J.J. Moser scored 12:48 into overtime Tuesday night and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 in Game 2, pulling the first-round playoff series even at 1-1. The winner came after Nikita Kucherov forced overtime with a goal late in the third period, and Tampa Bay finally broke through at home after a long postseason skid.
Brandon Hagel had a Gordie Howe hat trick with a goal, an assist and a fight, and Kucherov also scored for the Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 25 shots as Tampa Bay snapped four consecutive home playoff losses and improved after dropping 10 of its previous 11 home postseason games. The streak had dated to Game 4 against Colorado in the 2022 Stanley Cup Final.
Kucherov tied it at 12:33 of the third period with a wrap-around after collecting a deflected puck off Hagel’s stick. It was his first playoff goal since April 19, 2023, ending a stretch of 17 postseason games without one. Jakub Dobes made 31 saves for Montreal, while Lane Hutson and Josh Anderson scored for the Canadiens.
The series now shifts to Montreal for Game 3 on Friday night and Game 4 on Sunday. Tampa Bay left with more than a split; it left with a road map back into the series and a reminder that one of its biggest names can still turn a game when it matters most.
