Canadiens defeat Lightning in Game 7, advance to face Sabres in second round

The Canadiens failed to register a shot on goal in a playoff period for the first time in franchise history Sunday, outshot 12-0 in the second despite going on the power play twice.

The win nevertheless capped an epic series against the Lightning, a compelling matchup between a young Montreal group launching its competitive window and an experienced Lightning aiming to add to its legacy.

The series featured seven one-goal games and four overtimes after both teams finished with 106 points in the regular season. The Canadiens could have won the series in Game 6 on Friday, but the Lightning staved off elimination with a thrilling 1-0 overtime win at the Bell Centre.

Montreal is the only Canadian team still standing after the Ottawa Senators and Edmonton Oilers bowed out in the first round. Tampa Bay, meanwhile, exits in the opening round for the fourth straight year after making three consecutive trips to the Stanley Cup final, including championships in 2020 and 2021.

Winning a playoff round — especially against the Lightning — marks another step in a remarkable rise for the Canadiens, who sat fifth-last in the NHL standings just two seasons ago.

The franchise embarked on the first full-scale rebuild in its storied history after a disastrous start to the 2021-22 season, on the heels of a Cup final loss to Tampa Bay.

Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield remained foundational pieces through a regime change that saw Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes take over the front office. Behind the bench, the Canadiens turned to Hall of Famer Martin St. Louis despite his famously limited coaching experience.

Montreal finished last in 2021-22 and drafted Juraj Slafkovsky first overall that summer. A pair of 28th-place finishes followed — expected growing pains after a teardown — before the Canadiens snapped a three-year playoff drought last season, losing a five-game first-round series to Washington.

Now they stand among the NHL’s final eight after beating the Lightning — the very model of sustained contention the Canadiens set out to emulate when their rebuild began.

The Sabres are next. And it could be another closely contested affair.

The NHL’s best team after Jan. 1, Buffalo snapped a 14-year playoff drought and won the Atlantic Division title with 109 points this season.

A young core led by captain Rasmus Dahlin and forward Tage Thompson also helped lead the Sabres past the Bruins for the franchise’s first series win since 2007.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 3, 2026.

Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

Canadiens defeat Lightning in Game 7, advance to face Sabres in second round

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