For a while, it looked like the Tampa Bay Lightning were on their way to another miserable loss.  But give the Bolts credit.  They stormed back from a 3-0 deficit by scoring three goals in the final 5:56 of the third period to force overtime.  Montreal won the shootout 1-0 and takes the game by a final of 4-3.  The Lightning did get themselves a much needed point but they lose for the 5^th consecutive time. 

Anders Lindback and Carey Price were the starting goalies for this one.  Lindback made some acrobatic saves early when the Lightning were on the power play.  Montreal had a 2-on-1 chance for a short-handed goal but they were denied by Lindback.  Lindback came up with two more amazing saves later on a Canadiens power play, including a stick save on a shot by Andrei Markov.  The Lightning committed some bad penalties in the first period and with less than one minute left in the opening period, Montreal made them pay.  Brian Gionta deflected a shot past Lindback for a 1-0 Canadiens lead after one period of play.  The Bolts were whistled for 5 penalties in the first period alone.

Things didn’t get a whole lot better in the second period.  P.K. Subban beat Lindback to make it 2-0 Montreal.  Tampa Bay had a number of power play opportunities but couldn’t cash in.  In fact, they went two straight power plays without registering a shot on goal.  With just over a minute left in the second, Travis Moen jammed in a rebound past Lindback to make it 3-0 Canadiens after two periods of play. 

The Bolts picked up the intensity in the 3^rd period.  Bolts finally broke through with 5:56 left when Victor Hedman scored his 3^rd goal of the season after a pretty feed from Tom Pyatt to make it 3-1.  Hedman struck again with 1:43 left as he deflected in a shot past Price to make it 3-2 Montreal.  Tampa Bay got on a power play with 1:04 left and Sami Salo tied the game with 43-seconds left.  Salo’s shot went off the skate of a Montreal player to tie the game, sending it to overtime.

After a scoreless overtime session, the game went to a shootout.  David Desharnais scored the only goal in the shootout period for the Canadiens.  Steven Stamkos was stopped on the final shot.  Montreal took the shootout 1-0.

Lightning host the Washington Capitals on Thursday at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.  Coverage of that game begins at 7pm on 970am WFLA. 

For a Photo Gallery of the game taken by listener Brian Kelly CLICK HERE.