Key Takeaways
- Montreal Canadiens defeated Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Game 7 to advance to the second round against Buffalo Sabres
- Alex Newhook scored the game-winning goal at 11:07 of the third period, beating goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy
- The Canadiens finished last in 2021-22 and have now achieved a 106-point regular season with a playoff series win
- Martin St. Louis earned his first playoff series win as coach in the same building where he won a Stanley Cup in 2004
The Montreal Canadiens eliminated the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in an epic Game 7 at the Bell Centre on May 3-4, 2026, marking a watershed moment in the franchise's rapid rebuild. Alex Newhook scored the decisive goal with 8:53 remaining in the third period, propelling the youngest playoff team to a second-round matchup against the Buffalo Sabres.
Game 7 Heroics: Canadiens Edge Lightning
The Canadiens jumped out to a 1-0 lead at 18:39 of the first period when captain Nick Suzuki redirected a shot from Kaiden Guhle past Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy. Tampa Bay equalized just over five minutes later on a power-play goal by Dominic James at 13:27 of the opening frame.
After a scoreless second period where Montreal registered zero shots—a first in franchise playoff history—the game remained deadlocked until Newhook's heroics in the third period. The 25-year-old from St. John's, Newfoundland, capitalized on a lucky bounce, batting the puck out of mid-air and banking it off Vasilevskiy into the net.
Game-Winning Moment
"Probably No. 1," Newhook said of where his goal ranks. "A big moment and we needed one as a group, so someone had to do it."
Jakub Dobes made 28 saves in goal for Montreal, while Vasilevskiy stopped 7 shots in the losing effort. The Lightning, Atlantic Division's No. 2 seed, have now been eliminated in the first round for four consecutive seasons.
Rapid Rise: How the Canadiens Rebuilt in Record Time
Just four years after finishing last in the 2021-22 season, the Canadiens completed a remarkable turnaround by securing a 106-point regular season and a playoff series victory. The rebuild began immediately after losing the 2021 Stanley Cup Final, when the franchise installed Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes in the front office and hired Martin St. Louis behind the bench.
The Canadiens drafted Juraj Slafkovsky first overall in 2022, continued accumulating prospects, and added Lane Hutson last season. This year, the young core—featuring Suzuki, Guhle, Slafkovsky, and Hutson—delivered beyond expectations.
"We started this rebuild, and slowly but surely, we drafted some really good players and have an amazing coach," Suzuki said. "Been probably faster than most people expected, but when you get a lot of great players together with a great system and great leadership, things can turn quickly."
Martin St. Louis: From Player to Champion Coach
Martin St. Louis earned his first playoff series win as head coach in the same building where he won a Stanley Cup with the Lightning in 2004. After the Canadiens registered zero shots in the second period, St. Louis delivered an impassioned speech that rallied the team for the third period.
The former Lightning great went viral when broadcast cameras captured him inside the dressing room pounding his chest and re-enacting a scene from "The Wolf of Wall Street," shouting: "We're not leaving! The show keeps going!"
"You can't take the player out of me. I don't try to be in the locker room a lot. To me, this is their space. It's their team, it's not my team. I'm trying to steer them. But every now and then, I've had moments with them. A night like (Sunday), I wanted to be with them, and we had some fun."
— Martin St. Louis, Canadiens Head CoachSuzuki called St. Louis "one of the best coaches in the whole world" who "says the right thing at every single situation and knows how to get the best out of his guys."
"No Reason Why We Can't Make a Deep Run"
With the series win secured, the Canadiens are now eyeing a prolonged playoff run. Defenceman Kaiden Guhle expressed confidence in the team's balanced skill set.
Key Insight
"There's no reason why we can't make a deep run. We have all the pieces. We have guys that can score, we have guys who can kill penalties, block shots, play hard. We have all the tools in here."
Noah Dobson, acquired from the New York Islanders and signed to an eight-year extension, praised the team's composure: "It's been impressive for a young team, I feel like their demeanour and composure is (rare). No matter how big of a moment, the guys handled it."
Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper acknowledged the Canadiens' achievement: "All you can ask of your team... is to get better as you go. And I thought we got better as we went and I thought tonight we played our best game of the series. Sometimes you win the game and not the score."
Frequently Asked Questions
Who scored the game-winning goal in Canadiens vs Lightning Game 7?
Alex Newhook scored the game-winning goal at 11:07 of the third period, giving the Canadiens a 2-1 victory.
Who do the Canadiens play in the second round?
The Canadiens will face the Buffalo Sabres in the second round of the 2026 NHL Playoffs.
How many points did the Canadiens finish with this season?
The Canadiens finished with 106 points in the 2025-26 regular season.