Canadiens outlast Lightning 2-1 in Game 7 to win thrilling 1st-round series

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Montreal Canadiens made the most of their limited opportunities.

Alex Newhook broke a tie with 8:53 left and Montreal — with only nine shots on goal — outlasted the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Game 7 on Sunday night to end the thrilling first-round series.

The Canadiens will face the Buffalo Sabres in the second round after finishing off their first series victory since losing the Stanley Cup Final to Tampa Bay in 2021. Game 1 is Wednesday night in Buffalo.

Rookie goaltender Jakub Dobes made 28 saves and Nick Suzuki got his first goal of the series for Montreal. The Canadiens are the first team to win a playoff game with fewer than 10 shots on goal since shots were first tracked in the 1959-60 season.

“Sometimes you win the game and not the score,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “When it's Game 7, there's no moral victory.”

Each game of the series was decided by one goal and four went to overtime. The score was tied or within one goal for all but six minutes in the seven games.

“It's a tough building to play in, it's a chaotic environment out there,” Suzuki said. “We've been a good road team all season. We knew we had to come in here and anything can happen in a Game 7.”

The Lightning were eliminated in the first round for the fourth straight season after falling two wins short of a Stanley Cup three-peat in 2022.

Tampa Bay’s tough defense held the Canadiens without a shot for nearly 27 minutes from the first period into the third and just four through two periods. Brandon Hagel made an outstanding, sliding stick save with an open net in the final minute but the Lightning couldn't get the tying goal during a 6-on-5 and 6-on-4 for the final six seconds.

Montreal got a couple lucky bounces to score twice on its first eight shots on goal.

After Lane Hutson fired a slap shot that went wide and bounced back out, Newhook backhanded the puck out of the air and in off Andrei Vasilevskiy’s pad and his backside.

“Great hand-eye coordination by Newy,” Suzuki said. “He's been a big-game player. I'm definitely happy for him.”

Playing in front of their 461st consecutive sellout crowd and hundreds more fans watching from Thunder Alley outside Benchmark International Arena, the Lightning lost for the 11th time in their last 13 playoff games at home, including three times in this series.

“You can't lose three at home,” Hagel said.

The Canadiens didn’t have a shot on net in the second period despite two power-play chances. They became the first team to have zero shots in a playoff period since Pittsburgh in Game 1 of the 2017 Stanley Cup Finals against Nashville.

Dominic James tipped in Charle-Edouard D’Astous’ one-timer from just inside the blue line to tie it at 1 on a power play in the second period.

Suzuki opened the scoring 1:21 left in the first. After scoring 29 goals in the regular season, Suzuki needed a lucky bounce to get one. His redirection of Kaiden Guhle’s slap shot was heading wide but the puck hit Lightning defenseman J.J. Moser and went in.

Montreal’s Martin St. Louis, a Hockey Hall of Famer whose No. 26 is retired by the Lightning, became the fifth player to appear in a Game 7 for a team and coach against them in another.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Tampa Bay Lightning center Gage Goncalves (93) reacts after the team lost to the Montréal Canadiens in Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Montréal Canadiens center Phillip Danault (24) leads the team through the handshake line after the Canadiens defeated the Lightning in Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Montréal Canadiens center Alex Newhook (15) celebrates his goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning with defenseman Lane Hutson (48) during the third period in Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Montréal Canadiens players celebrate after the team defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Montréal Canadiens center Alex Newhook (15) is mobbed by teammates, including Nick Suzuki (14) after scoring against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the third period in Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Brandon Hagel (38) gets around Montréal Canadiens right wing Zachary Bolduc (76) during the second period in Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Lightning center Gage Goncalves (93) gets off a shot against Montréal Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle (21) during the second period in Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Montréal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson (48) takes down Tampa Bay Lightning center Yanni Gourde (37) in front of goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) during the second period in Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Charle-Edouard D'Astous (51) knocks down Montréal Canadiens right wing Ivan Demidov (93) during the first period in Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Montréal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki (14) celebrates his goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning with defenseman Kaiden Guhle (21) during the first period in Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

DETROIT (AP) — Spencer Torkelson hit a two-run homer and the Detroit Tigers pulled away to a 7-1 victory over the Texas Rangers on Sunday night.

Torkelson had gone five games without a homer after tying a franchise record by homering in five consecutive games.

Kevin McGonigle had two RBI singles and Matt Vierling added a two-run double for Detroit, which has won all five of its home series. Hao-Yu Lee chipped in a run-scoring single.

Tyler Holton served as an opener and retired two of the three batters he faced. Brant Hunter (4-0) tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings for the win, allowing two hits and striking out two.

Rangers starter Jack Leiter tied his career high with 10 strikeouts. He lasted 6 2/3 innings and was charged with five runs.

Leiter struck out six of the first eight batters he faced. He didn't allow a baserunner until he issued a four-pitch walk to Riley Greene. Torkelson fell behind in the count 0-2, then clubbed a hanging slider over the left field wall to give Detroit a 2-0 lead.

McGonigle's line drive single in the sixth knocked in Jake Rogers, who led off the inning with a liner that bounced past center fielder Evan Carter for a triple.

Texas scored in the seventh on Kyle Higashioka's RBI groundout. The Tigers then scored four runs in the bottom of the inning, highlighted by Vierling's two-run bloop double.

The Rangers begin a three-game road series against the New York Yankees on Tuesday. RHP Jacob deGrom (2-1, 2.01) will start for Texas. Ace LHP Tarik Skubal (3-2, 2.70) will start the opener of a three-game home series against Boston on Monday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Detroit Tigers' Spencer Torkelson, center celebrates his two-run home run with Riley Greene (31) as Texas Rangers catcher Kyle Higashioka, right, looks on during the fifth inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Texas Rangers pitcher Jack Leiter throws against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Detroit Tigers pitcher Brant Hurter tosses the ball to first base for an out on a Texas Rangers' Brandon Nimmo ground ball during the fifth inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Detroit Tigers' Spencer Torkelson pumps his fist after hitting a two-run home run against the Texas Rangers during the fifth inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Detroit Tigers' Spencer Torkelson hits a two-run home run against the Texas Rangers during the fifth inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)