Canadiens extend win streak to six games by striking down Lightning 4-1

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes makes a save during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (Jason Behnken/AP Photo)

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Jakub Dobes stopped 36 shots and the Montreal Canadiens won their sixth straight game, beating the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1 on Tuesday night.

Juraj Slafkovsky, Mike Matheson and Cole Caufield each had a goal and an assist. Nick Suzuki added an empty-net goal as the Canadiens moved to within two points of Tampa Bay for second place in the Atlantic Division.

Dobes won his fourth consecutive start and recorded his sixth consecutive game allowing two-or-fewer goals.

Jake Guentzel scored for Tampa Bay, which lost in regulation for the first time in nine games. Andrei Vasilevskiy finished with 19 saves.

Slafkovsky converted a one-timer with one second remaining on a 5-on-3 power play to give Montreal a 1-0 lead at 12:25 of the first period. Tampa Bay answered 1:16 later when Zemgus Girgensons protected the puck to allow the team to change behind him before Guentzel picked up a rebound and circled from behind the net and put a puck back across the grain.

The Canadiens regained the lead when Anthony Cirelli tried to one-touch a pass up ice that ended up on the stick of Mike Matheson. Montreal quickly transitioned the other way as Slafkovsky carried down the left wing and found Caufield wide open across the ice and the net wide open at 12:49 of the second period.

Caufield recorded his 300th career point on the play in his 360th game to become the fastest Montreal player to reach the mark since Mark Recchi in 1998.

Matheson and Suzuki added late empty-net goals.

Up next

Canadiens: Visit the New York Rangers on Thursday.

Lightning: Host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday.

Erik Erlendsson, The Associated Press