Brandon Hagel gave Tampa Bay the lead, but Kirby Dach answered for Montreal as the Canadiens and Lightning will head to the third period of Game 3 tied at 2-2.
The series is deadlocked at one game apiece after the teams traded overtime wins in Tampa Bay.
The Canadiens will start the third with 1:30 remaining on a minor to Darren Raddysh.
Hagel gave the Lightning their first lead of the game 4:47 into the frame. After a turnover at centre ice, Tampa took the puck back into the Habs’ zone, and Hagel was able to fire a bouncing puck past Dobes for his fourth of the series.
Following the goal, offsetting minors were called on Dobes and Erik Cernak for unsportsmanlike conduct. The teams traded glorious chances at 4-on-4. First, Ivan Demidov was sent in alone but was stopped by Andrei Vasilevskiy, while J.J. Moser was also turned away after finding himself alone in front of Dobes.
Dach evened the score at 12:43 when his wrist shot bounced off a Lightning defender in front and slipped through Vasilevskiy’s five-hole for his first of the postseason.
The Canadiens started the period on the penalty kill with Mike Matheson in the box for tripping, but were able to kill it off. Montreal was also able to kill off a high-sticking minor against Demidov, making Tampa 1-for-4 with the man advantage through two periods.
The Canadiens had their own chance to restore the lead with a power play late in the period but were unable to capitalize on three-straight Lightning penalties late in the second.
