Tampa Bay Lightning' Charle-Edouard D'Astous (51) celebrates his goal with teammates Nikita Kucherov (86) and Darren Raddysh (43) during second period NHL hockey action against the Montreal Canadiens in Montreal on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

MONTREAL — The Tampa Bay Lightning scored three times in the first period and then coasted to a decisive 6-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre on Tuesday.

Brayden Point, Pontus Holmberg and Nikita Kucherov accounted for the early Tampa Bay offence as the Lightning (17-11-2) snapped a four-game losing streak.

Charle-Edouard D’Astous, a 27-year-old native of Rimouski, Que., added a second-period tally for Tampa in the defenceman’s first career game at the Bell Centre.

Fellow defenceman Darren Raddysh, skating in his 200th career NHL game, closed out the scoring with a pair of third-period goals for the Lightning.

Jonas Johansson made 26 saves in the winning effort.

The Swedish netminder made his fourth consecutive start — including his second start in as many nights — for the Lightning amid the absence of the team’s star goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy. The Russian was placed on injured reserve by Tampa Bay on Monday with an undisclosed injury.

Oliver Kapanen scored a power-play goal in the final minute of the second period for Montreal (15-11-3).

Cole Caufield saw his 11-game point streak come to an end in the loss, Montreal’s second straight.

Jakub Dobes allowed three goals on 14 shots before being replaced by Sam Montembeault to start the second period. Montembeault, making his first appearance since Dec. 2, surrendered three goals on 12 shots in relief.

It was not all positive news for the Bolts, however, as they lost defenceman Victor Hedman to injury. The 34-year-old rearguard, who missed 12 games earlier this season to injury, did not play a single shift after the first period.

TAKEAWAYS

Lightning: Tampa Bay’s offence finally broke out. Point’s first-period tally was the team’s first goal in 130:43, with the Lightning having been shutout by identical 2-0 scores in their previous two games.

Canadiens: Montreal dropped below .500 on Bell Centre ice this season (7-8-1), having lost seven of their last nine home games.

KEY MOMENT

Ivan Demidov’s failed pass attempt to Noah Dobson at the Canadiens' blue line came just as Holmberg’s minor penalty for interference was expiring. The Swede, fresh out of the penalty box, caught up with the loose puck, beating Dobes on a breakaway to give the Lightning a 2-0 lead.

KEY STAT

Jake Guentzel collected his 600th career NHL point with an assist on Point’s goal. He became the 58th U.S.-born player in NHL history to achieve the feat.

UP NEXT

Lightning: Visit the New Jersey Devils on Thursday.

Canadiens: Visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 9, 2025.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2025