Bolts strike Habs with OT victory
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Montreal, QC (SportsNetwork.com) - Nate Thompson had two goals, including the game-winner with 23.1 seconds remaining in overtime, to lift Tampa Bay to a 2-1 victory over Montreal at Bell Centre.
Victor Hedman collected a carom off the end boards and dished to the slot for Thompson, who slid the puck past Carey Price's left pad and inside the right post.
"The first one I got was a lucky bounce and the other one was a great play by Hedman. I shot it as hard as I could and it went in," said Thompson.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ben Bishop earned his 27th win with a 28-save performance. He was forced to depart Tampa Bay's game on Thursday after being struck in the head by the skate of teammate Nikita Kucherov.
The Lightning, who killed a Montreal power play that extended into the extra session, had dropped the first two stops on their four-game road trip.
Price stopped 34 shots for Montreal, which has dropped five of its last seven games.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"This was a good team, one of the best teams in the league. They are always on top of you pursuing pucks. They are fast skaters and they scored a goal during our power play," said Montreal head coach Michel Therrien.
After a scoreless first period that featured Price denying Kucherov on a penalty shot, Thompson was credited with a short-handed goal when Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban tipped Thompson's shot through the legs of the Montreal netminder at 5:58 of the middle stanza.
Montreal tied it at 7:25 of the third period. Brian Gionta found a seam with a cross-ice pass to Daniel Briere and he buried a shot from the left circle.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Game Notes
All three meetings this season have ended with 2-1 scores. Tampa Bay and Montreal traded shootout victories in the other team's building in the first two encounters ... Tampa Bay concludes its trek Tuesday at Minnesota ... The Canadiens began a four-game homestand which continues on Sunday afternoon against Winnipeg.