Juraj Slafkovský scored a power-play goal in the second period Monday night to tie Game 1 between the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning at 2.
The goal came on a one-timer from Ivan Demidov and gave Montreal a timely answer in the middle frame of the MTL@TBL opener. It was the kind of play that can settle a playoff game for a moment, especially when the score is tight and every chance feels heavier than the last.
The Canadiens needed the equalizer in a game that had already swung once, and Slafkovský delivered it on the man advantage. Montreal’s finish came during Game 1, with the teams still feeling out the first shifts of the series and trying to seize control early.
That is what makes the goal matter now: in a playoff opener, one strike can change the tone, and this one came with the game level again. For Montreal, the moment belonged to Slafkovský, and the setup from Demidov turned a needed chance into the kind of score that can linger through the rest of the night.