Brandon Hagel stays hot as Lightning knot series with Habs
Brandon Hagel stays hot as Lightning knot series with Habs
Field Level MediaMon, April 27, 2026 at 2:11 AM UTC
0
Apr 26, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Tampa Bay Lightning center Jake Guentzel (59) reacts after scoring a goal against the Montreal Canadiens during the second period in game four of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)
Brandon Hagel scored his second goal of the game with 4:53 remaining in the third period to lift the Tampa Lightning to a 3-2 win over the Canadiens on Sunday night in Montreal.
The Lightning rallied from a 2-0 second-period deficit to even their Eastern Conference first-round series at two games apiece. The best-of-seven series shifts back to Tampa for Game 5 on Wednesday night.
The Lightning were unable to score during a 5-on-3 power play in the third period, but minutes later they broke a 2-2 tie. Nikita Kucherov put the puck on net from along the right boards and it deflected off Hagel in front and into the net.
It was Hagel's sixth goal of the series, and he has scored at least one goal in all four games.
Tampa Bay survived a 6-on-4 stretch in the final minutes when Montreal got a power play and then pulled goalie Jakob Dobes for the extra attacker.
The three previous games between No. 2 seed Tampa Bay and No. 3 seed Montreal had ended in overtime.
Advertisement
Jake Guentzel had a goal and an assist, Kucherov and J.J. Moser each had two assists and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 16 saves for the Lightning.
Zachary Bolduc and Cole Caufield scored for the Canadiens and Dobes made 17 saves.
Bolduc gave the Canadiens a 1-0 lead at 10:06 of the second period. He gathered in Kaiden Guhle's long pass, went to the net, and when Vasilevskiy attempted to poke the puck away, it deflected in off Bolduc.
Caufield made it 2-0 at 13:20 during a power play. Nick Suzuki passed in front from below the left circle and Caufield knocked it home from in front.
Guentzel pulled the Lightning within 2-1 with 54 seconds remaining in the period. He worked a give-and-go with Moser at the top of the zone, went to the net and deflected Moser's return pass by Dobes.
Hagel tied the game with a power-play goal at 1:40 of the third period. Guentzel passed down to Kucherov below the right circle and Kucherov centered to Hagel for the tip in from just above the crease.
--Field Level Media
Source: “AOL Sports”
