The Tampa Bay Lightning (22-13-3) defeated the Montreal Canadiens (20-12-6) 5-4 in the shootout on Sunday evening at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa. With the win, the Lightning have now won four consecutive games, including sweeping both ends of a back-to-back that began Saturday night against the Panthers in Sunrise.
The Lightning scored three times in the second period to build a 3-0 lead and led 4-1 early in the third period, but Montreal would rally. The Canadiens scored three unanswered goals in the third - including Juraj Slafkovsky's second goal to tie the game at 4-4 with four seconds to go in the third period.
After a scoreless overtime, the Lightning would win the shootout 2-0 thanks to goals from Gage Goncalves and Brayden Point. In regulation, Tampa Bay got two goals from Nikita Kucherov as well as goals from Nick Paul and Pontus Holmberg. Jonas Johansson went 32-of-36 in net for Tampa Bay in the victorious effort.
The Lightning are next in action when they travel to Anaheim to play the Ducks on Wednesday. Puck drop on New Years Eve is scheduled for 4:00 PM ET on December 31st from California.
COVER PHOTO COURTESY GETTY IMAGES