NHL · Season 2025
Moser's overtime goal lifts Lightning past Canadiens 3-2. Hagel scored, Kucherov tied it late; Vasilevskiy made 25 saves — series tied 1-1.
Match Videos
Player Ratings
1.0 – 10.0J.J. Moser
Overtime winner at 12:48 — slid a puck past Jakub Dobes from the slot. First career playoff goal, and an OT winner.
Brandon Hagel
Goal in the first period and primary assist on Kucherov's tying strike — the kind of two-way 200-foot game Tampa needs.
Andrei Vasilevskiy
25 saves on 27. Held Montreal off in overtime with the series swinging on every shift.
Lane Hutson
Power-play goal at 16:11 of the first period — converted a Suzuki-Caufield setup with the unflappable poise of a 22-year-old in his second playoff run.
Match Events
E. Cernak
Roughing
Roughing
Roughing
Roughing
Roughing
Interference
Roughing
Roughing
Roughing
Roughing
High sticking
C. Caufield
Cross-checking
Roughing
Unsportsmanlike conduct
Fighting
Fighting
Hooking
Roughing
Tripping
B. Hagel
Interference
Match Analysis
AI SummaryMoser's First Career Playoff Goal Comes in Overtime — Lightning Even the Series
J.J. Moser scored at 12:48 of overtime to give the Tampa Bay Lightning a 3-2 win against the Montreal Canadiens in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round on Tuesday at Benchmark International Arena. Brandon Hagel had a goal and an assist, Nikita Kucherov tied it at 12:33 of the third period, and Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 25 of 27 to keep Tampa Bay alive after a Game 1 overtime loss. Moser is the first player in Lightning history with his first career playoff goal as an OT winner.
Tampa Bay Lightning – Montreal Canadiens 3-2 (OT) (1-1, 0-1, 1-0 — 1-0)
Goals: 9. Hagel (Guentzel, Cernak), 53. Kucherov (Cirelli, Hagel), 73. Moser (Cirelli) – 17. L. Hutson (Suzuki, Caufield, PP), 39. J. Anderson (Danault, J. Evans).
Goalies: Vasilevskiy (25 saves on 27) – Dobes (31 saves on 34). Shots: 34-27 TBL.
/series: 1-1/
Hagel Strikes, Hutson Answers
Tampa took the lead at 8:40 of the first when Brandon Hagel cashed a Guentzel feed off the rush — Erik Cernak picked up the secondary assist for what was a sweet redirect after Tampa's neutral-zone speed. Montreal answered on the power play at 16:11 — Lane Hutson on the receiving end of a Nick Suzuki cross-ice setup, with Cole Caufield's traffic causing Vasilevskiy to lose his sightline.
Anderson's Lead, Kucherov's Tying Strike
Josh Anderson put Montreal ahead at 18:36 of the second after a Danault-Evans setup, beating Vasilevskiy on a one-timer from the slot. The Lightning trailed entering the third with their season on the line. Hagel found Kucherov at the back post at 12:33, and the captain wired it home for a 2-2 game.
"Just take your time and take a shot," Moser said. "We talked about putting a lot more pucks on net."
Moser Buries It in OT
Overtime began with both teams pressing. At 12:48 of the extra session, Anthony Cirelli won a board battle and slid the puck to Moser in the high slot. The defenseman snapped a wrist shot past Dobes — the first career playoff goal of his career, and an overtime winner. The Benchmark International Arena erupted.
"When there are obstacles in the way, they'll try and get through it," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said postgame.
What It Means
Tampa Bay evened the series 1-1 and avoided the kind of road trip to Montreal that turns a season into folklore. The series shifts to Bell Centre on Friday with Slafkovsky still riding his Game 1 hat trick into a hostile road environment. The Lightning's championship core has been here before — and Moser, with one swing, just made his name part of the franchise's playoff history.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the final score of Lightning vs Canadiens in Game 2?
Tampa Bay Lightning defeated Montreal Canadiens 3-2 in overtime (1-1, 0-1, 1-0 — 1-0).
Who scored the overtime winner?
J.J. Moser at 12:48 of overtime — assisted by Anthony Cirelli.
Who scored for Tampa Bay?
Brandon Hagel (1st), Nikita Kucherov (3rd, tying goal) and J.J. Moser (OT) scored for the Lightning.
Who scored for Montreal?
Lane Hutson (1st period, PP) and Josh Anderson (2nd period) scored for the Canadiens.
Was this an OT debut for Moser?
Yes — Moser became the first player in Tampa Bay Lightning history with his first career playoff goal being an overtime winner.
What is the series state after Game 2?
The Eastern Conference First Round is tied 1-1; the series shifts to Bell Centre in Montreal for Games 3 and 4.
Match Summary
Tampa Bay Lightning defeated Montreal Canadiens 3:2 after ot. The match was played in NHL 2025. Goals were scored by B. Hagel 8′, L. Hutson 16′, J. Anderson 18′, N. Kucherov 12′, J. Moser 12′. Score by period: P1: 1–1, P2: 0–1, P3: 1–0, OT: 1–0.
Match Context
Stanley Cup Playoffs — Eastern Conference First Round, Game 2
Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Benchmark International Arena. Tampa Bay had dropped Game 1 in overtime to Montreal and needed a home win to avoid going to Bell Centre 0-2.
Pre-Match Analysis
Tampa Bay Lightning Form
Tampa Bay lost a heartbreaker in Game 1 — a Juraj Slafkovsky overtime hat trick — and needed a structural response from Andrei Vasilevskiy and the top-six.
Montreal Canadiens Form
Montreal arrived emboldened by Slafkovsky's Game 1 hat trick; Lane Hutson and Cole Caufield were finding chemistry.
Head to Head
The franchises met in the playoffs for the first time since the 2021 Stanley Cup Final, which Tampa Bay won.
Match Report
Brandon Hagel opened the scoring at 8:40 of the first period (assists: Guentzel, Cernak), only for Lane Hutson to even it at 16:11 on the power play after a Suzuki-Caufield setup. Josh Anderson put Montreal ahead at 18:36 of the second (Danault, Evans). With his team trailing in the third, Nikita Kucherov tied it at 12:33 from a Brandon Hagel feed. In overtime, J.J. Moser slid a puck past Jakub Dobes at 12:48 — the first career playoff goal of his career, and an overtime winner.
Turning Point
Kucherov's tying goal at 12:33 of the third period — Hagel found him at the back post and Tampa Bay's top line saved the night with the season on the line.
Tampa Bay evened the best-of-seven series 1-1 and avoided the 0-2 hole. Moser became the first player in Lightning history with his first career playoff goal being an overtime winner.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs Montreal Canadiens Head to Head Results
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API data: 15 May 2026