TBL 5–4 MTL Final / SO · W
Lightning/Schedule/Recap Sun, Dec 28, 2025 · 2025-26 regular season
Tampa Bay Lightning
TBL · 22-13-3
5–4
Final / SOW
Montreal Canadiens
MTL · 20-12-6
1ST2ND3RDOTSOT TBL 0331215011521 MTL 01106416020435 goals · shots on goal
Meeting 2 this season — the Lightning lead the season series 2–0
TBL 22-13-3 · MTL 20-12-6 · Meeting 2 this season — the Lightning lead the season series 2–0

Lightning beat the Canadiens

The Lightning were outchanced (4.5 to 3.8 expected goals) but won it in a shootout anyway. The Lightning owned the 2nd period, 2.5 to 1.1 in expected goals.

Who had the better chances

The Canadiens created the better chances: 4.5 expected goals to 3.8, on 35 and 21 shots on goal.

TBL 3.8 xG · 21 shots MTL 4.5 xG · 35 shots
0
1
2
3
4
5
1st 0.4 · 1.3
2nd · the swing 2.5 · 1.1
3rd 0.4 · 1.7
OT 0.5 · 0.5
Tap a numbered goal to see how it happened.
Deserve to winReplay this game 100 times with average goalies and the Lightning win 42.
TBL 42%MTL 58%

Goals and penalties

8 goals · 7 penalties
← Lightning shoot this way Canadiens shoot this way →
On net Missed Bigger = better chance 1Goal, numbered to the list
1st period
PEN
03:50 Max Crozier· Holding
Killed
2 min
Minor
PEN
12:15 Nick Paul· Delaying game puck over glass
Killed
2 min
Minor
PEN
16:46 Arber Xhekaj· Fighting
Offsetting
5 min
Major
PEN
16:46 Scott Sabourin· Fighting
Offsetting
5 min
Major
PEN
18:07 Charle-Edouard D'Astous· Holding
Killed
2 min
Minor
2nd period
1
02:28 Nikita Kucherov
Gage Goncalves · snap shot, a great chance (30%)
1–0
PEN
03:54 Alexandre Texier· Hooking
Killed
2 min
Minor
2
12:11 Nikita Kucherov
Brayden Point, Gage Goncalves · snap shot, a great chance (26%)
2–0
PEN
12:19 Nikita Kucherov· Slashing
Killed
2 min
Minor
3
14:49 Nick Paul
Oliver Bjorkstrand, Maxim Groshev · snap shot on a rebound, a low-percentage shot (6%) that found a way in
3–0
3rd period
4
01:06 Ivan Demidov
Juraj Slafkovský, Noah Dobson · snap shot, a good chance (19%)
3–1
5
01:40 Pontus Holmberg
Oliver Bjorkstrand, Charle-Edouard D'Astous · tip in shot, a low-percentage shot (6%) that found a way in
4–1
6
09:16 Juraj Slafkovský
Oliver Kapanen · snap shot, a low-percentage shot (10%) that found a way in
4–2
7
12:17 Noah Dobson
Cole Caufield, Mike Matheson · snap shot, a low-percentage shot (3%) that found a way in
4–3
8
19:56 Juraj Slafkovský EXTRA ATTACKER
Ivan Demidov, Lane Hutson · snap shot, a good chance (16%)
4–4
Shootout
1 Gage Goncalves Goal
2 Ivan Demidov Miss
3 Brayden Point Goal
4 Cole Caufield Save
Goaltending
+0.5
vs expected
31/35 saves · 4 GA · 4.5 xGA Gave up about what the shots he faced would predict.
−0.2
vs expected
17/21 saves · 4 GA · 3.8 xGA Gave up about what the shots he faced would predict.
Team TBLMTL
Shots on goal
21
35
Expected goals
3.8
4.5
Hits
0
0
Blocks
0
0
Faceoffs
37%
63%
Power play
0/1
0/4
Penalty minutes
0
0
The Lightning went 0-for-1 on the power play and killed all 4 Canadiens power plays.