And now, following the Lightning\u2019s 3-2 victory, this best-of-seven opening-round series comes down to a best-of-three. And the Canadiens will have to win at least once more on the road.<\/p>\n
![\"Montreal](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0426-spt-habs_302804212.jpg\")
Montreal Canadiens\u2019 Jakub Dobes has words with Tampa Bay Lightning\u2019s Brandon Hagel in the second period of Game 4 of the National Hockey League playoff series at the Bell Centre on Sunday, April 26, 2026. John Mahoney \/ Montreal Gazette<\/p>\n
The definition of insanity: There\u2019s absolutely no excuse for squandering a two-goal lead at home \u2014\u00a0a fate that befell the Canadiens. Montreal could have taken a stranglehold on this series last Tuesday, but failed to protect a 2-1 third-period lead<\/a> and lost in overtime on the road. And now this, five days later. Should the Lightning ultimately prevail, the Canadiens will have all summer to contemplate the ones that got away.<\/p>\n Hit of the night, and perhaps the series: Juraj Slafkovsky<\/a> didn\u2019t see Max Crozier coming at him late in the second period. The play occurred in the neutral zone. Slafkovsky turned and skated into Crozier. The Lightning defenceman, a healthy scratch until now in the series, absolutely destroyed Slafkovsky \u2014 who, amazingly, wasn\u2019t concussed on the play and returned for the start of the third period.<\/p>\n The visitors were trailing 2-0 at the time of the hit. It changed the momentum of the game \u2014\u00a0and perhaps the series. It also rekindled memories of Tom Wilson lambasting Alexandre Carrier in last season\u2019s opening round.<\/p>\n Late goals kill: Tampa Bay\u2019s comeback began with Jake Guentzel\u2019s goal in the final minute of the second period. Brandon Hagel, with the first of his two goals, tied the game with a power-play score before the third period was two minutes old.<\/p>\n Strange, but true (Part I): Hagel has scored six of the Lightning\u2019s 11 goals in the series. Perhaps we shouldn\u2019t be surprised. Hagel scored a career-high 36 goals in 71 games this season.<\/p>\n Strange, but true (Part II): Each game of this series has seen the winning team come from behind.<\/p>\n One that got away: After being drafted by Buffalo in the sixth round (159th overall) in 2016 \u2014 but not offered a contract \u2014\u00a0Hagel attended the Canadiens\u2019 rookie and development camp on a tryout basis two years later. No offer was made to the 6-foot-2, 186-pound left-winger. How good would he look in a Montreal uniform right about now?<\/p>\n Serenity now: It now has become common knowledge Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis<\/a> likes to unwind following games by watching reruns of Seinfeld. This episode might have come in handy Sunday night.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n News you need (Part I): The Lightning improved to 15-7 in the fourth game of a series. But luck hasn\u2019t always been on its side when trailing 2-1. Tampa Bay is now 7-8 overall, including 4-6 on the road.<\/p>\n News you need (Part II): Following the game, the Canadiens announced defenceman David Reinbacher<\/a>, yet to play in the series, has been loaned to AHL Laval. The Rocket begins the playoffs Wednesday at Place Bell in a best-of-five series against the Toronto Marlies.<\/p>\n News you need (Part III): Zachary Bolduc\u2019s opening goal, 10 minutes into the second period, was his first career playoff score.<\/p>\n Dumb penalty: Yanni Gourde\u2019s cross-check on Mike Matheson in the first period, leaving Tampa Bay two men short for 12 seconds.<\/p>\n That\u2019s using your head: Oliver Kapanen\u2019s shot in the first period struck Andrei Vasilevskiy in the mask.<\/p>\n That\u2019s using your body: Hagel\u2019s game-winning goal, with less than five minutes remaining in regulation, deflected off his chest.<\/p>\n And the Oscar goes to \u2026 (Part I): Nikita Kucherov, who has a history of these things, fell like he was shot in the second period after Josh Anderson<\/a> harmlessly skated into him.<\/p>\n And the Oscar goes to \u2026 (Part II): Kucherov was at it again in the third. While the Canadiens were already shorthanded, Jake Evans hit the Russian forward from behind. Kucherov crashed into the boards despite barely being touched. Evans was called for cross-checking, leaving the Canadiens two men short for 1:11. Miraculously, Kucherov returned to the ice \u2014\u00a0almost immediately. Evans, meanwhile, was incredulous following the call.<\/p>\n Great moments in officiating: Among the many controversial penalties assessed was Matheson\u2019s high-sticking minor on Guentzel in the third period. Matheson justifiably threw his arms up in disgust.<\/p>\n Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice \u2026: It seemed like poetic justice when Kucherov was penalized for slashing Matheson late in the third period. But the Canadiens failed to score with the man advantage.<\/p>\n Next time, decline the penalty: The Lightning went 1-for 7 on the power play. The Canadiens were 1-for-6.<\/p>\n Quick stats: Kaiden Guhle had 11 hits. Arber Xhekaj, despite playing only 8:18, had six hits \u2014 one more than Evans. Nick Suzuki had a team-high three shots. He also had four hits and blocked four shots. Lane Hutson played 26:15. Jakub Dobes\u2019s save percentage was .850.<\/p>\n They said it: \u201cWe knew it was going to be a long series and it wasn\u2019t going to be easy,\u201d said Cole Caufield, who scored his first goal<\/a> this post-season. \u201cObviously this feeling sucks, but you\u2019ve got to move on. We can\u2019t dwell on it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think we\u2019re still in a great spot,\u201d Matheson said. \u201cWe just need to go to Tampa and bring our game. They\u2019re a good team, and so are we. <\/p>\n \u201c(The officiating) was definitely frustrating,\u201d he added. \u201cIt\u2019s out of our control and we can\u2019t worry about it too much. Ultimately we got our chances. We just couldn\u2019t bury them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s playoff hockey,\u201d Guhle said. \u201cStuff happens. Bounces. Whatever you want to call it. It\u2019s part of the game. We\u2019re just trying to play our game. There were a couple calls on both sides probably that were off. Hopefully the next time the puck doesn\u2019t go off a guy\u2019s face into the net.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Montreal](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0426-spt-habs_302803608.jpg\")
Montreal Canadiens\u2019 Juraj Slafkovsky grimaces after taking a hit from Tampa Bay Lightning\u2019s Max Crozier in the second period of Game 4 of the National Hockey League playoff series at the Bell Centre on Sunday, April 26, 2026. John Mahoney \/ Montreal Gazette<\/p>\n![\"Tampa](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0426-spt-habs_302804134.jpg\")
Tampa Bay Lightning\u2019s Brandon Hagel scores his first of two goals on Montreal Canadiens goalie Jakub Dobes in the third period of Game 4 of the National Hockey League playoff series at the Bell Centre on Sunday April 26, 2026. John Mahoney \/ Montreal Gazette<\/p>\n![\"Montreal](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0426-spt-habs_302803614.jpg\")
Montreal Canadiens\u2019 Zachary Bolduc celebrates after scoring a goal on Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy while being checked by Tampa defenceman Darren Raddysh in the second period of Game 4 of the National Hockey League playoff series at the Bell Centre on Sunday,\u00a0April 26, 2026. John Mahoney \/ Montreal Gazette<\/p>\n![\"Montreal](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0426-spt-habs_302803074.jpg\")
Montreal Canadiens goalie Jakub Dobes scrambles to get back to his net as Alex Newhook, Mike Matheson and Kaiden Guhle try to tie up Tampa Bay Lightning\u2019s Nikita Kucherov in the first period of Game 4 of the National Hockey League playoff series at the Bell Centre on Sunday April 26, 2026. John Mahoney \/ Montreal Gazette<\/p>\n![\"Montreal](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0426-spt-habs_302804956.jpg\")
Montreal Canadiens\u2019 Jake Evans is escorted to the penalty box after cross-checking Tampa Bay Lightning\u2019s Nikita Kucherov in the third period of Game 4 of the National Hockey League playoff series at the Bell Centre on Sunday, April 26, 2026. John Mahoney \/ Montreal Gazette<\/p>\n![\"Montreal](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0426-spt-habs_302803604.jpg\")
Montreal Canadiens\u2019 Cole Caufield celebrates his goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning with Juraj Slafkovsky and Nick Suzuki in the second period of Game 4 of the National Hockey League playoff series at the Bell Centre on Sunday, April 26, 2026. John Mahoney \/ Montreal Gazette<\/p>\n