Canadiens 3, Lightning 2
Brendan Gallagher snapped a tie late in the second period and set up the eventual game-winning goal in the third as host Montreal pushed Tampa Bay to the brink of elimination in their Eastern Conference first-round series.
Rene Bourque and Tomas Plekanec also tallied as the Canadiens seized a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven matchup. Defenseman P.K. Subban notched two assists for the second straight contest and Carey Price turned aside 27 shots for No. 3 Montreal, which can close out the Lightning with a victory at home in Game 4 on Tuesday.
Rookie Ondrej Palat and defenseman Matt Carle tallied for second-seeded Tampa Bay, which went 3-0-1 against the Canadiens during the regular season. Captain Steven Stamkos shook off what appeared to be a serious head injury to notch two assists and Anders Lindback, continuing to sub for injured starter Ben Bishop, made 28 saves in absorbing his third straight defeat.
The game turned in a stunning sequence late in the second period, when an apparent go-ahead goal by the Lightning's Ryan Callahan was waved off due to goaltender interference - even though Price went out of his way to initiate contact with Alex Killorn. Montreal then forged ahead with 1:50 left in the period on a great individual effort by Subban, who circled the net before crossing a pass that Gallagher lifted into the top left corner from in front.
Plekanec provided a two-goal advantage at 5:43 of the third, burying a slap shot from a sharp angle in the right faceoff circle, but Carle cut the deficit to 3-2 with a blast from the blue line that got past a screened Price with 8:24 to play. The Canadiens stunned Tampa Bay by scoring 11 seconds into the contest as Subban lobbed a bouncing pass to a breaking Bourque, who beat Lindback from the left circle for his third tally in two games.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Stamkos was hurt late in the second period, when he was caught flush on the side of the head by the right knee of oncoming Montreal D Alexei Emelin. Stamkos had trouble getting to his feet and, after receiving some assistance from the trainer, went directly to the locker room but returned for the third period. ... Bourque's tally was the fastest opening goal in a postseason game since Buffalo's Derek Roy scored nine seconds in during the 2007 playoffs. The franchise record for the fastest opening goal is seven seconds, set by Bob Gainey against the New York Islanders in May 1977. ... While leading scorer Palat returned to the lineup after a one-game absence, Lightning D Sami Salo sat out with an upper-body injury.