MONTREAL - Six games, six one-goal decisions. The Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning are headed to Game 7 after an epic series defined by razor-thin margins.
“It’s so even, from the special teams to the goaltending to the everything,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “That’s how you get Game 7s.”
The Lightning forced the deciding game with a 1-0 overtime win in Montreal on Friday. Gage Goncalves scored the winner, while Andrei Vasilevskiy made 30 saves in a goaltending duel with Jakub Dobes.
The Canadiens missed a chance to clinch a series at home for the first time since 2014. But coach Martin St. Louis frames this as growth for the youngest team in the playoffs.
“It’s meant to be, it’s destiny for our young team,” St. Louis said. “A lot of players haven’t taken part in a Game 7, I think that’s part of our path.”
The series returns to Tampa for Game 7 on Sunday. The winner advances to face the Buffalo Sabres in the second round.