Montreal Canadiens vs Tampa Bay Lightning — Match Details

26 April 2026 at 23:00

2 – 3

Full Time

P1: 0–0P2: 2–1P3: 0–2

NHL · Season 2025

Match Summary

Tampa Bay Lightning defeated Montreal Canadiens 3:2. The match was played in NHL 2025. Goals were scored by Z. Bolduc 10′, C. Caufield 13′, J. Guentzel 19′, B. Hagel 1′, B. Hagel 15′. League standings: Montreal Canadiens #4, Tampa Bay Lightning #3. Score by period: P1: 0–0, P2: 2–1, P3: 0–2.

Match Context

Stanley Cup Playoffs — Eastern Conference First Round, Game 4

Game 4 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Bell Centre; Montreal led the series 2-1.

Pre-Match Analysis

Montreal Canadiens Form

Montreal led the series 2-1 and entered Game 4 hoping to push the favored Lightning toward elimination.

Tampa Bay Lightning Form

Tampa Bay needed an answer after losing Game 3 in overtime; the Kucherov-Hagel-Guentzel line was the focal point.

Head to Head

Montreal led the best-of-seven series 2-1 entering Game 4; Game 3 was decided in OT.

Injuries & Suspensions

•Slafkovsky took a heavy hit and went to the locker room; condition unknown immediately after the game.

Match Report

Zach Bolduc opened the scoring in the 31st minute off setups from Guhle and Texier, and Cole Caufield made it 2-0 in the 34th from Suzuki and Hutson. Tampa replied late in the second when Jake Guentzel converted (Moser, Raddysh) and Brandon Hagel tied it minutes later off feeds from Kucherov and Guentzel. In the third, Hagel struck again — assisted by Kucherov and Moser in the 56th minute — to complete the 3-2 comeback.

Turning Point

Hagel's two-goal third period. After tying it at 42nd minute, the Lightning forward put Tampa ahead 3-2 in the 56th — a goal that decided the night.

Tampa Bay tied the series 2-2 and reclaimed home-ice advantage. Montreal lost a chance to push the favorite to elimination and now travels to Amalie Arena for Game 5.

Match Events

Key match events between Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning — 5 goals and 17 cards recorded during the match.

Montreal Canadiens

Tampa Bay Lightning

Period 1

Unknown

Too many men on the ice

2′

7′

M. Crozier

High sticking

9′

Y. Gourde

Cross-checking

Period 2

J. Anderson

Boarding

Z. Bolduc

A. Texier

10′

🏒

A. Newhook

Hooking

10′

12′

J. Guentzel

Slashing

C. Caufield

L. Hutson

13′

🏒

K. Dach

Roughing

13′

A. Xhekaj

Roughing

13′

Z. Girgensons

Roughing

13′

N. Paul

Roughing

13′

D. Raddysh

Delay of game

M. Matheson

Slashing

18′

B. Hagel

Slashing

🏒

19′

J. Guentzel

D. Raddysh

Period 3

O. Kapanen

High sticking

🏒

1′

B. Hagel

J. Guentzel

M. Matheson

High sticking

10′

J. Evans

Cross-checking

11′

🏒

15′

B. Hagel

J. Moser

17′

N. Kucherov

Slashing

Montreal Canadiens vs Tampa Bay Lightning Head to Head Results

Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning have met 88 times — Montreal Canadiens won 37, Tampa Bay Lightning won 51, with 0 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2008. Tampa Bay Lightning leads the head-to-head with 51 victories from 88 meetings. A combined 488 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 5.55 per match (222 for the home side, 266 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 80 matches (91%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 85 games (97%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. The highest-scoring encounter finished 4–7 in 2024.

Montreal Canadiens

Drawn

Tampa Bay Lightning

Goals: 222Goals: 266

Recent Meetings (88)

1 May 2026Montreal Canadiens0 – 1Tampa Bay LightningNHL

29 Apr 2026Tampa Bay Lightning2 – 3Montreal CanadiensNHL

24 Apr 2026Montreal Canadiens3 – 2Tampa Bay LightningNHL

21 Apr 2026Tampa Bay Lightning3 – 2Montreal CanadiensNHL

19 Apr 2026Tampa Bay Lightning3 – 4Montreal CanadiensNHL

9 Apr 2026Montreal Canadiens2 – 1Tampa Bay LightningNHL

31 Mar 2026Tampa Bay Lightning1 – 4Montreal CanadiensNHL

28 Dec 2025Tampa Bay Lightning5 – 4Montreal CanadiensNHL

10 Dec 2025Montreal Canadiens1 – 6Tampa Bay LightningNHL

9 Feb 2025Montreal Canadiens3 – 5Tampa Bay LightningNHL

More results

Standings

Montreal Canadiens sit #4 and Tampa Bay Lightning are #3 in the NHL table heading into this match.

Western Conference

#	GP	Won	Lost	Pts
1Colorado Avalanche	82	48	16	121
2Dallas Stars	82	38	20	112
3Minnesota Wild	82	31	24	104
4Vegas Golden Knights	82	30	26	95
5Edmonton Oilers	82	32	30	93
6Utah Mammoth	82	33	33	92
7Anaheim Ducks	82	26	33	92
8Los Angeles Kings	82	22	27	90
9San Jose Sharks	82	27	35	86
10St. Louis Blues	82	33	33	86
11Nashville Predators	82	28	34	86
12Winnipeg Jets	82	28	35	82
13Seattle Kraken	82	26	37	79
14Calgary Flames	82	27	39	77
15Chicago Blackhawks	82	22	39	72
16Vancouver Canucks	82	15	49	58

Eastern Conference

#	GP	Won	Lost	Pts
1Carolina Hurricanes	82	39	22	113
2Buffalo Sabres	82	42	23	109
3Tampa Bay Lightning	82	40	26	106
4Montreal Canadiens	82	34	24	106
5Boston Bruins	82	33	27	100
6Ottawa Senators	82	38	27	99
7Pittsburgh Penguins	82	34	25	98
8Philadelphia Flyers	82	27	27	98
9Washington Capitals	82	37	30	95
10Detroit Red Wings	82	30	31	92
11Columbus Blue Jackets	82	28	30	92
12New York Islanders	82	29	34	91
13New Jersey Devils	82	29	37	87
14Florida Panthers	82	32	38	84
15Toronto Maple Leafs	82	23	36	78
16New York Rangers	82	25	39	77

Atlantic Division

#	GP	Won	Lost	Pts
1Buffalo Sabres	82	42	23	109
2Tampa Bay Lightning	82	40	26	106
3Montreal Canadiens	82	34	24	106
4Boston Bruins	82	33	27	100
5Ottawa Senators	82	38	27	99
6Detroit Red Wings	82	30	31	92
7Florida Panthers	82	32	38	84
8Toronto Maple Leafs	82	23	36	78

Central Division

#	GP	Won	Lost	Pts
1Colorado Avalanche	82	48	16	121
2Dallas Stars	82	38	20	112
3Minnesota Wild	82	31	24	104
4Utah Mammoth	82	33	33	92
5St. Louis Blues	82	33	33	86
6Nashville Predators	82	28	34	86
7Winnipeg Jets	82	28	35	82
8Chicago Blackhawks	82	22	39	72

Pacific Division

#	GP	Won	Lost	Pts
1Vegas Golden Knights	82	30	26	95
2Edmonton Oilers	82	32	30	93
3Anaheim Ducks	82	26	33	92
4Los Angeles Kings	82	22	27	90
5San Jose Sharks	82	27	35	86
6Seattle Kraken	82	26	37	79
7Calgary Flames	82	27	39	77
8Vancouver Canucks	82	15	49	58

Metropolitan Division

#	GP	Won	Lost	Pts
1Carolina Hurricanes	82	39	22	113
2Pittsburgh Penguins	82	34	25	98
3Philadelphia Flyers	82	27	27	98
4Washington Capitals	82	37	30	95
5Columbus Blue Jackets	82	28	30	92
6New York Islanders	82	29	34	91
7New Jersey Devils	82	29	37	87
8New York Rangers	82	25	39	77

Match Analysis AI

Hagel's Two-Goal Third Period Lifts Tampa to Series-Tying Win

The Tampa Bay Lightning rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2 over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Bell Centre, behind Brandon Hagel's two third-period goals. The series is tied 2-2.

Montreal Canadiens – Tampa Bay Lightning 2:3 (0:0, 2:1, 0:2)

Goals: 31. Bolduc (Guhle, Texier), 34. Caufield (Suzuki, Hutson) – 40. Guentzel (Moser, Raddysh), 42. Hagel (Kucherov, Guentzel), 56. Hagel (Kucherov, Moser).

Goalies: Dobeš – Vasilevskiy. Shots on goal: 18:20.

/series state: 2:2/

Bolduc and Caufield Open 2-0

Zach Bolduc cracked the scoreless tie at 31:00, finishing a play started by Kaiden Guhle and Alex Texier. Cole Caufield made it 2-0 minutes later off a Nick Suzuki setup. Bell Centre was rocking — but Tampa wasn't done.

Guentzel and Hagel Answer Before the Second Ends

Jake Guentzel cut the lead to 2-1 in the 40th, then Brandon Hagel tied it at 42:00 from feeds by Kucherov and Guentzel. The third period began even, with both teams trading chances.

Hagel's Winner in the 56th

Hagel struck again in the 56th, this time on a setup from Kucherov and J.J. Moser, completing a 3-2 comeback. "It was a big hit that got us into the game. It sparked the bench," Guentzel said postgame. Juraj Slafkovsky took a heavy hit during the game and went to the locker room.

What It Means

Tampa Bay tied the series 2-2 and now hosts Game 5 at Amalie Arena with home-ice advantage restored. Montreal Canadiens let a chance slip — they couldn't push the favored Lightning to the brink, and the series is now wide open.

Player Ratings

9.5

Brandon Hagel (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Two third-period goals including the game-winner in the 56th — completed the comeback from 0-2.

9.0

Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Two assists, both on Hagel's goals; the Russian winger again drove a key playoff result.

8.5

Jake Guentzel (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Goal at 2-1 and primary assist on Hagel's first. 'It was a big hit that got us into the game,' he said postgame.

8.0

Cole Caufield (Montreal Canadiens)

Goal to 2-0 in the 34th off a Suzuki feed; Habs' star sniper had a strong night that the team couldn't sustain.

Match Videos

Lightning vs. Canadiens | NHL Playoff Highlights | Game 4 | April 26, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the final score of Montreal Canadiens vs Tampa Bay Lightning Game 4?

Tampa Bay won 3-2 at Bell Centre (0:0, 2:1, 0:2).

Who scored the game-winning goal?

Brandon Hagel scored in the 56th minute, assisted by Nikita Kucherov and J.J. Moser.

Who scored for Tampa Bay?

Jake Guentzel (40th) and Brandon Hagel twice (42nd and 56th) scored for the Lightning.

Who scored for Montreal?

Zach Bolduc (31st) and Cole Caufield (34th) scored for the Habs.

What is the series score after Game 4?

The Eastern Conference First Round series is tied 2-2; Game 5 is at Amalie Arena.

What happened to Slafkovsky?

Juraj Slafkovsky took a heavy hit during the game and went to the locker room; his condition was not immediately known.

Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

API data: 27 Apr 2026