TAMPA, Fla. — The Montreal Canadiens made the most of their limited chances, defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Game 7 on Sunday night to wrap up their Eastern Conference First Round series. Alex Newhook scored the go-ahead goal with 8:53 remaining, while rookie goaltender Jakub Dobes stood tall with 28 saves.
Montreal’s nine shots on goal marked one of the lowest totals for a winning playoff team in NHL history. The Canadiens will now face the Buffalo Sabres in the second round, with Game 1 set for Wednesday night.
Nick Suzuki opened the scoring late in the first period, and Newhook added the winner after capitalizing on a fortunate bounce. Dobes was outstanding throughout the series, helping Montreal overcome long stretches without offense—including nearly 27 minutes without a shot.
The series was tightly contested, with every game decided by one goal and four going to overtime. Lightning coach Jon Cooper praised his team’s effort but noted the tough outcome. Tampa Bay was eliminated in the first round for the fourth straight season.
This victory marks Montreal’s first series win since 2021 and sets up an exciting second-round matchup. The Canadiens showed resilience and timely scoring to advance.
Fans are buzzing as the Habs keep their playoff journey alive heading into the next challenge.