Montréal Canadiens at Tampa Bay Lightning
NHL game between the Montréal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning on Apr 19, 2026. Final score: Montréal Canadiens 4, Tampa Bay Lightning 3.
| Status | Final |
|---|---|
| Date | Apr 19, 2026 |
| Venue | Benchmark International Arena |
| Series | R1 Game 1: TBL 0-1 MTL |
| Montréal Canadiens score | 4 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning score | 3 |
Shot charts, expected goals (xG), Game Score and advanced box scores for this game are available on Hockey Alchemy.
Three Stars by Game Score
Ranked by Game Score, which rolls goals, assists, shot quality, play-driving and penalties into one number — so the best player is chosen by the box score, not by a vote.
| Player | Pos | G | A | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Juraj Slafkovský | L | 3 | 0 | 7 | 21:11 | 1.49 | 2.15 |
| 2nd | Jake Guentzel | C | 0 | 3 | 4 | 22:57 | 0.14 | 1.77 |
| 3rd | Brandon Hagel | L | 2 | 0 | 3 | 25:25 | 0.67 | 1.50 |
Scoring Summary
| Time | Team | Goal | Assists | Strength | Score (Montréal Canadiens–Tampa Bay Lightning) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st 13:24 | MTL | Josh Anderson | Alexandre Carrier, Mike Matheson | 5v5 | 1–0 |
| 2nd 12:15 | TBL | Darren Raddysh | Nikita Kucherov, Jake Guentzel | 5v4 | 1–1 |
| 2nd 12:44 | TBL | Brandon Hagel | Jake Guentzel, Ryan McDonagh | 5v5 | 1–2 |
| 2nd 19:36 | MTL | Juraj Slafkovský | Ivan Demidov, Cole Caufield | 4v5 | 2–2 |
| 3rd 05:56 | MTL | Juraj Slafkovský | Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki | 4v5 | 3–2 |
| 3rd 08:58 | TBL | Brandon Hagel | Jake Guentzel, Nikita Kucherov | 5v4 | 3–3 |
| OT 01:22 | MTL | Juraj Slafkovský | Lane Hutson, Nick Suzuki | 4v5 | 4–3 |
Team Comparison
| Montréal Canadiens | Tampa Bay Lightning | |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 4 | 3 |
| Shots on goal | 19 | 23 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 3.77 | 1.41 |
| High-danger shots | 16 | 13 |
| Corsi % | 44.9% | 55.1% |
| Power play | 0/0 | 0/0 |
| Faceoff % | 61.0% | 39.0% |
| Hits | 42 | 44 |
| Blocks | 17 | 10 |
| Giveaways | 16 | 7 |
| Takeaways | 6 | 7 |
Montréal Canadiens Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juraj Slafkovský | L | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 21:11 | 1.49 | 2.15 |
| Cole Caufield | R | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 21:11 | 0.56 | 1.43 |
| Nick Suzuki | C | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 22:58 | 0.03 | 1.23 |
| Mike Matheson | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 22:56 | 0.00 | 1.09 |
| Alexandre Carrier | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 18:36 | 0.00 | 0.89 |
| Ivan Demidov | R | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 16:34 | 0.10 | 0.79 |
| Josh Anderson | R | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 14:47 | 0.55 | 0.70 |
| Lane Hutson | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 29:00 | 0.21 | 0.54 |
| Arber Xhekaj | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10:59 | 0.20 | 0.30 |
| Alexandre Texier | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10:32 | 0.18 | 0.20 |
| Kirby Dach | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10:58 | 0.00 | 0.10 |
| Jake Evans | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15:16 | 0.00 | 0.10 |
| Jayden Struble | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12:33 | 0.00 | 0.10 |
| Phillip Danault | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13:19 | 0.27 | 0.05 |
| Alex Newhook | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16:23 | 0.06 | 0.00 |
| Oliver Kapanen | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8:25 | 0.11 | 0.00 |
| Kaiden Guhle | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21:21 | 0.00 | -0.05 |
| Zachary Bolduc | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9:10 | 0.01 | -0.10 |
Tampa Bay Lightning Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jake Guentzel | C | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 22:57 | 0.14 | 1.77 |
| Brandon Hagel | L | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 25:25 | 0.67 | 1.50 |
| Nikita Kucherov | R | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 17:38 | 0.11 | 1.28 |
| Ryan McDonagh | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 21:19 | 0.00 | 0.94 |
| Darren Raddysh | D | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 23:55 | 0.25 | 0.90 |
| Nick Paul | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13:47 | 0.04 | 0.40 |
| Erik Cernak | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 20:53 | 0.13 | 0.25 |
| Emil Lilleberg | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17:27 | 0.00 | 0.25 |
| Anthony Cirelli | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17:35 | 0.01 | 0.20 |
| J.J. Moser | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22:12 | 0.00 | 0.20 |
| Corey Perry | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8:42 | 0.01 | 0.15 |
| Dominic James | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7:18 | 0.00 | 0.10 |
| Zemgus Girgensons | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12:42 | 0.02 | 0.05 |
| Charle-Edouard D'Astous | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9:35 | 0.01 | 0.05 |
| Brayden Point | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18:30 | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Gage Goncalves | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10:43 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Conor Geekie | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8:12 | 0.00 | -0.05 |
| Yanni Gourde | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17:37 | 0.00 | -0.10 |
Goaltending
| Goalie | Team | SV | SA | SV% | GSAx | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jakub Dobes | Montréal Canadiens | 20 | 23 | 87.0% | -2.00 | W |
| Andrei Vasilevskiy | Tampa Bay Lightning | 15 | 19 | 78.9% | -2.42 | L |
Analysis
The Montréal Canadiens defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 4–3 on Apr 19, 2026, a one-goal game.
Tampa Bay Lightning generated 1.41 expected goals to Montréal Canadiens's 3.77 — Montréal Canadiens edged the chance share as well as the scoreline.
Juraj Slafkovský led all skaters with a Game Score of 2.15 on 3 goals, 7 shots on goal.
Jakub Dobes stopped 20 of 23, worth -2.0 goals saved above expected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Montréal Canadiens vs Tampa Bay Lightning game?
The Montréal Canadiens beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4–3 on Apr 19, 2026.
What was the final score?
The final score was Montréal Canadiens 4, Tampa Bay Lightning 3.
Who was the best player in this game?
By Game Score — a single-number summary of everything a skater did — Juraj Slafkovský led all skaters at 2.15, on 3G, 0A and 7 shots on goal.
Which team deserved to win by expected goals?
Tampa Bay Lightning generated 1.41 expected goals and Montréal Canadiens generated 3.77, so Montréal Canadiens created the better chances. That matches the result.
What were the shot totals?
Montréal Canadiens put 19 shots on goal and Tampa Bay Lightning put 23. High-danger chances went 16 to 13.