TAMPA, Fla. — The Canadiens’ first trip to Amalie Arena since the Lightning won their second straight Stanley Cup in July was very different than that memorable night.
These teams already are going in different directions, with the Lightning leading the league in points and Montreal more likely to land the No. 1 overall draft pick. But they both have been affected by COVID-19.
Four Lightning players (including both goaltenders) and two coaches (including head coach Jon Cooper) were in COVID protocol, forcing the Lightning to call up Maxime Lagace to start Tuesday’s game.
The Lightning also were without regulars Anthony Cirelli and Mikhail Sergachev. The latter’s absence opened the door for rookie defenseman Sean Day to make his NHL debut. The Canadiens traveled to Tampa with nine players in COVID protocol, their roster Tuesday filled with AHL callups.
Corey Perry’s goal with 19.7 seconds remaining in regulation sent the Lightning to their 12th overtime game this season. Perry, who helped Montreal to the Cup final last season, scored in front of the net off a feed from Brayden Point, who scored twice in his first game back from injury.
Ondrej Palat scored 26 seconds into the 3-on-3 overtime, his team-high sixth game-winning goal this season.
Canadiens defenseman David Savard, a member of last season’s Lightning Cup team, took advantage of a turnover in the Tampa Bay zone, scoring a go-ahead goal with 6:51 left in the third period. Savard telegraphed rookie Gabriel Fortier’s bad pass at the blue line, jumping up to intercept it, juked past Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman and beat Lagace.
But the Lightning weren’t done, with Perry getting the equalizer with seconds to spare. Playing in his first game in nearly two weeks, Lagace made 27 saves, but allowed two third-period goals.
Point was still the best player on the ice as he returned to action after missing the past 14 games over a five-week stretch with a shoulder injury.
He scored his two goals over a two-minute, 32-second stretch, putting the Lightning up 2-1 going into the first intermission.
Point was close to recording a hat trick. He hit the post twice, was turned away on a one-timer in the slot and had a takeaway that created an open shot in front of the net that went wide.
