Chiclets” podcast X account, the arena erupted in “USA! USA!” chants in an attempt to psych out the Montreal players.

The Team USA men’s and women’s hockey teams defeated Canada to win gold medals in February at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.

Ironically, all three goals scored by the Lightning came from Canadian players. Brandon Hagel scored twice, and Darren Raddysh notched the other tally. Not to mention that Tampa Bay head coach Jon Cooper led Team Canada during the Olympics.

In fact, one X user pointed out the heavy Canadian presence on the Lightning roster.

Meanwhile, Montreal’s top goal scorer, Cole Caufield, is from Wisconsin. Caufield scored 51 goals, second in the NHL to ’s 53, during the regular season. And it was Tampa Bay’s , an American, who committed a high-sticking penalty late in regulation that gave Montreal a power play into overtime.