Lightning 2, Canadiens 1
TAMPA, Fla. -- Center Tyler Johnson scored with 1.1 seconds left in regulation as the Tampa Bay Lightning edged the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 to take a three games to none stranglehold of the Eastern Conference semifinal series Wednesday night at Amalie Arena.
Johnson's eighth goal of the playoffs made the score 2-1 in a game that looked headed for overtime. Johnson took a centering pass in front of the net and pushed it past Montreal goaltender Carey Price for the finish.
Lightning goalie Ben Bishop carried a shutout well into the third period, but Montreal tied the game when right winger Brendan Gallagher, diving to the net, pushed a rebound under his pad to tie the game at 1 with 9:57 left.
Lightning center Alex Killorn scored a first-period goal to give Tampa the early advantage. With eight minutes left in the opening period, Killorn was set up with a strong entry pass from Lightning center Steven Stamkos, who picked up his sixth assist.
The Lightning, winners of five straight in the playoffs, can finish the series with a win at home on Thursday night.
The Canadiens had more scoring opportunities through two periods, outshooting the Lightning 8-6 in the opening period and holding them without a shot for the first 12 minutes of the second. Tampa Bay focused on securing the lead, giving up 16 shots while taking only nine in the first two periods, but Bishop took a shutout into the final period.
The two teams limited their penalties, with Tampa Bay missing on both its power plays in the opening two periods and Montreal managing only one.
NOTES: For the first time in 10 playoff games, the Lightning played without C Cedric Paquette, sidelined with an undisclosed injury suffered in Game 2. Rookie LW Jonathan Drouin, who had been a healthy scratch in all but one game in the postseason, replaced him in the lineup. ... D Mark Barberio and D Nikita Nesterov were the healthy scratches among the team's regular players. ... Game 3 came after an unusual two days off, with Amalie Arena previously booked for another event, leaving the Lightning to host playoff games on back-to-back nights for Games 3 and 4. ... Canadiens G Carey Price was the first goalie to lead the NHL in wins (44), goals-against average (1.96) and save percentage (.933) -- the goalie triple crown -- since Chicago's Ed Belfour in 1990-91.