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Stanley Cup Playoffs: Lightning, Avs win in OT, Mammoth even series

By The Associated Press - | Apr 22, 2026

Tampa's J.J. Moser celebrates his game-winning goal in OT over Montreal in Game 2 of their Stanley Cup Playoff first round series Tuesday night in Tampa. (AP photo)

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — J.J. Moser scored 12:48 into overtime to give the Tampa Bay Lightning a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night, tying the first-round playoff series at 1-1.

The series shifts to Montreal for two games, with Game 3 set for Friday night. Game 4 is Sunday.

Brandon Hagel had a Gordie Howe hat trick with a goal, assist and a fight, and teammate Nikita Kucherov also scored for Tampa Bay. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 25 shots.

The Lightning had lost four consecutive home playoff games and 10 of the past 11, dating to Game 4 against Colorado in the 2022 Stanley Cup Final.

Lane Hutson and Josh Anderson scored for the Canadiens. Jakub Dobes finished with 31 saves.

Kucherov forced overtime at 12:33 of the third period, collecting a deflected puck off the stick of Hagel and scoring on a wrap-around. The goal was the first playoff goal for Kucherov since April 19, 2023, a span of 17 postseason games.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

MAMMOTH 3, GOLDEN KNIGHTS 2

Logan Cooley scored off a rebound with six minutes left to give the Mammoth a victory over the Vegas Golden Knights in Vegas and they will head back to Utah with a split of the first two games in their first-round playoffs series.

Game 3 of the best-of-seven series is Friday night in Salt Lake City.

Cooley, a 21-year-old from Pittsburgh, is the youngest U.S.-born player to scored a goal in each of his first two playoff games.

It’s the first playoff victory for the Mammoth since the organization relocated from Arizona two years ago.

This was the Golden Knights’ first regulation defeat under coach John Tortorella (8-1-1).

Dylan Guenther had a goal and assist for the Mammoth, MacKenzie Weegar scored and Kailer Yamamoto finished with two assists. Karel Vejmelka recorded 19 saves.

Mark Stone and Ivan Barbashev scored for the Golden Knights, with Jack Eichel picking up the primary assist on each. Carter Hart, who stopped 26 shots, suffered his first loss under Tortorella in Vegas after winning his first seven starts.

AVALANCHE 2, KINGS 1 OT

Nicolas Roy scored on a rebound 7:44 into overtime and Scott Wedgewood made 24 saves, including a penalty shot, as the host Colorado Avalanche took a 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff series.

Roy put the winner through the legs of defenseman Brandt Clarke and into the net to set off a wild celebration.

The game was halted for roughly 17 minutes in the second period when a pane of glass shattered behind the Kings bench, sending pieces raining on interim coach D.J. Smith. The incident occurred right after Quinton Byfield was stopped on a penalty shot by Wedgewood and fans began to celebrate by pounding on the glass. It gave way as Smith covered his head and then brushed the glass off his suit.

Colorado is 17-2 in playoff series when taking a 2-0 lead since relocating to Denver before the 1995-96 season. Los Angeles is 3-12 in postseason series when facing an 0-2 hole.