Johnson waited until the final seconds Wednesday to add another chapter to his breakout postseason, but he made it count. His goal with 1.1 seconds to play in regulation gave the Lightning a 2-1 win and a chance to sweep the higher-seed Canadiens when Game 4 comes around Thursday. The goal was Johnson’s third game-winner of the playoffs and his league-leading eighth overall, two more than Corey Perry.
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It was also the second time in the second round of these wacky, bizarre playoffs that the deciding goal was scored in the final two seconds of a game. Before this year, there had been just two such goals total in NHL postseason history (1964, 2009).
Elsewhere, the Capitals increased their series lead to three games to one with a 2-1 Game 4 win over the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Rangers, who join the Canadiens with their backs against the wall in the Eastern Conference. The Rangers and Canadiens had the two best records in the regular season.
Lightning 2, Canadiens 1 (Tampa Bay leads series 3-0)
Takeaway: The Lightning are a puzzle the Canadiens cannot solve. After outshooting them 31-17 on Wednesday, in a game in which the Lightning went almost 19 minutes without a shot on goal, the Habs still couldn’t find a way to stump Ben Bishop. In fact, Tampa Bay didn’t get its 10th shot on goal until 2:58 into the third period, and the Canadiens held a 29-18 advantage in scoring chances. Still, the Lightning, who swept the season series, have a chance to make it a perfect 9-0 against Montreal in 2014-15.
Quotable: “I think that was the perfect, proverbial ‘sometimes it’s not how, it’s how many,’” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said.
Highlight: Tyler Johnson does his best Joel Ward impression:
Next up: Thursday at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m. ET, NBCSN
Capitals 2, Rangers 1 (Washington leads series 3-1)
Takeaway: In an odd, roundabout way, an injury to one of the Capitals’ key players in the last round led to their Game 4 win. When Eric Fehr went down in Game 3 against the Islanders, in stepped rookie Andre Burakovsky, who had been in coach Barry Trotz’s doghouse for much of the regular season. But Burakovsky took on the hero role Wednesday, scoring the first two goals of his playoff career.
Capitals goalie Braden Holtby remains hot. He has stopped 64 of the last 65 shots he’s faced, including 28 of 29 on Wednesday. Derick Brassard’s goal 6:12 into the second period snapped a scoreless streak of 100:05 for the Rangers. New York’s past 10 playoff games dating to last year have each been decided by one goal, the longest such streak in postseason history.
Quotable: When Burakovsky was benched earlier in the season, Trotz told him he wouldn’t play again until he had a smile on his face. “He’s always got a smile on his face now,” Trotz said of his progression.
“I wanted to prove I don’t belong in the stands,” Burakovsky said.
Highlight: Carl Hagelin was awarded a penalty shot late in the third period and an opportunity to tie the game. Holtby had something to say about that:
Next up: Friday at New York, 7 p.m. ET, NBCSN
Three stars
- Tyler Johnson, F, Lightning: Johnson is tied with the Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane for third in playoff scoring with 11 points in 10 games.
2. Ben Bishop, G, Lightning: Bishop stopped 30 of 31 shots Wednesday and has allowed just four goals on 104 shots against the Canadiens.
- Andre Burakovsky, F, Capitals: Burakovsky also had five shots in 11:51 of ice time in his two-goal performance.
Injury report
David Desharnais, F, Canadiens: Desharnais has recovered from a gastrointestinal virus that kept him out of Game 2 and returned to the lineup Wednesday, skating 15:04 with a shot on goal.
Thursday’s games
(All times Eastern)
Canadiens at Lightning, 7 p.m., NBCSN
Blackhawks at Wild, 9:30 p.m., NBCSN
