Nikita Kucherov scored two goals and set up another as the Tampa Bay Lightning advanced to the NHL Eastern Conference finals with a 4-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday.
Steven Stamkos scored his third goal of the playoffs for the Lightning, who closed out the second-round series in six games after Montreal fought off elimination in Games 4 and 5.
“This was our Game 7 tonight,” Stamkos said. “This is the biggest game of the playoffs for us and we responded.”
Photo: USA Today
Kucherov finished with six goals in the series.
Ondrej Palat had a goal and an assist for Tampa Bay, who played without forward Ryan Callahan, who had an emergency appendectomy on Monday night.
Ben Bishop stopped 18 shots to outperform Carey Price, who finished with 24 saves.
The Lightning, who won nine of 11 meetings against the Canadians this season including playoffs, face either the New York Rangers or Washington Capitals in the conference finals.
Those teams were to meet in Game 7 of their second-round series yesterday.
Price, a leading candidate for league MVP, played well in helping the Canadiens climb back in the series after losing the first two games at home and watching Game 3 slip away in the closing seconds for a 3-0 deficit.
The Montreal star stopped several shots from point-blank range, but Bishop was better for Tampa Bay.
Montreal’s loss means the last of five Canadian-based teams who reached the post-season are eliminated from the playoffs. A Canadian-based team has not won the Cup since the Canadiens did it in 1993.
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