TAMPA, Fla. – Nikita Kucherov scored twice, Gage Gonsalves added two assists and scored the deciding goal in the shootout. Tampa Bay Lightning restrained Montreal Canadiens 5-4 on Sunday.
Oliver Bjorkstrand had two assists for Tampa Bay. Nick Paul and Pontus Holmberg also scored for the Lightning, who won their fourth straight game. Jonas Johansson stopped 32 shots and stopped both attempts in the shootout.
Juraj Slafkowski scored twice, including the tying goal with 3.8 seconds left, and added an assist as Montreal took advantage of 3-0 and 4-1 deficits in the third period to earn a point. Noah Dobson had a goal and an assist, and Ivan Demidov also scored for the Canadiens. Jacob Fowler finished with 18 saves for Montreal, which played its first game back from the Christmas break.
Kucherov scored two of Tampa Bay's three goals in the second period.
Goncalves fed Kucherov for the break at 2:28 seconds. Kucherov scored again at 12:11 when Goncalves missed a chance to go 2-on-1 wide of the goal, but Brayden Point grabbed the rebound and quickly fed Kucherov the ball above the penalty area.
Paul made it 3-0 at 14:49.
Demidov broke up Johansson's goal at 1:06 of the third period with a pass over the paint to Slafkovsky. But Holmberg answered 34 seconds later, deflecting a pass from Bjorkstrand to score in his fourth straight game. Montreal then scored three goals in the final 10:44 of the third.
Slafkowski started the comeback at 9:16 early and Dobson scored at 12:17 to make it a one-goal game.
Earlier Sunday, Tampa Bay activated Brandon Hagel from injured reserve after missing four games and placed defenseman Ryan McDonagh on injured reserve, three games after he returned from an 18-game absence.
Canadiens: Tuesday against the Florida Panthers.
Lightning: Wednesday at Anaheim Ducks Stadium.
