Radulov's OT goal lifts Canadiens over Lightning
TAMPA, Fla. -- The Montreal Canadiens took one step closer to clinching another division title. The Lightning took a minor step back in their pursuit for a playoff spot.
Alexander Radulov scored the overtime winner with a one-timer from the right circle 51 seconds into the extra period to give Montreal a 2-1 victory over Tampa Bay on Saturday at Amalie Arena.
The victory opened up an eight-point lead for the Canadiens, who sit atop the Atlantic Division ahead of Ottawa and Toronto.
Tampa Bay, meanwhile, remains ninth in the Eastern Conference standings, four points behind Boston with a game in hand on the Bruins. The Lightning make that game up on Sunday at home against Dallas.
Carey Price finished with 21 saves for Montreal. Phillip Danault scored the Canadiens' first goal.
Yanni Gourde scored the tying goal for Tampa Bay in the third period. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 32 shots in regulation and finished with 34.
The Canadiens took the lead midway through the second, taking advantage of a Tampa Bay gaffe around the Lightning net. As Victor Hedman came out from the corner with the puck, he found himself under pressure and tried to leave the puck for Vasilevskiy to cover up.
But the Tampa Bay goaltender was handcuffed and failed to get his glove over the puck. As the puck remained free in the crease, Danault was able to get his stick on it and poke it under the pads for a 1-0 Montreal lead at 14:24 of the second period.
But the Lightning, which has allowed the opening goal in eight consecutive games, found another way to get back even midway through the third.
With Tampa Bay showing a rare extended shift in the Montreal zone, Jonathan Drouin found Hedman at the left point. As Hedman unleashed a slap shot, the puck deflected off a Montreal stick and then off the shin pad of Gourde, who has scored goals in three consecutive games, to tie the score at 11:38.
In the overtime, Montreal scored just after Lightning leading scorer Nikita Kucherov missed a 2-on-1 chance off a feed from Brayden Point. The Canadiens came right back down the ice and Max Pacioretty was able to find Radulov alone at the right circle for the winning goal.
NOTES: Montreal LW Max Pacioretty registered his 200th and 201st career assists. ... The Lightning sent LW Joel Vermin, who is on an emergency recall, back to AHL's Syracuse on Saturday morning, but recalled him 20 minutes later. ... Former Tampa Bay D Nikita Nesterov was a healthy scratch in his return to Tampa for the first time since being traded to Montreal in January. Nesterov has not played since Feb. 28. ... Montreal scratched LW Torrey Mitchell (flu), D Jordie Benn (upper body), G Al Montoya (upper body), C Brian Flynn and C Steve Ott. ... Tampa Bay hoped to have either C Steven Stamkos (knee) or C Tyler Johnson (lower body) back in the lineup, but neither were ready to return. ... Lightning RW Nikita Kucherov returned after missing Thursday's game due to illness.