Goncalves scores in OT, Lightning beat Canadiens to force Game 7
MONTREAL (AP) — Gage Goncalves scored off his own rebound at 9:03 overtime and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Montreal Canadiens 1-0 on Friday night to force a Game 7 in the first-round series. Goncalves scored soon after the Lightning killed scoring star Nikita Kucherov’s penalty for tripping Alexandre Carrier. Game 7 is Sunday in Tampa.
The Lightning are trying to avoid a fourth consecutive first-round exit, while the Canadiens are chasing their first series victory in five years. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 30 saves for Tampa Bay, and Jakub Dobes stopped 32 shots for Montreal. The first three games of the series also went to overtime.
SABRES 4, BRUINS 1 BOSTON (AP) — Alex Tuch and Mattias Samuelsson scored in the first period, Zach Benson added another early in the third and Buffalo beat Boston in Game 6 to advance to the second round of the NHL playoffs for the first time since 2007. Josh Norris added an empty-netter. Alex Lyon finished with 25 saves.
The 4-2 series victory is the latest milestone for Buffalo, which saw the end of its 14-year playoff drought by capturing its first Atlantic Division title. The 2007 season was also the last time the Sabres advanced to the second round. They lost in the conference finals that year.
David Pastrnak scored the lone goal for the Bruins. Jeremy Swayman made 22 stops.