Sunday’s Game 7 between the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning was the conclusion of one of the most tightly contested playoff series in Stanley Cup Playoff history.
It was only fitting that the series ended with another one-goal game that saw the Habs escape with a 2-1 victory for the franchise’s first series win since making a run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021.
The Canadiens and Lightning entered the series with the same number of regular-season points (106), mirroring the first-round series where the clubs went blow for blow down to the final whistle.
Seven one-goal games
Each of the seven games in the series was decided by one goal, making it just the third series in NHL history with seven one-goal games, joining the Washington Capitals and Boston Bruins series in 2012 and the New York Rangers and Capitals series in 2015.
| Away Team | Game Score | Home Team |
|---|---|---|
| Montreal Canadiens | 4-3 (OT) | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| Montreal Canadiens | 3-2 (OT) | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 3-2 (OT) | Montreal Canadiens |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 3-2 | Montreal Canadiens |
| Montreal Canadiens | 3-2 | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 1-0 (OT) | Montreal Canadiens |
| Montreal Canadiens | 2-1 | Tampa Bay Lightning |
Four games in the series went to overtime, tied for the second-most overtimes in a seven-game series. Only three playoff series in NHL history needed five overtimes to be decided: Canadiens- Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1950-51 Stanley Cup Final, the Chicago Blackhawks and then-Phoenix Coyotes in the 2011-12 first round, and Maple Leafs-Capitals in 2016-17.
Entering Sunday’s Game 7, the goals in the series were tied at 14 apiece. After Sunday’s 2-1 win, the Canadiens emerged with a 16-15 goal advantage across the seven games, including 11-10 at even strength, while each team scored five goals with the man advantage.
The Lightning controlled the only one-sided part of the series in last night’s Game 7. After allowing Nick Suzuki’s opening goal late in the first period, they held the Canadiens without a shot on net for the next 26:55 of game time, including the entire second period. It was the first time in Canadiens history that the team had been held without a shot on goal for an entire period.
“When you come back from a period like that, it’s physically and mentally draining. It takes a bit of the wind out of your sails,” said Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis. “We put things back into perspective -- the situation we were in. It was a 1-1 in a winner-take-all game. We had to forget about that period and get our rhythm back.”
The Canadiens finished the game with two goals on nine shots, the fewest shots on goal by a team in a Game 7 victory but did just enough to earn the win thanks to Alex Newhook’s third-period game-winning marker.
Fewest shots on goal by a team in a #StanleyCup Playoff Game 7 win:
— StatsCentre (@StatsCentre) May 4, 2026
9- @CanadiensMTL (Tonight in their 2-1 victory that clinches their 1st Round series vs TB)
13- Penguins (1999 CQF vs NJ)
15- Lightning (2004 SCF vs CGY)
16- Wild (2003 CSF vs VAN)
16- Canadiens (2010 CQF vs WSH)
“Sometimes, in games like this … the hockey gods kind of turned in our favour,” said Canadiens centre Phillip Danault. “We have to admit it. Things went our way.”
Jakub Dobes stopped 28 of 29 Lightning shots in what was arguably his best performance of the playoffs to keep the Canadiens in the game.
“Tonight, what did we have, nine shots, 10 shots?,” St. Louis said. “I felt like tonight they deserved better. I felt like Game 6 we probably deserved better and Dobes kind of stole the game. Similar to the way [Andrei Vasilevskiy] stole the game in Game 6 in my mind. You need a little bit of everything and that’s what we got this series.”
Always within reach
The best-of-seven series was always within striking distance for either team.
There was only one two-goal lead held over the course of the series, by the Canadiens for 5:37 in Game 4, a game where Tampa Bay rallied for their only regulation win of the series.
The rest of the series was either tied or played within one goal. The Canadiens held the lead for 127 minutes (121:23 with a one-goal lead), while the Bolts led for 27:12. The teams were tied for the other 291:10 of the series.
The score was tied for 65 per cent of the series, while the Canadiens led for 28.5 per cent and the Lightning only 6.5 per cent of the series time. The score had been tied or within one goal for 98.74 per cent of the total playing time (439:45 of 445:22).
“We knew we just needed to come in here tonight and anything can happen in a Game 7,” Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki said. “I think all seven games could’ve went either way for either team. It was definitely a chess match the whole time out there.”
The Canadiens will now head to Buffalo for their second-round series against the Sabres, which is set to begin on Wednesday.
