Brandon Hagel Leads Tampa Bay Lightning to Comeback Victory Against Montreal Canadiens
The Tampa Bay Lightning staged an impressive multi-goal comeback, ultimately defeating the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 in Game 4, thereby leveling the series at 2-2. This triumph marked their first road multi-goal comeback since Game 5 of the 2016 Easter Conference Finals, highlighting the intensity and competitiveness of the current playoffs, where this was only the second multi-goal comeback in the postseason, the first being achieved by the Buffalo Sabres in Game 1 against the Bruins.
Game Summary and Key Moments
The initial period saw both teams struggle offensively, with Montreal managing nine shots on goal compared to Tampa’s six. Notably, four of Tampa’s attempts came from key players Braden Point and Nikita Kucherov, each contributing two shots. Neither team capitalized on power play opportunities during the first period, maintaining a scoreless table.
The Canadiens took the lead ten minutes into the second period when Zachary Bolduc netted his first playoff goal by redirecting a shot past Tampa’s goalie, placing Montreal ahead 1-0. Immediately following, Tampa Bay failed to equalize during a power play opportunity after Alex Newhook received a hooking penalty. This miss allowed the Canadiens to extend their lead further when Cole Caufield scored on the power play, marking his first goal of the playoffs and putting Montreal up 2-0.
Pivotal Penalties and Shift in Momentum
The game’s physicality escalated sharply following Caufield’s goal, with both teams exchanging penalties for roughing, leading to a brief four-on-four situation. It was in this environment that Tampa’s Jake Guentzel managed to break through, scoring his first goal of the series with just 54 seconds remaining in the second period, narrowing Montreal’s lead to 2-1 as Tampa entered the final frame determined to reverse the course of the match.
Third Period Resurgence
Carrying the momentum into the third period, the Lightning quickly struck back. Brandon Hagel registered his fifth goal of the series, scoring the team’s first power play goal of the game and effectively tying the match at 2-2. Assists on the goal were credited to both Kucherov, who had four assists, and Guentzel, who tallied his sixth assist of the series.
Afterward, the Lightning was afforded a significant 5-on-3 advantage as Montreal incurred penalties from Mike Mathewson and Jake Evans. Though Montreal initially killed both penalties, Hagel seized the opportunity to score again, this time assisted beautifully by Kucherov, giving the Lightning a 3-2 lead.
Closing Out the Game
In a desperate bid to equalize, the Canadiens pulled their goalie with 1:40 left in the third period to gain a 6-on-4 advantage; however, the Lightning’s defense held firm. Despite sustaining significant physical contact throughout the match, Tampa Bay managed to secure the victory, outshooting Montreal 20-18, even as they were heavily out-hit 51-28.
With the series tied, attention now shifts to Game 5 scheduled for April 29th in Tampa Bay, where both teams will be eager to gain the upper hand as they head deeper into the playoff battle.
